Each year, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival recognise the best and brightest shows and comedians with a series of awards presented in the final week of the Festival.
Launched in 1998 as the Stella Award and renamed in 2000 to honour the Festival’s founding patron Barry Humphries, the Barry Award recognises the most outstanding Festival show. The Golden Gibbo is awarded to a local, independent show that bucks trends and pursues the artist’s idea more strongly than it pursues any commercial lure. It is presented in memory of the late Lynda Gibson, who passed away in 2004.
The Best Newcomer Award is awarded to the best first-timer at the Festival, while the Directors’ Choice is awarded by the Comedy Festival Director. The People’s Choice Award is awarded to the most popular show as voted by the people. The Piece of Wood Award is the comics’ choice gong, selected by an ever-growing committee of comedians.
The 2014 Awards were announced at The Hi-Fi Bar on Saturday 19 April. The winners are:
Barry Award
Winner: Denise Scott
Nominees – The Boy With Tape on His Face, John Kearns, Tim Key, Kyle Kinane, Kraken, Celia Pacquola
Golden Gibbo Award
Winner: Fancy Boy – The Variety Show
Nominees – Rama Nicholas, Stella Young , Kraken , Pajama Party, Andy Matthews
Best Newcomer Award
Winner: Stella Young
Nominees: Amos Gill & Tien Tran
Director’s Choice Award
Winner: Ronny Chieng
Special Commendation: The On-gals Babbling Comedy
AirBnB People’s Choice Award
Wil Anderson
Piece of Wood Award
Sarah Kendall
Funny Tonne
Chris Menezies – 158 shows
The 2014 RAW Comedy Award was announced at the Melbourne Town Hall on Sunday 13 April and won by Victorian Matt Stewart with Runner Up, Katie Burch from New South Wales. The 2014 National Class Clowns Grand Final was won by Gregor Tarrant from Wodonga Middle Years College and was announced at the RMIT Capitol Theatre on Thursday 3 April.
Congratulations to all Winners. For more information, visit: www.comedyfestival.com.au for details.
Image: Denise Scott