The ISH Edinburgh Comedy Awards have announced the longlists for Best Show and Best Newcomer for this year. All are in the running for the prizes, all sponsored by comedians and the industry. 100% of their sponsorship goes on the prizes to support artists.  The shows as per the last two years are judged by around 30 volunteers who were at the Fringe anyway.  There were around 700 eligible shows this year (full eligibility criteria and judging process via the website).

The Awards were founded by comedian Nathan Cassidy with head judge and producer Sarah Bowles. All the judges were allocated shows and any they thought were their 'best ie funniest shows at the Fringe' were recommended for the long-lists. 

Nathan Cassidy says: 'I'm immensely proud of these Awards and the support they have from the whole industry.  The ISH Awards are about one thing above all others - artists supporting artists, and I'm so excited about how the Awards have grown this year with new Awards and support from great artists and the Industry with prize money.  Our track record for Best Show is also something I'm very proud of - Paul Foot, Julia Masli and Elf Lyons, they've all gone on to have international success with their shows.  The ISH Awards are a completely level playing field - all eligible shows are seen and it doesn't matter where and when they are on, who they are backed by, it really doesn't - we just watch the shows and listen for the laughs. 

We know that the ISH Awards really does make a difference and I've been blown away with all the support this year, and we can make that difference with 100% of sponsorship going to artists.  And who knows - the sponsorship announcements may not be over for this year yet... We all need to support artists' finances better at this Fringe - I mean if nothing else the price of Oasis tickets was scandalous!'

Sarah Bowles says: We've said the same thing for the last two years, but it bears repeating, these lists are by no way a list of everything that is exceptional at the Edinburgh Fringe.  Our main rule was did the show make the audience and/or judges laugh lots on the day we saw it and do we think it could be judged as the best show or the best newcomer on the Fringe.   Not being on these lists doesn't mean the shows weren’t exceptional, we saw a lot of exceptional shows that aren't on this lists as we need to keep the list down and make the cut somewhere - and there's always a chance that we saw your show on the wrong day for you - doesn't that always happen?! - but shows were seen multiple times by multiple judges to try to offset this. 

So, we repeat, this list obviously does not represent by any means the definitive list of what is great at the Fringe, it's just our panel of judges' opinions, and at the end of the day you will hear much better from the streets and word of mouth what to see, always listen to the streets rather than awards and reviews!  Please get out and support these and all the other great shows on the Fringe - take a chance on something!  And finally - a huge thank you to all the amazing volunteer judges who often paid for tickets themselves to support the artists, and all the venues who supported again with complimentary tickets.'

The volunteer ISH Awards Judges now have the almost impossible job of getting these long-lists down to short-lists of under 10 shows which will be released on Wed Aug 20th along with nominees for the Lyons Award for Best Tech and The TakeOver Radio 106.9FM Joke of The Fringe.  There's also The Rhod Gilbert Panel Prize - do highlight to us anyone that's doing something amazing for creatives at the Fringe. 

CASSIDY/BOWLES AWARD FOR BEST SHOW

• Alice Cockayne: Licensed, Professional. Trained. - Pleasance 22:40
• Alice Fraser: A Passion for Passion - Underbelly 18:50
• Amy Webber: Wannabe - Just The Tonic 17:20
• Barry Ferns: My Seven Years as Lionel Richie – Just The Tonic 18:40
• Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon - Monkey Barrel 21:00
• Danny Ward: The Holiday - PBH Free Fringe @ Banshee Labyrinth 12:00
• Ed Night: Your Old Mucker - Monkey Barrel 16:45
• Elouise Eftos: Australia's First Attractive Comedian - Pleasance 20:30
• Eric Rushton: Innkeeper - Monkey Barrel 15:20
• Gareth Mutch: Maybe Tomorrow - The Stand 18:05
• Garry Starr: Classic Penguins - Underbelly 21:30
• Hal Cruttenden: Can Dish It Out But Can't Take It - Pleasance 21:30
• Ian Smith: Foot Spa Half Empty  - Monkey Barrel 12:30
• James Barr: Sorry I Hurt Your Son (Said My Ex to My Mum) - Underbelly 20:15
• Joe Kent-Walters is Frankie Monroe: DEAD!!! (Good Fun Time) – Monkey Barrel 21:30
• John Tothill: This Must Be Heaven - Pleasance 21:00
• Jordan Brookes: Work in Progress - Pleasance 22:40
• Jordan Gray: Is That a C*ck in Your Pocket, or Are You Just Here to Kill Me? – Assembly 21:05
• Kate Dolan: The Critic – Assembly 18:25
• Katie Norris: Go West, Old Maid – Pleasance 19:40
• Kieran Hodgson: Voice Of America - Pleasance 21:30
• Laura Davis: Despair is Beneath Us – Monkey Barrel 17:45
• Laura Lexx: Slinky – Monkey Barrel 15:50
• Luke McQueen: Comedian's Comedian - Pleasance 21:40
• Mark Forward Presents Safari Time – Gilded Balloon 20:20
• Mike Rice: Cruel Little Man – Monkey Barrel 21:15
• Nate Kitch: Something Different!!!!! – Gilded Balloon 17:00
• Olaf Falafel Asks: Orange You Glad? - Free Festival @ Counting House 14:30
• Pauline Eyre: Anyone For Tennis - Hoots 12:30
• Pear: Phobia – Underbelly 19:20
• Phil Ellis: Soppy Stern - Monkey Barrel 12:45
• Raymond Mearns: Roast Master – Scottish Comedy Festival @ Beehive Inn 19:45
• Reuben Solo: Someone in This Crowd Will Betray Me - Just The Tonic 20:50
• Robin Grainger: People Pleaser – The Stand 20:20
• Roger O’Sullivan: Fekken – Hoots @ The Apex 12:40
• Ruaridh Miller: It's Pronounced "Ruaridh" - Hoots 21:50
• Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer – Pleasance 17:40
• Sikisa: Serving Justice - Monkey Barrel 17:50
• Stephen Buchanan: Cold Meat – Monkey Barrel 16:20
• Tim Biglowe: Landlubber – PBH Free Fringe @ Slow Progress Cafe and Records 12:15

PATRICK MONAHAN AWARD FOR BEST NEWCOMER  

• Ada & Bron: The Origin of Love - Pleasance 23:00
• Alana Jackson: Last Orders – Gilded Balloon 17:00
• Alex Stringer: Happy Hour - Pleasance 18:00
• Alex Bertulis-Fernandes: May Find Distressing – Free Festival @ Counting House 16:30
• Amelia Hamilton: Forget Me Not - Pleasance 21:45 
• Arthur Vinegar: Good Boy – PBH Free Fringe @ Greek Gyros Grill 00:30
• Ayo Adenekan: Black Mediocrity – Pleasance 13:30
• Ayoade Bamgboye: Swings and Roundabouts - Pleasance 16:45
• Dirty Work – Underbelly 17:25
• Ed Mulvey: Pregnant Gollum – PBH Free Fringe @ Carbon 17:40
• Jessie Nixon: Don’t Make Me Regret This – Assembly 19:20 
• Jodie Sloan: Is She Hot? – Pleasance 16:35
• Kayleigh Jones: I Fed My Dad to a Pelican – Gilded Balloon 
• Kit Loyd: Frenzy - Assembly 20:20
• Love Hunt - Just The Tonic 12:10
• Molly McGuinness: Slob - Monkey Barrel 14:55
• The Mayor and his Daughter – Assembly 16:10
• Shalaka Kurup: Get a Grip – Pleasance 20:20
• Su Mi: THISMOTHERPHUCKER – Underbelly 18:40
• Thor Stenhaug: One Night Stand Baby – Pleasance 20:40
• Toussaint Douglas: Accessible Pigeon Material – Pleasance 19:25
• Ted Milligan: United – Pleasance 21:45