Australian comedy legend Barry Humphries this week announced the nominees for the 19th annual Barry Award – an award named in his honour – as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
The Barry Award is one of the world’s most prestigious comedy awards. Launched in 1998 as the ‘Stella Award’ it was renamed in 2000 as tribute to the festival’s founding patron Barry Humphries. The Barry recognises the Most Outstanding Comedy Festival Show. To be eligible for the award, a show must have had at least ten performances during the festival in that year.
With only one week left of the 2016 installment of the festival, the judges (who include industry professionals and media) managed to come to a consensus and have delivered the following shortlist.
Anne Edmonds – That’s Eddotainment
Damien Power – Sell Mum Into Slavery
David O’Doherty – We Are All In The Gutter, But Some Of Us Are Looking At David O’Doherty
Luisa Omielan – Am I Right Ladies?
Rhys Nicholson – Bona Fide
Tom Ballard – The World Keeps Happening and Boundless Plains to Share
Zoe Coombs Marr – Trigger Warning
According to Melbourne Comedy Festival Director, Susan Provan, “The Barry Award nominees for 2016 perfectly capture the clever, eclectic and truly funny range of work presented in the Festival”
The 2016 Barry Award winner will join a long list of illustrious comedians, including last years winner Sam Simmons, Denise Scott who won in 2014 and Rich Hall who picked up the award in 2013.
The Barry Award will be presented at the 19th Annual Comedy Festival Awards, which takes place on the final Saturday of the Festival (16th April). A night where performers and punters stand side by side and look back and celebrate the comedic achievements and moments of unforgettable hilarity that took place in 2016.
The Festival have also announced the nominees for a number of other awards including the Best Newcomer Award and the Golden Gibbo, the latter names in honour of the late Lynda Gibson and honours the best independent production at the festival.
The nominees for Best Newcomer are Demi Lardner (Life Mechanic), Guy Montgomery (Guy Montcomedy), Rose Matafeo (Finally Dead) and Tom Walker (Beep Boop).
Whilst the nominees for the Golden Gibbo are Asher Treleaven & Gypsy Wood (Peter & Bambi Heavern – The Magic Inside), Lessons with Luis, Tommy Dassalo (Little Golden Dassalo) and Zoe Coombs Marr (Trigger Warning).
Other awards to be presented on the night include The Director’s Choice Award, The Piece of Wood, The People’s Choice Award and the inaugural award of The Pinder Prize; which honours festival co-founder John Pinder, the recipient of which will have their show presented as part of the Assembly Theatre program at the Edinburgh Fringe 2016.
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Awards take place this Saturday 16th April at Max Watts from 11pm.
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