The nominees for The Malcolm Hardee Awards 2025 have been announced.
The awards – which are handed out in the memory of comic, agent, manager, club-owner and prankster Malcolm Hardee - celebrate and promote the spirit of anything-goes comedy anarchy at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Acts included in the Comic Originality section include Lucy Pearman, who performs in the character of the moon; Joz Norris, with his absurdist deconstruction of the comedian’s art; and Paul Campbell, whose show is all about the closure of his favourite branch of Somerfield in Stretford. Alan Resnick traumatised the judges with the late-night AI penis spectacle which is part of his show, but made the shortlist.
Liebenspiel at Bedlam, who are presenting a variety of late-night comedy shows have also been nominated for Comic Originality. The list also features the still and deadpan Johnny White Really-Really; Nate Kitch, nominated for a second year in a row; and Stephen Catling, who is performing a show whilst wearing a slug mask.
The nominations for the increasingly prestigious Cunning Stunt Award are Narin Oz, for live-streaming a negative press review of her show; New Zealand comic Dan Boerman for bringing hundreds of people to the top of Calton Hill to watch him fold a fitted sheet; Dru Cripps was nominated for fishing for punters using his fliers as bait; while Rob Duncan, in another flier related stunt, created them live in the street, using his own printer.
This year’s shortlist for the Act that Should Make A Million Quid features seven names; Alice Cockayne, Andrew O'Neill, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd, Molly McGuinness, Phil Ellis, Sam Nicoresti and Toussaint Douglass. First awarded to Bo Burnham for his Fringe debut in 2010, last year it was picked up by Garry Starr – who went on to win the Melbourne Comedy Award.
Judge Bruce Dessau said: "If you want to see comedy in all of its mucky, inventive, irreverent glory then look no further than the acts on this list. They all channel the anarchic do-what-you-like spirit of Malcolm Hardee while harnessing it to a unique creative spirit of their own. Long live the children of Hardee!"
Kate Copstick, who has judged the awards since they began in 2005, said: “We are the last bastion of 'TV is not the be all and end all of comedy creativity' and we are sorely needed these days.”
Comic Originality
Alan Resnick: One Funny Hour
23:25, Monkey Barrel
Johnny White Really-Really: am/pm
12:30, The Hive
Joz Norris: You Wait. Time Passes.
19:10, Pleasance Dome
Liebenspiel (Bedlam Late)
00:30, Bedlam Theatre
Lucy Pearman: Lunartic
13:00, Cabaret Voltaire
Nate Kitch: Something Different!!!!!
17:00, Gilded Balloon Patter House
Paul Campbell: The Lost Tapes of Somerfield
13:00, Hoots @ Potterrow
Stephen Catling: Moving On... Really, Really Slowly
19:30, The Counting House
Cunning Stunt
Dan Boerman
For bringing hundreds of people to the top of Calton Hill to watch him fold a fitted sheet.
Dan Boerman Folds a Fitted Sheet on His Own, Hoots @ The Apex, 18:20
Dru Cripps
For fishing for punters, using his fliers as bait.
Dru Cripps: Juicy Bits, Hoots @ Potterrow, 21:00
Narin Oz
For live-streaming a negative press review of her show.
Narin Oz: Inner Child(ish), Just The Tonic at The Mash House, 16:00
Rob Duncan
For creating flyers live in the street, using his own printer.
Rob Duncan: Printer of the Year 2024, Carbon, 18:45
Act That Should Make a Million Quid
Alice Cockayne
Alice Cockayne: Licensed. Professional. Trained. Qualified., Pleasance Courtyard, 22:40
Andrew O'Neill
Andrew O'Neill's History of Punk, Bannermans, 23:30
Christopher Macarthur-Boyd
Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon, Monkey Barrel, 21:00
Molly McGuinness
Molly McGuinness: Slob, Cabaret Voltaire, 14:55
Phil Ellis
Phil Ellis: Soppy Stern, Monkey Barrel, 12:45
Sam Nicoresti
Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer, Pleasance Courtyard, 17:40
Toussaint Douglass
Toussaint Douglass: Accessible Pigeon Material, Pleasance Courtyard, 19:25
The winners will be presented with trophies during the festival.
The Malcolm Hardee Awards have run since 2005, the year of Malcolm Hardee's death. The judging panel is comprised of Marissa Burgess, Kate Copstick, Bruce Dessau, Claire Smith and Ian Wolf.
More information and previous winners can be seen via the Hardee Awards website:
https://www.comedy.co.uk/hardees
