Theatre News

Feminist Bridget Christie becomes third woman to win Edinburgh Comedy Award

Female comics make a stand at this year’s Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards, as two accept prizes from former winner Alan Partridge

Bridget Christie wins the 2013 Foster's Edinburgh Comedy Award
Bridget Christie wins the 2013 Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award
© Geraint Lewis

Bridget Christie today (24 August 2013) became only the third women in 33 years to win the coveted main prize at the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards (formerly the Perriers).

At the ceremony, hosted by former Perrier winner Alan Partridge at Edinburgh’s Dovecot Studios, Christie’s feminist stand-up A Bic for Her was declared the Best Comedy Show at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. Christie, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “No More Page Three”, said she was accepting the prize “on behalf of all female comics”.

The only women previously to win the Best Comedy Show gong, which is accompanied by a cheque for £10,000, have been Jenny Eclair in 1995 and Laura Solon in 2005. Christie was the only woman on the 2013 Comedy Show shortlist, although she was joined on the winners’ podium this year by another female, performance artist Adrienne Truscott, whose Asking For It: A One Woman Lady Rape About Comedy Starring Her Pussy and Little Else! won the Panel Prize.

The third award presented today, for Best Newcomer, went to John Kearns for his show, Sight Gags for Perverts. Both the Panel and Newcomer Awards come with a cash prize of £5,000 each.

Some 578 different comedy shows were eligible this year for the three Foster’s awards. To decide on the eventual winners, the judging panel and awards team attended 1,454 performances over the three weeks of the Festival.

The 2013 winners and nominees can be seen at the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards Show tomorrow (Sunday 25 August 2013) at 8.30pm at the Pleasance Courtyard in Edinburgh as the Fringe draws to a close.