Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2024 Awards: Here are all the prizes handed out this year - from Fringe Firsts to the Comedy Award

This year saw 3,746 different shows featuring performers from more than 60 countries, sell over 2.6 million tickets to audience members.

Thousands of reviews were published, giving shows the opportunity to achieve the dream of a perfect five stars.

Meanwhile, there were awards aplenty handed out to recognise the best and the boldest shows in town.

Here’s who won what.

The Scotsman Fringe First Award

Awarded to the best new writing on the Fringe, as judged by The Scotsman’s team of critics.

• BATSHIT (Traverse)
• The Border (Pleasance)
• Cyrano (Traverse)
• A History of Paper (Traverse)
• June Carter Cash: The Woman, Her Music And Me (Summerhall)
• So Young (Traverse)
• Comala, Comala (Zoo Southside)
• A Letter to Lyndon B Johnson or God: Whoever Reads This First (theSpace @ Niddry Street)
• Mairi Campbell: Living Stone (Scottish Storytelling Centre)
• Son of a Bitch (Summerhall)
• VL (Roundabout @ Summerhall)
• Weather Girl (Summerhall)
• A Knock On The Roof (Traverse)
• Instructions (Summerhall)
• REVENGE: After the Levoyah (Summerhall)
• My Mother’s Funeral: The Show (Roundabout @ Summerhall)
• A Little Inquest Into What We Are All Doing Here (Zoo)

The Sit-Up Awards

The SIT-UP Awards supports theatre productions to achieve significant social impact. 

• Famehungry (Summerhall)

The Scottish Theatre Awards on the Fringe

The Scottish Theatre Awards on the Fringe, supported by the Scottish Arts Club, award prizes for Scottish theatre productions and individuals appearing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Leading Light Award (for the best Scottish production)

• Winner: Love Beyond by Ramesh Meyyappan (presented by Raw Material and Vanishing Point in association with Aberdeen Performing Arts (Assembly)
• Runner Up: A History of Paper by Dundee Rep Theatre and Traverse Theatre (Traverse Theatre)

Bright Spark Award (for emerging Scottish talent)

• Zoë Bullock for Gracie and the Start of the End of the World (Again) (Assembly)
• Alexander Tait for Kev Campbell Was He (theSpaceUK)
• Fraser Allan Hogg and Lorna Panton for Shotgunned (theSpaceUK)

Popcorn Writing Award

The Popcorn Writing Award “champions brave and imaginative writing which playfully and artistically questions and addresses current affairs and societal trends and contributes positively to public debate”.

• VL by Kieran Hurley & Gary McNair, Roundabout @ Summerhall
• Weather Girl by Brian Watkins, Summerhall

Musical Theatre Review's Pick of the Fringe

Recognising the best musical theatre production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme.

• A History of Paper (Traverse)

The Filipa Bragança Award

Awarded to the best theatre production featuring a solo performance by an emerging female, female-identifying or non-binary artist.

• A Knock on the Roof (Traverse)

The Comedians' Choice Awards

Presented by British Comedy Guide, the awards are voted on by every comedy show in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe programme.

• Best Show: Elf Lyons: Horses
• Best Newcomer: Ian Lockwood
• Best Person: Alex Petty (Free Festival director)

The Comedy Poster Awards

Presented by the British Comedy Guide this award recognises the best artworks related to a comedy show

• Audience Award Winner: Abi Clarke: (Role) Model
• Panel Award Winner: Deep Fried in Patter!

Edinburgh Comedy Awards

Formerly called the Perrier Award, the Edinburgh Comedy Awards are the most prestigious prize handed out at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

• Don and Eleanor Taffner Best Comedy Show award: Amy Gledhill: Make Me Look Fit on the Poster (Monkey Barrel)
• DLT Entertainment Best Newcomer award: Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: LIVE!! (Monkey Barrel)
• The Victoria Wood Award 2024: Rob Copland

Jones Bootmaker ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards

Run entirely by volunteers, the ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards were first held in 2023.

• Best show: Elf Lyons: Horses
• Best newcomer: Abby Wambaugh: The First 3 Minutes of 17 Shows
• Panel prize: Alex Petty, Best in Class, Dion Owen, Elaine Robertson and Funny Women Glitter Project

Malcolm Hardee Awards

The Malcolm Hardee Awards “celebrate and promote the spirit of madcap, anything-goes comedy anarchy”.

• Comic Originality: Mark Dean Quinn: Oh No (That's Not Your Cheese), Banshee Labyrinth
• Cunning Stunt: Thom Tuck
• Act That Should Make a Million Quid: Garry Starr

NextUp Biggest Award in Comedy

A prize for the best comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe, voted on my users of NextUp - the ‘Netflix of standup’.

• Colin Hoult: Colin

So You Think You’re Funny?

Created by the Gilded Balloon and Karen Koren in 1988 to discover, support and nurture new comic talent. 

• First prize: Alana Jackson
• Second prize: Ciara O’Connor
• Third prize: Ayo Adenekan

U&Dave's Joke of the Fringe

Awarded to the funniest joke told at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

• "I was going to sail around the globe in the world’s smallest ship but I bottled it." Mark Simmons.

The Besties

Produced in partnership with Capital Theatres, Premier Scotland, the awards platform the best work on show according to the review teams from The Skinny and Fest magazines.

• The Kids Award (chosen by the Fest Kid Critics): Garry Starr: Monkeys Everywhere
• The Outwith Award for international talent: Lou Wall: The Bisexual’s Lament
• Emerging Talent Award: Kim Blythe: Might As Well Comedy
• The Night Owl Award: John Norris for Mr Chonkers, Piggy Time
• The Sexy Award for Sexiness: Penthesilea
• Radgie of the Fringe Award: Frankie Monroe
• New Writing Award: The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return
• The Movement Award: Mele Broomes for through warm temperatures, Custom Lane (Edinburgh Art Festival)
• The Narrative Award: Adania Shibli for Against Forgetting, Edinburgh Futures Institute (Edinburgh International Book Festival)
• The Radgie Award: Piotr Sikora for Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble, Underbelly Cowgate (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
• The Debut Award: Wonder Fools for Òran, Pleasance Courtyard (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
• [the gender euphoria award]: Wet Mess for Testo – Here and Now Showcase, Zoo Southside (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
• The Collaboration Award : The Giant Company and the Distant Voices Community for A Giant on the Bridge, Assembly Roxy (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
• The Solo Award: Yolanda Mercy for Failure Project, Summerhall (Edinburgh Festival Fringe) 
• The Heart Award: A Knock on the Roof at Traverse Theatre (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
• The Inclusivity Award: Teatro La Plaza for Hamlet (Edinburgh International Festival)
• The Accessibility Award: The Thera Trust for their Gig Buddies initiative
• The Fringe Legend Award: John-Luke Roberts
• The Terrier Award: Eleanor Morton for Haunted House at Monkey Barrel (Edinburgh Festival Fringe)
• The Unsung Award: The bands and musicians featured in Since Yesterday: The Untold Story of Scotland’s Girl Bands (Edinburgh International Film Festival)
• The Stooshie of the Fringe Award: The Scottish Government and Creative Scotland

The Brighton Fringe Award for Excellence in association with Ironworks Studios

The Brighton Fringe invites one production from Edinburgh Fringe 2024 to perform at Brighton Fringe 2025.

• Winner: The Ugly Sisters (Underbelly)
• Runners up: Chris Grace: Sardines (Assembly) and You’re So F**king Croydon (Underbelly)

The Broadway Baby Bobby Award

Awarded to the best of the shows given a five star review by publication Broadway Baby.

• An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo by Choir Boys & Co (Just the Tonic)

The List Festival Awards

Presented to The List magazine to the best of the festivals.

• Sit-Up Award for Best Production with a Social Impact: FAMEHUNGRY, Summerhall
• International Fringe Encore Series Edinburgh Prize: Weather Girl, Summerhall
• Best show from Adelaide: Lewis Major: Triptych, Assembly @Dance Base
• Best Show: Natalie Palamides: WEER, Traverse Theatre
• Spirit of The Fringe Award: Sam Gough, Summerhall's Chief Executive

Mervyn Stutter Spirit of the Fringe Award

The Spirit of the Fringe Awards “acknowledge and celebrate the talent, hard work, pluck and sheer doggedness demanded of performers from all genres on the Fringe to make a show a success”.

• David Eagle: The Eagle Is Candid - Comedy (stand-up, musical comedy)
• Sushi Tap Show 2024 - Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus (tap, comedy)
• Roy Orbison - Music (cabaret)
• Lewis Major: Triptych - Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus (contemporary, classical)
• Dance N'Speak Easy - Dance, Physical Theatre and Circus (hip hop, family-friendly)
• Elf Lyons: Horses - Comedy (clown, physical theatre)
• KAFKA'S APE - Theatre (drama)

The Seoul Arts Awards

Recognising and honours the exceptional talents in various fields of non-verbal performance, including physical theatre, arts circus, family shows and beyond.

• La Clique (Underbelly)
• Gravity & Other Myths (Assembly)
• Recirquel Cirque Danse (Assembly)
• Bill's 44th (Underbelly)
• Trygve Wakenshaw – Silly Little Things (Assembly)

The Spookies by the Edinburgh Horror Festival

Awarded to outstanding performances at the festival in the genre of horror.

• Best Stage Play: Casting the Runes by Box Tale Soup
• Best Solo Show: One Man Poe
• Best Comedy: The Ritual / The Master
• Best New Writing: Birdwatching by Black Bright Theatre
• Best Cabaret / Magic Show: Dee Christopher: Psychic Vampire
• Jury’s Awards: Experiment Human by Hooky Productions
• Child's Play Award: Buckets of Blood: Fairy Tales Not for Kids
• Best Performer: Corin Rhys Jones as Renfield in Renfield
• Best Poster: James Whale: Beyond Frankenstein

The Asian Arts Award

Presented by Asian Art Fund Scotland, the awards are presented to the best shows involving Asian art forms at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

• Outstanding Production: Legend of the White Snake - Northern Kunqu Opera Theatre - China
• Outstanding Male Performer: Masa and Hitoshi aka Gabez - Live Manga - Japan
• Outstanding Female Performer: Tsumugi Masui, YOAH Cirquework, Japan
• Outstanding Show: Aha! Doggy Poo - Modl Theater - Korea
• Outstanding Young Performer: Only Human - Conundrum Theatre - Singapore; Echoes from The Archipelago – An Indonesian Music Odyssey, Trinity Youth Symphony Orchestra – Indonesia
• Asian Arts Special Award: Draft My Life - A Concept Musical - We Draman Group – Hong Kong

Binge Fringe Queer Performer’s Award

Honouring the commitment of performers to furthering LGBTQIA+ causes.

• F*ckboy – Freddie H Arts
• The Disappeared – Down the Rabbit Hole Theatre
• The Freemartin – Speakbeast
• Ugly Sisters – piss / CARNATION

Mental Health Foundation Fringe Award

In recognition of the most compelling new show about mental health at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

• Batshit by Leah Shelton (Traverse Theatre)

The Neurodiverse Review Awards

Awarded to the best in autistic, neurodiverse and disabled-led work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

• Actually Autistic Excellence: Ashley Gutermuth – Ashley Gutermuth is Hard to Pronounce
• ADHD Comedy Award: Jordan Tweddle – Pillock
• Outstanding Visually Impaired Creative: David Eagle: The Eagle is Candid
• Birds of Paradise Exceptional Theatre: Laura Horton – Lynn Faces
• Birds of Paradise Emerging Artist: Sanjay Lago – Love me like a Chai Tea Latte
• DeafAction Excellence Award: Sign Between the Lines: Deaf Women in Literature
• Disability Champions: Aretha Nortey – Just Aretha
• FringeBiscuit Trends: Missing Rib Collective: 4 girls first letter e
• Lifetime Achievement: Lung-Ha Theatre Company