Malcolm Hardee Awards 2017 nominations announced
The nominations for this year's increasingly prestigious Malcolm Hardee Awards have been revealed. The awards, named in honour of the late anarchic comic Malcolm Hardee, aim to recognise comic originality at the festival.
Comic Originality
Cunning Stunt
Damian Kingsley, "for handing out flyers while wearing a security guard's jacket at venues other than his own, on the basis that punters are more likely to take flyers from a security guard rather than a normal flyer."
Martha McBrier, "for a publicity stunt for her Balamory Doubtfire show so complicated that even an explanation by her with a timeline does not fully unravel the layers."
Mark Dean Quinn, "for sundry flyering scams on behalf of other people but, in particular, for attaching stars and quotes from other shows on his own flyers, thus potentially subverting the Fringe 'star' system."
Act Most Likely To Make a Million Quid
John Fleming, the organiser of the awards and one of the judges, has pointed out certain unusual things about the 2017 nominations: firstly, two people are nominated for two prizes each (Mark Dean Quinn and Rob Kemp, the later of who has already won an Amused Moose Award at this year's Fringe); and that Al Porter has been nominated for the same award for the third year in a row.
This year is reportedly the last time the Malcolm Hardee Awards will run, on the grounds that only a certain number of trophies were originally made and they will run out at the end of this year.
The always-chaotic award ceremony, which will also consist of live comedy and music performances, and the annual Scottish National Russian Roulette Egg Championship, will be on 25th August at 11pm at the Counting House (free entry). The event will also raise money for Mama Biashara, a charity helping vulnerable people in Kenya run by comedy critic and Malcolm Hardee Award judge Kate Copstick.