The Winners of the Dublin 2007 Fringe Awards are:

Spirit of the Fringe Commissioning Award (€4,000), presented in association with Project Arts Centre (Presented in association with Project Arts Centre to the company that best embodies the Spirit of the Fringe - fresh, brave and exciting. The prize is a €4000 commissioning grant for a new show, to be produced for the Dublin Fringe Festival 2008 in Project Cube. Usually presented to an Irish company.) Winner: Heart of Darkness (Gavin Kostick). Other Nominees: Caliper Boy (dANTE or dIE); Dublin City Counselling (Gentle Giant Theatre Company); Simple Girl (Melanie Wilson).

Jayne Snow Award (€1,500) (Presented to the individual or group in this year's Festival who best exhibits the qualities of innovation, bravery and risk taking in the pursuit of artistic excellence. This award is dedicated to the memory of actress Jayne Snow.) Winner: Rain Party (junk ensemble). Other Nominees: Kuddlemuddle (Priscilla Robinson); Beauty (written by Shawn Sturnick and directed by Thomas Conway); DISCO-NNECT.

Best Production - €750 (Presented to the show or event that displays excellence in every area of production.) Winner:Particularly in the Heartland (The TEAM). Other Nominees: All Dolled Up (thisispopbaby); The Convent (Jo Stromgren Kompani); Incarnat (Lia Rodrigues); Ketzal (Derevo).

Best Design (€500) (For outstanding lighting, set, sound, costume and/or graphic design and is the only theatre award in Ireland to acknowledge sound and design.) Winner: Score (Au Cul du Loop) Overall design. Other Nominees: Ciotog - How did we get here, Rionach Ni Neill - Lighting Design; Convent, Jo Stromgren Kompani, Overall design; The Anima and the Animus, Shakram Dance Company - Sound design Dara O' Breen; Ketzal, Derevo, Overall design.

Bewleys Cafe Theatre Award (€500) (This new award is presented to the best Irish fringe show under an hour. The prize is the opportunity to remount the show in Bewley's for a two-week run at lunch time in 2008.) Winner: Art of Swimming (Playgroup). Other Nominees: Come up and see me: A Peek at Mae West (Ageless Productions); Waiting for Ikea (Wicked Angels).

Fishamble New Writing Award (Presented to the best play by a new or emerging Irish (or Irish-based) playwright premiered during the Fringe. The prize includes a scholarship place on a playwriting course, dramaturgical support and a €1000 stipend towards the playwright's next play.) Winner: Married to the Sea, Shona McCarthy. Other Nominees: All Over Town (Phillip McMahon); Waiting for IKEA (Georgina McKevitt and Jacinta Sheerin); Art of Swimming (Lynda Radley); Ways of Making You Talk (Claudia Schwartz).

Best Male Performer – (€500). Winner: Bartosz Portzyk, (Smycz). Other Nominees: Palle Dryvall (Catastrophe Communication Combinatoria); Jake Margolin (Particularly in the Heartland); Paul Reid (Metamorphosis); Peter Daly (3 roles in The Rep Experiment); Panti (All Dolled Up).

Best Female Performer – (€500). Winner: Elizabeth King, Particularly in the Heartland. Other Nominees: Kristen Shiel (Particularly in the Heartland); Gillian McCarthy (The Rep Experiment); Melanie Wilson (Simple Girl); Caoilshionn Dunne (Caligula).

Best Lantern Award – (€250). Awarded to Tammy Bradley for 'Bright lights in big city'

Best Spiegeltent Show – (€250) (To the best night in the tent, or to the best performer in the tent over the 16 nights. Not including La Clique.) Winner: Camille O'Sullivan (The Cat's Miaow). Other Nominees: Pirate Sounds (Turning Pirate); Marlena Shaw featuring Mad Professor (Crawdaddy); Seasick Steve and King Creosote (Crawdaddy).

2007 Panel of Judges:. Sarah Pyle - Chairwoman of Judging Panel; Sarah Durcan (Producer, Corn Exchange); Aoife Habenicht (Literary Dept. Of the Abbey); Deborah Dignam (Director Kinsale Arts Week); Deirdre Roycroft (Actress); Eamon Sweeney (Music Journalist); Leon McCarthy (Mercury Boy Inc); Louise Walsh (PR & Marketing Manager, Music Network); Michelle Cahill (Choreographer and Dancer); Orla Dunne (General Manager, TEAM Educational Theatre); Peter Finnegan (Director of Communique International); Sarah Ling (Producer); Scott Burnett (Designer, Angry Associates Design); Sheena McGinley (Editor, entertainment.ie): Wayne Jordan (Director).

END

(c) Colman Higgins 25 September 07

Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008