Winners Of This Years Fringe!

After an action-packed two weeks of fun-filled Fringe Theatre, I enjoyed a lovely evening schmoozing with fellow Thespians and celebrating our collective achievements. There was a bar, there were snacks, there were awards, and there were speeches (I gave one which I wasn’t expecting to do!). About 'The Creative Wire': it's about plugging plays, the rehearsal process, podcasts, promoting shows, writers, actors, and directors. It's all free, apart from the complimentary theatre ticket for reviews. All run by fellow creatives. I already had some inquiries after the speech, which was absolutely fabulous! One of whom was a winner this year, and they wanted to talk about their upcoming projects.

During my speech, I got emotional, as it helped me remember that the Liverpool Creative Scene is mostly lovely and supportive and important. It shouldn’t all be about London. It’s close-knit, so it's vital we all plug and attend each other's shows. We should care for each other.

There were tears in my speech, but mostly tears of relief. I have found my people, and tonight was a celebration of all of us. It didn't matter who won. We all won. It hit home to me just how important Make It Write Productions and The Creative Wire are. And many were touched and told me so afterwards.

This year, like several other actors, I was thrilled to be in two shows which were certainly challenging, but the Fringe is a place to experiment and to be free!

I was in one as homeless Esther with a very sad past in 'Down The Alley' (I was nominated for Best Dramatic Support), and Maggie in 'Uncle Toad', a reformed child sex worker.

It is the sixth year for the Fringe, and there are big plans for it. It is now officially on the creative map. There are no scam ticket sellers, and as both Sharon Colpman, director and co-founder of Make It Write Productions, and Steff Hudson, a co-producer of the Liverpool Fringe, have articulated, there's no way back.

The Studio Below has hosted no fewer than fifteen shows, some of which have won awards, and they were instrumental in the success of 'Lost in The Beat', the musical at Hope Street Theatre. Their journey began when they attended their 'Play with Your Play'. A chance for new works to get on their feet. They won no fewer than four awards! And Make it Write won a very special award for 'Best Venue'.

More information can be found on the incredible work they do in the community, which includes offering rehearsal space, workshops, support for new playwrights and actors, podcast space, and shows at https://makeitwrite.org/.

Steff told The Creative Wire the judges had a very difficult job selecting the nominees and winners. Everyone should pat themselves on the back. The quality and standard were exceptionally high this year. Most shows sold out very quickly. The Fringe is really showcasing the talent of this city. Word has spread. And she hopes to see everyone next year.

Mark Kyle Cooper, co-producer, as well as Steff, have big plans, including putting the show on for an extra week for more acts to take part, widening the net so journalists from further afield get to review the shows, and adding more award categories. What I felt this year was certainly that there was genuine delight and surprise that the Fringe has done so well this year!

This year we had two firsts. The first year of The Studio Below hosting the Liverpool Fringe Awards and a total of fifteen performances for the Liverpool Fringe. And the second first, the most successful Liverpool Fringe Festival yet with double the shows and four acts coming from outside of Liverpool this year. At the time of writing, many of the acts have already booked a slot for next year. And before the Awards Ceremony had even finished, there were already ten enquiries for next year, with one enquiry coming from Ireland. So get a wriggle on and get your slot booked. The Liverpool Fringe Festival runs next year from the 1st to the 12th of October 2024. The Fringe is here to stay! And it has the makings of becoming just as successful as other Fringes.

There's definitely the talent, tenacity, ideas, and determination to make that happen, and at its heart, the ethos is that to get on in this game, it's all about collaboration, not competition, as the new award of 'The Spirit of The Liverpool Fringe' nods to. The winner after his own show plugged the hell out of everyone else’s show and gave details about The Studio Below without any thought of getting anything back.

Luke Sukdeo, 'I am Purple Winner', described the buzz perfectly when he said, 'The Fringe holds the energy of the creative scene in Liverpool. I'm from Birmingham, but Liverpool is now my home. There's an explosion of Art here in this City, and I feel at home.'

Here is The list of this year's winners and nominees:

Liverpool Fringe 2023 Awards

Best Comedy

Nominees:-

Speed School  by Carol Roche & Emma McEvoy

Stacey & Rose by Steph Simpson & Hannah Tudge

Zeit Heist by Julia Knight

Catbox  by Karl Owens

The Winner: 

Stacey & Rose by Steph Simpson & Hannah Roche

Best Drama

Nominees:-

Lost in the Beat by Andrea Orton

I am Purple by Luke Sookdeo

O’Brien’s Dream by Bill Morrison

Lady & The Tramp by Bob Towers (Plays in the Key of Life)

The Winner:

  O’Brien’s Dream by Bill Morrison

Best Short

Nominees:-

I am Purple  by Luke Sookdeo

Last Act by Freya McLean (A Sense of Place)

California Dreamin’ by Rachel Louise Clark

By my name by Wes Williams

Winner: -

I am Purple by Luke Sookdeo

Best Original Show

Nominees:-

Lost in the Beat

Shores of Enchantment

One Man Poe

Sleight of Mind

Winner:

Lost in the Beat

Best Production

Nominees: -

Sleight of Mind

O’Brien’s Dream

Poetry on the Fringe

Lost in the Beat

Winner: - O’Brien’s Dream

Best Stage & Technical

Nominees: -

Lost in the Beat

One Man Poe

O’Brien’s Dream

Zeit Heist

Winner: - Zeit Heist

Best Stage Design

Nominees: -

Stacey & Rose

I am Purple

One Man Poe

Rainbow Monologues

Winner:

Stacey & Rose

Best Performer (Dramatic)

Nominees: -

Faye McLean for The Last Act (A Sense of Place)

Stephen Smith for One Man Poe

Jensen Parker for By My Name (Rainbow Monologues)

Luke Sookdeo for I am Purple

Winner:

Stephen Smith for One Man Poe

Best Performer (Dramatic) Support

Nominees: -

Mike Sanders for Lady and the Tramp (Plays in the Key of Life)

Clare McGrath for Down the Alley

Amanda Lancaster for O’Brien’s Dream

Ted Grant for Jilted Jenny (Plays in the Key of Life)

Winner:

Mike Sanders for Lady and the Tramp

Best Performer (Comedic)

Jordan Spratt for Merchant Ship Ibrox (A Sense of Place)

Julia Knight for Zeit Heist

Irene Morrison for Speed School

Sarah Howes-Dixon for Fluorescent Adolescent (A Sense of Place)

Winner:

Sarah Howes-Dixon for Fluorescent Adolescent

Best Performer (Comedic) Support

Tara Mallinson for Catbox

Venessa Perry for Netherley Local History Mystery Tour (A Sense of Place)

Ted Williams for O’Brien’s Dream

Graham Padden for I hate Charle Pickles

Winner:

Tara Mallinson for Catbox

Best Performer (Poetic)

Sally Porter (Poetry on the Fringe)

Stephen Porter (Eve ‘n’ Stephen)

Shango (Poetry on the Fringe)

Gary Jardine (Poetry on the Fringe)

Winner:

Sally Porter (Poetry on the Fringe)

Best Performer (Musicality)

Kirsten Hawkins for O’Brien’s Dream

Nina Price for Lost in the Beat

Kate Harcus for Lost in the Beat

Adam O’Byrne for O’Brien’s Dream

Winner: - Kate Harcus for Lost in the Beat

Best Director

Nathan Dunn for Rainbow Monologues

Ann Bates for O’Brien’s Dream

Bryan McCann for The Lady and the Tramp (Plays in the Key of Life)

Abbey FitzHenry for Lost in the Beat

Winner: Abbey Fitzhenry for Lost in the Beat

Best Partnership (Dramatic)

Billy Roberts & Kate McAuliffe for Moving On (A Sense of Place)

PJ Murray & Anthony Garson for California Dreamin’

Kirsten Hawkins & Adam O’Byrne for O’Brien’s Dream

Tommy Tyler-Morgan & Bethany George for A Sweet Old World (A Sense of Place)

Winners:

Billy Roberts & Kate McAuliffe

Best Partnership (Comedic)

Leah Gould & Amy McCutcheon (the Mean Girls) for Lost in the Beat

Christine Murphy & Donna Lauder for Merchant Ship Ibrox (A Sense of Place)

Steph Simpson & Hannah Tudge for Stacey and Rose

Sarah Howes-Dixon & Graham Padden for I hate Charlie Pickles

Winner:

Steph Simpson & Hannah Tudge for Stacey and Rose

Outstanding Contribution

Dan Scott

Spirit of the Fringe

Mason King (Sleight of Mind)

Best Venue

The Studio Below

Written by, Clare McGrath