The Stage

Stand-ups take on sketch group in if.comeddies

Published Wednesday 23 August 2006 at 14:15 by Alistair Smith

Full coverage of the Edinburgh Festivals

David O’Doherty, Russell Howard, Phil Nicol, Paul Sinha and We are Klang have been shortlisted for the Best Comedy Show at this year’s if.comeddies - the new name for the Perrier Awards.

Meanwhile, Fat Tongue, Concert for La Vert, Andrew Lawrence, Josie Long and Russell Kane are in the running in the Best Newcomer category. Awards producer Nica Burns commented: “These very different shows reflect a huge breadth of comedy talent - something for everyone’s funny bone. A vintage year for fringe regulars Phil Nicol and David O’Doherty, a terrific sketch show from the Klangs, youthful exuberance from Russell Howard and a brilliant swipe at society’s ills from Brummie doctor Paul Sinha.”

A third award will also be announced for the first time this year - the Panel Prize. Inspired by the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, there will be no shortlist for this award, which will be at the panel’s discretion. It will be awarded to the act or show that “most captures the comedy spirit of the 2006 fringe.”

This year’s panel includes Stephen Armstrong (chair, comedy critic of the Sunday Times), Helen Heggie (edfringe.com winner), Sarah Mahoney (head of programming and development, Paramount Comedy), Dominic Maxwell, (theatre editor and chief comedy critic, The Times), Rory Weller (life editor, Metro Scotland), Victoria Lloyd (producer, BBC Radio Entertainment), Geoff Rowe, (director, Leicester Comedy Festival), Matthew Swynnerthon (The Times winner) and Samantha Terry (Metrowinner).

The winners will be announced on Saturday, August 26.