These awards are open to theatre shows - please see the details of each award for entry specifics and sub-genres.

The Carol Tambor Award

The Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award considers all productions given four or five stars by The Scotsman newspaper’s team of critics. The only other criterion that must be met is that productions must be new to New York. The winning company or performer is offered a New York premiere with all expenses covered, including visa costs, travel and accommodation for the cast and crew, transportation of props, publicity and venue expenses. If possible, the New York run will coincide with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters convention, which brings some 4,000 producers and presenters to New York City, making this an exceptional opportunity to showcase your work internationally.

For more information visit www.bestofedinburgh.org.

2018 winner

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The Eddies

The Drayton Arms Theatre exists to help new and emerging companies and artists to stage their work in a supportive and cost-effective environment. We want to find the most exciting new companies at this year's Fringe Festival and offer them the chance to remount their Edinburgh success with an immediate London transfer. All normal hire fees / rental costs to be waived as part of this award. We will also supply a technician for your Get In at no cost to the company, as well as flyer, poster printing and distribution costs. Companies are required to remunerate their own company members and provide a SM/Operator for the full run.

100% of ticket sales go to the winning company.

For more information and full T&C’s please visit www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk

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The Infallible Awards (The Infallibles)

Organised by Infallible Productions Ltd

Infallible Productions has been present at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for many years and its director, Stefania Bochicchio, is one of the UK board members of the International Theatre Institute and the founding artistic director at Draper Hall, London SE1. 

Draper Hall specialises in staging London premieres of award-winning, novel, daring and wonderful plays, like Emily Carding's One Woman RICHARD III, Margo Mac Donald's ELEPHANT GIRLS, Badac Theatre's THE FLOOD and Jo Clifford's JESUS QUEEN OF HEAVEN.

The Infallibles Awards will give one company the possibility of making their London debut at Draperhall during its 2019 season and to keep the entire box office takings of the run which will take place from Thursday – Saturday over three weeks (nine performances). Venue hire cost will be free to the winning company and Marketing and Publicity will also be provided free of cost to the winners.

Companies who will receive a nomination will be asked to come to Draper Hall, paying no hire or minimum guarantee and with a split box office agreement.

The winner of the 2017 edition was A GREAT FEAR OF SHALLOW LIVING

2018 winner

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The Filipa Bragança Award

Established last year during the 70th Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Gilded Balloon will continue to present this award in honour of the actress Filipa Bragança, who died in 2016. Bragança, who starred in Henry Naylor’s critically-acclaimed and award-winning productions of Echoes (2015) and Angel (2016), was revered for her outstanding work both off- and onstage, as well as for the enormous impact of her life and career.

Filipa was only 25 when she graduated from Drama Studio London and was cast as Samira in Naylor’s Echoes, a two-hander where she played a radicalised British schoolgirl. The production was a critical and commercial hit, and subsequently toured the world for over a year, with her performances helping the show collect over 10 major international Fringe Awards. The following year, she returned to collaborate with Naylor on Angel, and was in the midst of a second world tour when she passed away. Her last appearances were at the Brisbane Festival and Melbourne Fringe. Filipa was renowned for her generosity of spirit, her dedication to compassionate politics, and as a tireless campaigner for the environment, the homeless, and refugees. As well as this, she was a vocal champion of women in the arts, and in her name The Filipa Bragança Award will endeavour to honour her legacy in the performing arts.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe productions that are registered in the theatre genre and feature a solo performance by an emerging female artist will be eligible for consideration for the Award.

The recipient of The Filipa Bragança Award will be announced at the final Scotsman Fringe Awards on Friday 24th August, and will be presented to the sophomore winner by Henry Naylor, who worked in close collaboration with Filipa across a number of productions, festivals, and countries. A panel of esteemed Scottish-based theatre critics and arts writers will judge the Award, including Joyce McMillan, Jackie McGlone, Thom Dibdin, Tim Cornwell and Mark Fisher.

For further information relating to the Award, please contact David Dey at david@gildedballoon.co.uk or press@gildedballoon.co.uk.

The inaugural winner of The Filipa Bragança Award was Selina Thompson, in the production ‘Salt’ at Summerhall (2017).

2018 winner

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The Scotsman Fringe First Award

Designed to encourage performers to bring new work to Edinburgh in the spirit of adventure and experiment, the Scotsman Fringe First Awards celebrate the best new writing on the Fringe, as judged by the team of critics from Scotland’s national broadsheet, The Scotsman.

The Scotsman Fringe First Awards are presented weekly throughout the Fringe.​

Fringe First 2018 winners - week 1

  • First Snow / Première neige - National Theatre of Scotland, Théâtre PÀP and Hôtel-Motel (CanadaHub @ King's Hall in association with Summerhall)
  • Class - Iseult Golden and David Horan in association with Abbey Theatre (Traverse Theatre)
  • The Basement Tapes - Zanetti Productions (Summerhall)
  • Angry Alan by Penelope Skinner - Francesca Moody Productions in association with Underbelly (Underbelly)
  • What Girls Are Made Of - Traverse Theatre Company, Raw Material in association with Regular Music (Traverse Theatre)
  • Status - Chris Thorpe, Rachel Chavkin, China Plate and Staatstheater Mainz (Summerhall)
  • Ulster American - Traverse Theatre Company (Traverse Theatre)

Fringe First 2018 winners - week 2

Fringe First 2018 winners - week 3

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Fringe Review Outstanding Theatre Award

Each year Fringe Review presents up to three of its coveted Outstanding Theatre Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe. The coveted "teapot" awards (a smart, engraved teapot and certificate) are presented to theatre or theatre-related productions that are deemed to be outstanding, having reached Fringe Review’s five-star standard.

The awarded company's production will have been confirmed by more than one member of the Fringe Review team. In 2009, Fringe Review also introduced a new category of award - the Hidden Gem Award - given to a show deemed to be outstanding, but which is not capturing the attention and audience numbers it deserves.

All awards are announced during the Fringe and communicated via press release and photo shoot, as well as presentation ceremony (at a curtain call if possible).

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The FringeReview/Rialio Theatre Award at Edinburgh Fringe 2018

The FringeReview/Rialto Theatre Outstanding Award winner will offer space at the Rialto and support for a chosen show to perform at Brighton Fringe 2019

To be eligible for the award, your company must be available and willing to bring your show to the Rialto Theatre at Brighton Fringe 2019. (4th May – 3rd June)

This is not an award you need to apply for. The Rialto Theatre scouting team are up in Edinburgh during the first two weeks of the Fringe and, along with the FringeReview review team, will identify several nominee theatre shows which are rated at least outstanding by the award team and the award will be announced at the end of the second week of the Edinburgh Fringe.

The award team seeking outstanding shows comprises Roger Kay and Lauren Varnfield from the Rialto Theatre Brighton and the FringeReview review team who are out and about each day reviewing and seeking excellent work.

2018 winner

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Musical Theatre Review Best Musical Award 

The return of this award for excellence in Musical Theatre continues to promote the range of musical theatre in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme and celebrate the best of the genre. The winning musical will be picked from a shortlist of 10 productions nominated by the Musical Theatre Review Edinburgh team.
The 2017 Award was won by A Super Happy Story About Being Super Sad and a special commendation was given to the score for STOP! The Musical.

2018 winners

  • Sparks - Michelle Barnette Productions and Flipping the Bird with HighTide (Pleasance)
  • The Half Moon Shania - Burnt Lemon Theatre (ZOO)

2018 shortlist 

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The Owle Schreame Awards

The Owle Schreame Awards are the first and only full set of awards in the world dedicated solely to Historical, Classical, and Folk Theatre. There are thirteen awards, each in the form of an engraved glass skull, and each given to commemorate some form of "innovation" in the field of historical theatrical performance.

Any show which takes as its core inspiration mythological or historical text, theatre or events is eligible for awards consideration, whether physical theatre, spoken word, a straight Shakespearean play, or any other more traditional or experimental form of performance. The judging panel includes practitioners, critics, and academics, and is headed by Brice Stratford (Artistic Director of the Owle Schreame theatre company).

All winners will be invited to the full day awards dinner and symposium, at a historic venue in London (usually in September), where they will be given the opportunity to present a talk to their fellow winners outlining their experiences with the work they've done in particular, and the field of historical theatre in general. It is a great opportunity to enjoy good company, good food, professional discourse, and good conversation.

Find out more about the Owle Schreame Awards

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The Stage Edinburgh Awards

The Stage Edinburgh Awards will be running for the 23rd year at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The awards are designed to recognise outstanding performances on the Fringe, whether solo or as part of a company. Ensembles are also eligible. Previous winners include Jade Anouka for Chef (2014), Phoebe Waller Bridge for Fleabag (2013) and Daniel Kitson for C-90 (2006).

Since 2014, they’ve been awarded on a rolling basis. The judging panel is headed by Natasha Tripney and The Stage make announcements every Monday throughout the Fringe. For the latest information about The Stage Edinburgh Awards visit thestage.co.uk

2018 winners

  • Julie Hesmondhalgh | The Greatest Play in the History of the World - Tara Finney Productions in association with Royal Exchange Theatre (Traverse Theatre)
  • Scott Sheppard | Underground Railroad Game - Soho Theatre presents the Ars Nova production (Traverse Theatre)
  • Jennifer Kidwell | Underground Railroad Game - Soho Theatre presents the Ars Nova production (Traverse Theatre)
  • Katherine Pearce | Island Town - Paines Plough and Theatr Clwyd (Summerhall)
  • Stella Reid | The Basement Tapes - Zanetti Productions (Summerhall)
  • Michael Ajao and Valentine Olukoga | The Fishermen - New Perspectives Theatre Company in association with HOME (Assembly)
  • Rachel Clarke, Jacoba Williams, Koko Kwaku, Veronica Beatrice Lewis | Queens of Sheba  - Nouveau Riché / Untapped by Underbelly and New Diorama Theatre (Underbelly)
  • Julian Spooner | Mistero Buffo - Rhum and Clay Theatre Company (Underbelly)
  • Sophie Steer, Ellice Stevens, Kathryn Bond | It’s True, It’s True, It’s True - Breach Theatre / Untapped by Underbelly and New Diorama Theatre (Underbelly)
  • Irene Allan | Coriolanus Vanishes - Fire Exit / Tron Theatre (Traverse Theatre)
  • Sabrina Messer, Rob Madge, Matt Bond, Rachael Chomer, Chris Baker, Sam Cochrane, Ben Richardson, Will Davis, Zach Okonkwo  | Timpson: The Musical - Gigglemug Theatre (C Venues)

 

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Scottish Art Club Theatre Award

Each year, the Scottish Arts Club awards two prizes recognising the best in Scottish Theatre.

The main prize is awarded to the best Scottish Theatre production appearing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Productions with a Scottish director, writer, cast, or a Scottish-based theatre company are eligible. A second prize, The Bright Spark Award, is awarded to a young actor or theatre maker just embarking on their career.

The winners are presented at a formal awards ceremony held at the Scottish Arts Club.

The judges are all drawn from the Scottish arts world.

Scottish Arts Club Theatre Award (for best Scottish production) Winner

Scottish Arts Club Theatre Award (for best Scottish production) Runner-Up

  • Heroine   - Scene Change Productions (Assembly)

Scottish Arts Club Bright Spark Award (for an emerging Scottish talent) Winner

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Holden Street Theatre Award

The Holden Street Theatres’ Edinburgh Fringe Award celebrates its 10th year this year and we are very proud to be a part of the Edinburgh Fringe for its 70th Birthday, Happy Birthday. Our award invites a production to perform at Holden Street Theatres in Adelaide, South Australia, as the headline show of its Adelaide Fringe Programme.

Holden Street Theatres is known as “The Home of Theatre” with a strong loyal following and a reputation for presenting great work and really looking after it’s artists and patrons. Productions are shortlisted by the Artistic Director of Holden Street Theatres along with a panel of international producers and arts practitioners. The work is selected on artistic merit, production values, touring possibilities, venue compatibility and marketing viability. 

2018 winners