Buxton Festival Fringe Announces Awards for 2018

A successful Buxton Fringe concluded on Sunday July 22nd with the eagerly-awaited Awards Ceremony held in the Rotunda in the Pavilion Gardens.

Chair Keith Savage thanked all those who had entered events in this year’s bumper Fringe as well as supporters including sponsor The University of Derby, High Peak Borough Council, The Trevor Osborne Charitable Trust and a growing band of Fringe Friends, as well as the town’s venues and the Fringe committee’s “highly skilled and professional people who give their time and expertise for free”. Keith explained that the Awards were to recognise “all the excellent works and performances brought to the festival”, adding: “and if we give people a pat on the back they are more likely to come back next year!”

Theatre saw the Production Award going to the riveting family drama set in a mining community, On Behalf of the People, by The Melting Shop from Chesterfield, while the John Beecher Memorial Award for original, challenging work with high production values went to the extraordinary and wonderful coming-of-age comedy/drama Janet by Helenandjohn, which had a lump of bread dough as its leading character.

Jack Brosnan picked up the Male Actor award for Sea Wall by Nuneaton’s Sudden Impulse Theatre Company and Debbie Cannon was given the Female Actor award for Green Knight. The cross-category New Writing award went to the musical Guy from Prestwich-based leoe&hyde. The Spoken Word winner was Paul Webster for his chilling show Hitler Alone performed at Scrivener’s Bookshop.

Young drama talent was also recognised with Nottingham’s esteemed Shadow Syndicate winning Youth Production for Extremism and Isabel Milner from the same production being awarded Youth Actor.

In the bigger-than-ever Comedy section, Nathan & Ida’s Hot Dog Stand won the Event award whilst Gerard Harris took the Comedy Individual award.

Music awards were split into Small Ensemble (Une Vie en Rose), Large Ensemble (Burbage Brass Band), Solo Instrumental (Derby-based pianist Eden Walker) and Vocal Performance (the hugely popular local group Buxton Studio Choir).

The Visual Arts Event prize went to the stunning Future Artists @ Buxton Community School while Visual Arts Artist went to The Green Man Gallery’s Ilsa Elford for her walk-in, ultra-violet Closet.

The Other Event award was given to Meet the Experts at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery while For Families went to the baby-friendly Little Meerkat’s Big Panic.

Buxton acquitted itself well as a town with local winners including Buxton Drama League's The Shakespeare Jukebox for Street Theatre.

Tireless and enthusiastic comedian Mike Raffone won the Spirit of the Fringe award and the Chapel-en-le-Frith Morris Men won the Dance section with their Day of Dance.

The full list of awards and nominations can be found on the Fringe website at http://buxtonfringe.org.uk/awards2018.html

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