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Fringe Report is now closed. Fringe Report closed on its 10th anniversary, Thursday 12 July 2012. It remains online as a record of 10 exciting years in the arts. Till July 2013, previously unwritten content is being added to the site from the past 10 years, but we are no longer reviewing new material. You can still write to us on the existing email addresses. Good luck with your shows.

FRINGE REPORT AWARDS 2003

(2008 Awards)
(2007 Awards)
(2006 Awards)
(2005 Awards)
(2004 Awards)
(2003 Awards)



Rewarding the Best of the Best of the London Fringe

Key to page:
(top) List of Awards with Citations
(middle) Welcoming Speech
(bottom) List of Guests

The following awards were announced midday Friday 31 January 03 and presented at London's Canal Café Theatre 9.30pm Wednesday 12 February 03:

- OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS -

Emma Taylor
Theatre Person of The Year
Citation - 'The award reflects Emma Taylor's remarkable work as Artistic Director of the Canal Café Theatre; actress; director of Lucky Stiff, American Trio, American Shorts, and Dulcas's Women; producer of NewsRevue; and her kindness and generosity to those involved in fringe theatre.'

Johnnie Oddball
Film Person of The Year
Citation - 'The award reflects Johnnie Oddball's gifted creation of opportunity to fringe film-makers through the numerous events he organises, all with enormous and infectious enthusiasm; in particular the 48-Hour Digital Guerrilla Filmmakers' Challenge which resulted in the production and screening of 40 excellent short films.'

Rohan Acharya
Comedy Person of The Year
Citation - 'The award reflects Rohan Acharya's inspiring work as impresario, programmer, and promoter of major comedy events, including: The Establishment, Sixty Acts in Sixty Minutes (60 in 60), The Absolute Comedy Nights at Madame Jo-Jo's; and as director of NewsRevue and The Bing Show.'

- INDIVIDUAL AWARDS BY PROFESSION -

Will Cantopher (BBC)
Best Journalist
Citation - 'The award reflects Will Cantopher's excellence as journalist and editor. As editor, he has made BBC London Entertainment's site a first point of reference. His fine and perceptive article Juice - How We Shot A Movie In Two Days, describing the process of low-budget film-making in his clear and accessible literary style, has been of enormous benefit to everyone making film on the fringe.'

(Best Journalist - Will Cantopher)
(Category: Journalism: Commended - Bruce Dessau - Evening Standard)
'Bruce Dessau's crisply-delivered reviews, and thought-provoking essays on the direction and future of British comedy provide a lively focus for both audience and performers.'

(Best Journalist - Will Cantopher)
(Category: Journalism: Commended - Malcolm Haye - Time Out)
'Malcolm Haye's sharp, well-written, accurate reviews invite access from a large audience to London's fringe comedy and comedy-drama performers.'

(Best Journalist - Will Cantopher)
(Category: Journalism: Commended - Rachel Halliburton - Evening Standard)
'Rachel Halliburton's broad-ranging, sparkling and analytical reviews bring London fringe theatre constantly to the attention of its potential audience.'

Sarah-Louise Young
Best Actress
Citation - 'The award reflects Sarah-Louise Young's outstanding depth and range as an actor; it recognises her astonishing and entrancing performance as Snow White in the recent dark re-appraisal of this traditional story at the National Theatre; and excellence as performer and writer in theatre, prisons, cabaret, tv, stand-up, sketch comedy, and film in 2002 productions including Friction, The Good Old Daze, The Blind Spot, Doctors, NewsRevue, Look Around You, Trinity's Cabaret, Smoking Quietly with Dusty Limits, Big Dick Whittington, Voices, and Strange Fruit.'

Richard Costello
Best Actor
Citation - 'The award recognises Richard Costello's outstanding depth and range as an actor; in particular his title role of Jack in London Shaw Theatre's Jack and The Beanstalk, an acting performance which in its dramatic, interpretive and charismatic qualities transcended the genre of pantomime, while providing entertainment and great delight to thousands of children and adults; and his consistently excellent work including the RJ Williamson national Shakespeare tour, NewsRevue, The Amazons, Bichunmoo, Dragon Gate Inn, Body Checks, and Dr Frankenstein in Frankenstein.'

Katharine Pottinger
Best Director
Citation - 'The award reflects Katharine Pottinger's superb direction of Electra at The Underbelly, Edinburgh 2002: her clear and artistic directorial vision producing a sharp and inspirational version of Sophocles's classic tragedy.'

Marc Blakewill
Best Comedy Writer
Citation - 'The award recognises both the joint and separate comedy sketch-writing work of (alpha order) Marc Blakewill and James Harris for radio and stage, including NewsRevue, BBC News Huddlines, The Madame Jo-Jo's Absolute Comedy Nights, and Revolution, with a special mention for their uniquely off-message Twin Towers Tribute. It recognises two outstanding pieces of Marc Blakewill's solo work, the political sketches Bush's Address To The Nation, and Marc Blakewill's witty and devastating analysis of the Palestine/Israel crisis: Ariel Sharon Automatic.'

James Harris
Best Comedy Writer
Citation - 'The award recognises both the joint and separate comedy sketch-writing work of (alpha order) Marc Blakewill and James Harris for radio and stage, including NewsRevue, BBC News Huddlines, The Madame Jo-Jo's Absolute Comedy Nights, and Revolution, with a special mention for their uniquely off-message Twin Towers Tribute. It recognises two outstanding pieces of James Harris's solo work: Born To Fry (about Jamie Oliver), and his Michael Barrymore tribute, Fisting By The Pool, for which James Harris receives Fringe Report's special Commendation: Fister Of The Year.'

Brandon Toropov
Best Drama Writer
Citation - 'The award recognises Brandon Toropov's outstanding writing of the 2002 Edinburgh Fringe production Seven Affidavits on Authority. His tight focus on the extreme dramas of human life, modulated by an affectionate humour and perceptive compassion produces a theatre of electricity and fabulous delight.'


- FILM AWARD -

Rococo 55
Best Film
Name of Recipient - All Involved - Cast, Crew, Company
Citation - 'Rococo 55 exploits and stretches the possibilities uniquely available in the medium of film to create a compulsive drama which grips from start to finish. It's a finely-acted visual delight which pushes forward the boundaries of experimental film while at the same time being superbly entertaining. The award recognises these outstanding achievements.'


- SHOW AWARDS - THEATRE -
(alpha order)

Jackie Clune for Boy Crazy
Best Cabaret
Citation - 'The award recognises the warmth, power, and hilarity of Jackie Clune's outstanding performance and writing in her Edinburgh 2002 show Boy Crazy, with a Commendation to accompanist Al Collingwood.'

Cock and Bull
Best Play From a Novel
Name of Recipient - All Involved - Cast, Crew, Company
Citation - 'The award recognises the remarkable achievement of all involved with Pivot Theatre in bringing Will Self's complex and profound novel to the stage, in a spectacular production which thrills visually and dramatically, and never ceases to delight.'

Everyone Loves Me
Best Musical
Name of Recipient - All Involved - Cast, Crew, Company
Citation - 'The award recognises the excellence of all involved in Everyone Loves Me in producing an intelligent, thought-provoking and delightful musical - a sharp and perceptive satire on celebrity which exploits the medium of the musical to tell a well-plotted, finely-acted and hilariously funny moral tale - with great songs, well-written and sensationally performed.'

(Best Musical - Everyone Loves Me)
(Category: Musical: Commended - 5678)
(Written by Marianne Levy, Music by Joseph Craig) 'Enjoyable, funny and elegant satire of showbiz hopefuls.'

(Best Musical - Everyone Loves Me)
(Category: Musical: Commended - Told You So)
(Book and Lyrics by John Finnemore, Composer and Musical Director Joseph Craig) 'Warm, witty and adventurous look askance at Aesop's Fables.'

Falling Angel, Rising Ape
Best Dance
Name of Recipient - All Involved - Cast, Crew, Company
Citation - 'The award recognises the outstanding work of all involved in Falling Angel, Rising Ape at Edinburgh 2002 - a truly magical and inspirational work by many artists to create a production of élan, humour and perceptive beauty - stretching the boundaries of modern dance while creating a wholly engaging, accessible and delightful entertainment.'

(Best Dance - Falling Angel, Rising Ape)
(Category: Dance: Commended - Lucy Traube for Ribbon)
(Written and Directed by Lucy Traube) 'Witty, wry and evocative look at the education of dance.'

Fire Down Under
Best Farce
Name of Recipient - All Involved - Cast, Crew, Company
Citation - 'The award recognises the outstanding work of all concerned in Fire Down Under in staging a hilarious entertainment to packed houses throughout its 2002 tour; scripted, acted, choreographed, designed, costumed, directed, produced and delivered with brilliance.'

Gag
Best Comedy Drama
Name of Recipient - All Involved - Cast, Crew, Company
Citation - 'The award recognises the outstanding work of all concerned in Evil Ink's Gag in producing a magnificent parody of the world of showbiz and those who would pull its strings; fiercely intelligent writing, with a tight plot and packed with laughs, brought to life by a first-class cast. With Commendation for Unarmed Combat for off-stage cast-audience interaction.'

Gulliver
Best Political Fantasy
Name of Recipient - All Involved - Cast, Crew, Company
Citation - 'The award recognises the outstanding work of all concerned with Prague's Ta Fantastika's production of Gulliver at Edinburgh 2002: a fabulous re-interpretation of Jonathan Swift's classic political satire - directed, designed and acted with excellence.'

The Legendary Polowski Murders
Best Cop Spoof
Name of Recipient - Gareth Tunley and Phil Brown (aka Phil Brodie)
Citation - 'The award recognises the outstanding work of Phil Brown (aka Phil Brodie) as Sergeant Mild and Gareth Tunley as Inspector Savage as actors and writers of The Legendary Polowski Murders at Edinburgh 2002 - creating a hilarious show crackling with imagination.'

Andrew McKay for The Measure of a Milkman
Best Internal Drama
Citation - 'The award recognises Andrew McKay's outstanding work as writer and performer of the searing internal drama The Measure of a Milkman at Edinburgh 2002. Commendation to Abigail Burdess for her inspired direction.'

Neil Mullarkey for Don't Be Needy, Be Succeedy
Best Satire
(presented onstage at The Comedy Store Sun 9 March 03)
Citation - 'The award recognises the remarkable achievement of Neil Mullarkey in the creation of life-coach extraordinaire L Vaughan Spencer, in a show which enlists the enthusiastic co-operation of his audience in a ruthless satire of self-improvement through the quality of Neil Mullarkey's comedic excellence and sharp, lyrical and gifted writing.'

- SPECIAL AWARD -

The Cockpit Theatre for Theatre In The Pound
Best Fringe Gateway
Name of Recipient - The Cockpit Theatre: All Involved. Citation - 'The award recognises the outstanding contribution of all staff and others involved with The Cockpit Theatre, under the management of David Wybrow, in providing friendly, helpful and open access to fringe theatre performers and audiences through the Theatre's open evening Theatre In The Pound.'

- (END OF AWARDS) -

Each Fringe Report Award comes with a citation and - thanks to majority sponsor Greens Restaurant and Oyster Bar and Greens Select - rather a nice bottle of champagne.


- WELCOMING SPEECH -


Welcome by John Park, Editor, Fringe Report. Awards Ceremony Canal Café Theatre Wednesday 12 February 03 at 9.30 pm (edited):

'Welcome to the Fringe Report Awards 2003. The fringe works on people helping each other. Especially it works because of unsung heroes. So we'd like to take this chance to thank every Musical Director, Public Relations Officer, Technician, Press Officer and Theatre Administrator who so magnificently help us all to achieve great theatre.

People like Pete Smith as MDs; Paul Sullivan and Guy Chapman in PR, invited here tonight by award winners; Jake Wiltshire at the Canal Café, Nic Watson at the Cockpit, and Elizabeth Maddison at the White Bear on the lights and sound; Kim Morgan and Penny Sims at the Pleasance Press Office, Liz Smith at the Assembly Rooms Press Office, Martin Reynolds and Mark Alford at the Edinburgh Fringe Press Office, Corks Edmondson at the Underbelly, Fraser Smith and Lynnie-Lu Thompson and Sarah Milne at the at present derelict Gilded Balloon Press Office; and among distinguished theatre administrators, Louis Brownhill at this theatre, also a gifted actor, as those who saw the first house of Shamlet tonight will testify.

We'd particularly like to welcome Monika Studena - Cultural Attaché to the Czech Embassy. Building bridges between theatre in Europe is something the fringe does excellently, and it is very kind of Monica to come here tonight.

To those who have made the awards financially and physically possible, we'd like to thank David Vickerstaff from Greens, the majority sponsor of the champagne presented as the awards; Richard Dragun, graphic designer, for designing and producing the certificates; Chris Gutteridge, senior partner, APT, for kindly allowing us to print at his office; Jake Wiltshire for lighting the awards; Emma Taylor, Artistic Director, for the use of the Canal Café Theatre.' (END).


- LIST OF GUESTS -


(guest of person or show in brackets after name):

David Vickerstaff (FR Awards Sponsors - Greens Restaurant and Oyster Bar), Richard Dragun (FR Awards - Graphic Designer - Certificates), Rupert Keenlyside (FR Guest - Publisher - Global Treasury News), Sarah Choppen (Everyone Loves Me), Craig Kerrigan (Everyone Loves Me), Kitty Winter (Falling Angel, Rising Ape), Laurence Owen (Kitty Winter), John Terry (Kitty Winter), Lovisa Tobieson (Falling Angel, Rising Ape), Peter Benedict (Fire Down Under), Tony Forsyth (Fire Down Under), Glenn Lester (Fire Down Under), Lucy Middleweek (Gag), Phil Gilbert (Gag), Monika Studena (FR Guest - Cultural Attaché, Czech Embassy, London), Christopher Richardson (Gulliver - Pleasance Theatre), Jakub Marek (Gulliver - Ta Fantastika, Prague), Guest (Jakub Marek), Jiri Majstr (Gulliver - Czech Press Agency, London), Renata Clark (Gulliver - Czech Centre, London), Gareth Tunley (The Legendary Polowski Murders), Abigail Burdess (The Measure of a Milkman - Director), Brede McDermott (Abigail Burdess), Stuart Croft (Rococo 55 - Director), Kate Dineen (Rococo 55), Paul Fuller (Rococo 55), Sebastian Roach (Rococo 55), Marc Blakewill (Best Comedy Writers), James Harris (Best Comedy Writers), Will Cantopher (Best Journalist), Gloria Abramoff (Will Cantopher), David McGillivray (Will Cantopher), Marie Johnston (Will Cantopher), Katharine Pottinger (Best Director), Serena Thomson (Katharine Pottinger), Miles MacInnes (Katharine Pottinger), Richard Costello (Best Actor), Jenny Costello (Richard Costello), Alan Costello (Richard Costello), Erin Christy (Richard Costello), Sarah-Louise Young (Best Actress), Cliff Kelly (Electric Eel, guest of Sarah-Louise Young), Clive Evans (Sarah-Louise Young), Dave Wybrow (Manager, Cockpit Theatre), Rohan Acharya (Comedy Person of The Year), Jamie Turner (Rohan Acharya), Mike Smith (Rohan Acharya), Johnnie Oddball (Film Person of The Year), Emma Taylor (Theatre Person of The Year), Reporter (Ham and High), Peggy Nemeth (Emma Taylor), Alex Nemeth (Emma Taylor), Jack Rebaldi (Emma Taylor).

(END)

Coverage - Brandon Toropov - Seven Affidavits On Authority - Boston Globe Online Boston Globe Online 14 Feb 03

Acknowledgements Fringe Report gratefully acknowledges the support of the Oppenheim - John Downes Memorial Trust.

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2013

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