Carl Baldwin
Sep 3, 2025
With this year's Edinburgh festival already fading into the dim and distant past it is that time of year when we relive some of our favourite moments and hand out our annual awards. Yes, for the 15th time we have handed out awards to some of our favourite shows.
There were 17 categories featuring 29 different shows with a total of 113 nominations.
Whilst there were a total of 14 different winners, this year Ah-Ma topped the list with victory in three categories, but the Top Show accolade was taken home by old favourite Rob Auton for his show Can (An Hour Long Story).
BEST COMEDY
Winner - David O’Doherty – Highway To The David Zone
Rob Auton – CAN (An Hour – Long Story)
Mark Simmons : His Latest Jokes
Tony Law – Law And DisOrganizeder
Robin Ince – The Universe & The Neurodiverse
Ben Pope – The Cut
SPECIAL AWARD
Winner - White Room Theatre - The Big Bite Sized Breakfast Show
Fishing 4 Chips
Happy/ Sad Productions - Moving On: A New Musical
String Cheese Theatre
Robin Ince –Comic Strip Presents
BEST ENTERTAINMENT/MUSICAL/DANCE
Winner - Arthur Hull’s Flop
The Big Bite Sized Breakfast Show
Comic Strip Presents
Garden Party
Jaffa Cake: The Musical
How To Win Against History
The Most Toast
Blodwen’s In Town
Moving On: A New Musical
BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY
Joint winner - Robert Daws – Wodehouse In Wonderland
Joint winner - Alfie Cain – Dropped
Thomas Willshire – The Big Bite Sized Breakfast Show
Sean O’Callaghan – Garden Party
Piers Mackenzie – Courier
Alex Payne – Bluffstone Is Starvin'
BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Winner - Kasen Tsu – Ah- Ma
Rosie Edwards - The Big Bite Size Breakfast
Rachel Fletcher - The Big Bite Size Breakfast
Tegan Verheul – Chokeslam
Lucia Mallardi – The Football-Actress
BEST PERFORMANCE IN AN ENTERTAINMENT/ MUSICAL/ DANCE
Arthur Hull - Arthur Hull’s Flop
Katie Pritchard – Jaffa Cake – The Musical
Seriol Davies – How To Win Against History
Emily Davis – Blodwen’s In Town
Marc Robertson – Moving On : A New Musical
Heather Richardson – Moving On : A New Musical
BEST PLAY
Joint winner - The Horse Of Jenin
Joint winner - Ah-Ma
Food Bank – The Big Bite Sized Breakfast Show
Courier
Dropped
Wodehouse In Wonderland
BEST SONG/ MUSIC PERFORMANCE
Winner - The Taxman – Jaffa Cake : The Musical
Starving To Death On My Government Claim – Bluffstone Is Starvin
(“This f**kity, f**kity, f**kity, f**kity “f**k you” dress”) – Arthur Hull’s Flop
Piece Of Sky - Blodwen’s In Town
Boxed Up : Moving On : A New Musical
Handle With Care – Moving On : A New Musical
You’re The Tops – Wodehouse In Wonderland
BEST VENUE
Winner - Easter Road
Pleasance Dome
Pleasance Courtyard
The Space On The Mile
Fingers Piano Bar
BEST DIRECTOR
Winner - Lara Laxman – It’s Gonna Blow
Rachel McMurray - Courier
Roza Stevenson – Moving On : A New Musical
Cathy Lam – Ah-Ma
BEST COMEDY PERFORMANCE
Winner - Rob Auton –CAN (An Hour – Long Story)
Alaa Shehada – The Horse Of Jenin
Sean Wareing – It’s Gonna Blow
David O’ Doherty – Highway To The David Zone
Tony Law – Law And DisOrganizeder
Ben Pope – The Cut
Ollie Horne – The Most Toast
Simon Munnery
Lizzie Lenco – The Limerence
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE
Winner - Yasmine Meaden – It’s Gonna Blow
Kat Johns Burke - The Big Bite Size Breakfast
Tom Hartwell - The Big Bite Size Breakfast
Paul Spera – Garden Party
Orla Bayne – Moving On – A New Musical
BEST MOMENT
Winner - Butterfly Gown – How To Win against History
Sandwich Cake – Comic Strip Presents
Darkness – Another Sight
“Toastmaster General” – The Most Toast
“Sub Postmasters” Are Notorious For Being Good With Figures” – The Most Toast
That Scooby Doo Vibe - Moving On: A New Musical
The Anchoresses – Caitriona Dowden – Dance Like Everyone’s Dancing
BEST MUSIC
Winner - Garden Party
Bluffstone Is Starving
Arthur Hull’s Flop
Blodwen’s In Town
Moving On: A New Musical
BEST FREE SHOW
Winner - Mark Simmons : His Latest Jokes
Winner - The Limerence
Charles 11 – Living Libido Loca
Blodwen’s In Town
Caitriona Dowden – Dance Like Everyone’s Dancing
BEST ONE PERSON SHOW
Joint winner - Rob Auton – Can ( An Hour – Long Story)
Joint winner - Ah-Ma
Joint winner - Dropped
Joint winner - The Horse Of Jenin
Chokeslam
David O’ Doherty – Highway To The David Zone
Tony Law – Law And DisOrganizeder
Arthur Hull’s Flop
Robin Ince – The Universe & The Neurodiverse
Courier
Ben Pope – The Cut
BEST SHOW (MUST HAVE RECEIVED A 10 MARK)
Winner - Rob Auton : CAN ( An Hour Long Story)
Wodehouse In Wonderland
David O’ Doherty – Highway To The David Zone
Tony Law – Law And DisOrganizeder
Arthur Hull’s Flop
Ah-Ma
The Horse Of Jenin
Ben Pope : The Cut
How To Win Against History
The Limerence