More Edinburgh Transfers Hit London in Sep
September 7, 2009
Barely has the Edinburgh Fringe packed its bags for another year like a dispatched Big Brother housemate than a swathe of London venues have snapped up its best bits for your viewing pleasure. Yes, it’s transfer season - and not just on the football field. Talent scouts were out in force last month to ensure that London theatregoers get the best of the fest come autumn.
We’ve already reported on transfers for Catwalk Confidential to the Arts Theatre, The Stefan Golaszewski Plays to the Bush and a slew of musicals to Jermyn Street. But that’s not all by a long shot. Whatsonstage.com’s Off-West End deputy editor Nancy Groves has scoured the venue listings to round up what else has made the trip south this month. Read more
MTM Winners Soap & Over Lead Jermyn St Season
September 7, 2009
Two of the winning productions in the 2009 Musical Theatre Matters Awards, sponsored by Whatsonstage.com at last month’s Edinburgh Fringe (See News, 25 Aug 2009), are transferring directly to Jermyn Street Theatre this month as part of a four-week season celebrating new British musical theatre. Read more
Final Fringe Awards: Herald Angels, Tambor & Hardee
September 1, 2009
The final round of Herald Angel awards - which have been running since 1996 and recognise “innovation and excellence across the spectrum of artistic activity” - were announced on Saturday (30 August 2009), presented by new chief executive of the Fringe Society Kath Mainland. Read more
Fringe Festival Reports Record Box Office Figures
September 1, 2009
Despite the continuing recession, the Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, has reported record ticket sales this year. Overall, ticket sales reached 1.85 million, an increase of 9% from the previous record (set in 2007) and 21% up on last year’s figures, which were impacted by problems with the ticketing system (See News, 20 Aug 2008). Read more
All-Star West End Concert for Ed Composer
September 1, 2009
The music of 25-year-old Michael Bruce, who last week won two Whatsonstage.com-sponsored Musical Theatre Matters Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe for Ed: The Musical, will be showcased in a one-night-only concert, Michael Bruce: A Little Less Ordinary, performed by a stellar cast – including Julie Atherton, Helena Blackman, Daniel Boys, Sarah Lark and Paul Spicer - at the West End’s Apollo Theatre at 7.30pm on Sunday 1 November 2009. Read more
Scots Mack & Bissett Win Stage Acting Awards
August 30, 2009
The results of this year’s Stage Awards for Acting Excellence at the Edinburgh Fringe have been announced, with homegrown talent taking the prizes in the top two categories.
Scottish performers Billy Mack and Cora Bissett took the Best Actor and Actress awards, Mack for The Sound of My Voice, a Glasgow Citizens production at Assembly, and Bissett for Midsummer (A Play With Songs) at the Traverse (one of the venue’s seven nominations).
Chair of the awards William McEvoy said this year’s nominations proved that “storytelling is back with a vengeance”, adding that he felt 2009 has been an “extraordinary year with numerous outstanding shows and performances”. Nearly 350 productions were considered for the awards, which are judged each year by The Stage newspaper’s senior reviewing team.
Other winners this year were Belfast-based Green Shoot Productions, who won Best Ensemble for Chronicles of Long Kesh at Assembly, and George Mann, who won Best Solo Performer for his physical retelling of Homer’s Odyssey in Theatre ad Infinitum’s production at the Pleasance Dome.
THE STAGE AWARDS FOR ACTING EXCELLENCE WINNERS
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST ENSEMBLE
BEST SOLO PERFORMER
Tim Key Takes Home Edinburgh Comedy Award
August 29, 2009
Tim Key has won the main prize at this year’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, which went sponsorless for the first time since their establishment in 1981 (See News 3 Jun 2009).
The other awards went to Jonny Sweet, who was named best newcomer, and Peter Buckley-Hill, who won the panel prize for his work organising the Free Fringe festival. They each win prize money of £4,000, while Key takes home £8,000. Read more
Improbable & Clod Win at Total Theatre Awards
August 28, 2009
At the 2009 Total Theatre Awards ceremony held in Edinburgh today (28 August 2009), Improbable Theatre were presented with a special award for their “significant contribution to theatre-making”. Read more
Scotsman Announces Final Round of Fringe Firsts
August 28, 2009
The third and final weekly round of this year’s Fringe First Awards were announced by The Scotsman newspaper today (28 August 2009) in Edinburgh, with five more shows being singled out for distinction, bringing the total number of winners to 18.
Today’s winners include site-specific specialists Grid Iron’s new production Barflies, a piece about alcohol and creativity based on the writings of Charles Bukowski and performed in Edinburgh’s Barony Bar. It brings the Edinburgh-based company’s total number of Fringe Firsts to five, having previously been recognised for Gargantua (1998), Decky does a Bronco (2001), Those Eyes, That Mouth (2003) and The Devil’s Larder (2005). Read more
No Women or West End for Edinburgh Comedy Awards
August 26, 2009
Nominations are announced today for the 29th annual “Oscars of comedy” at the Edinburgh Fringe - and it’s a strictly male affair. Following the loss of another headline sponsor (See News, 3 Jun 2009), the coveted prizes previously known as the Perriers, have been permanently rebranded as simply the Edinburgh Comedy Awards (or “Eddies” for short). Of the 11 nominees across the main Best Comedy Show and Best Newcomer categories, there isn’t a single woman. Read more
EIF: 14 August-6 September
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