Christian Slater and Phil Nichol Present the 2007 IF Comedy Award
Christian Slater and 2006 if.comedy winner Phil Nichol were on stage at the Jam House last night to present awards to the winners of 2007 Intelligent Finance Comedy Awards Announced
Last night at a party in Edinburgh attended by the Culture Secretary James Purnell and a host of comedy talent including Jimmy Carr, Simon Anstell and Robert Webb the star of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Christian Slater and the winner of the 2006 if.comedy award Phil Nicholl presented the 2007 Intelligent Finance Comedy Awards.
The nominees for the 2007 Intelligent Finance Comedy Award are:
Andrew Lawrence: Social Leprosy for Beginners & Improvers
Andrew Maxwell: Waxin'
Brendon Burns: So I Suppose This Is Offensive Now
Ivan Brackenbury's Hospital Radio Roadshow
Pappy's Fun Club: Pappy's Fun Club
The award goes to Brendon Burns: So I Suppose This Is Offensive Now
The nominees for Intelligent Finance Best Newcomer are:
Jon Richardson: Spatula Pad
Micky Flanagan:What Chance Change
Tom Basden: Won't Say Anything
Zoe Lyons:Fight or Flight
The Best Newcomer Award goes to Tom Basden: Won't Say Anything
The Panel decided that the show that has most captured the comedy spirit of the 2007 Fringe is Arthur Smith - Arturart at the Institute of Zoo Logic. Arthur Smith, self-styled semi-professional comic, who has now declared himself as the most outstanding artist in the world and the leader of a new art movement followed by his devoted his disciples - a comedian's collective.The exhibition includes contributions from Stewart Lee, Bridget Christie, Simon Munnery, Shappi Korsandi, Janey Godley, Harry Hill, Ronnie Golden, Martin Soan and Jack Klaff.
The Comedy Award winner will recieve £8,000 plus the chance to headline The Intelligent Finance Comedy Award Shows in London's West End. The Best Newcomer and the Panel Prize winner will both receive a cheque for £4,000 and will also appear in the West End. Intelligent Finance has an ongoing commitment to the development of the live work of up and coming comedians from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Nica Burns, the veteran producer/director of the Awards says: " The controversial Brendon Burns' edgy and dangerous show has taken him from Edinburgh regular to this fantastic win. This first solo show from the multi-talented Tom Basden,(a member of the sketch group The Cowards) - a delightful musical comedy hour will enchant many audiences. Arthur Smith has reinvented himself and all things comedic at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since his first nomination in 1982. He founded the National Revew Company, he's been part of a double-act, a solo stand- up, he's written plays for Edinburgh notably The Live Bed Show for himself and Caroline Quentin, he has sung and his midnight Edinburgh walk is infamous. Everything he does is funny and Arturart is a complete hoot. Arthur Smith is the comedy spirit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Chair of the 2007 judging panel was The Times' Theatre Editor and Chief Comedy Critic, Dominic Maxwell. The other panellists were Colin Anderson (Radio Producer, BBC), Tim Arthur (Comedy Critic, Time Out), Laura Gray (edfringe.com winner- Scotland), Julian Hall (Comedy Critic of The Independent and author of The Rough Guide to British Cult Comedy), Kathleen Hutchison (Head of New Comedy, Paramount Comedy Channel), Veronica Lee (Comedy Critic, Sunday Telegraph), Rosie Morris (Time Out Winner - London), James Parker (The Times Winner - Regions), Joe Talbot (Director of Programming, Nuts TV. Former Commissioing Editor for ITV 2, ITV3 and ITV 4).