A 'kamikaze kitsch cabaret' and sex-trade drama scoop Festival awards

Published on Friday 3 September 2010 19:11

AN OUTRAGEOUS cabaret artist and a harrowing drama about people trafficking were the winners in this year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe Prize.

Postmodern diva Meow Meow, who produced unique "kamikaze cabaret kitsch and performance art exotica" in her titular show, and Roadkill, the tale of young women trafficked to Scotland, have each won a 5,000 prize which includes top-level mentoring and the chance to present a "work in progress" workshop production at next year's Festival.

Cora Bissett, director of Roadkill - in which audiences met at Edinburgh's Traverse Theatre before being taken to secret location for the performance which included video, animation and music - said: "I'm slightly taken aback at winning this. Roadkill was a very considered piece of work which was three years in production, on and off.

"It had a big impact on people when it was shown in Glasgow, but it would have been arrogant and folly to think it would necessarily be a big hit.

"This prize will give me practical opportunities to develop as an artist and some decent thinking time. I had been seriously thinking of going back to doing a bar job. But now I can start thinking of something else, perhaps a big-scale thing for a stage with bands and live music."

On hearing she had won the prize, Meow Meow, a star of the Olivier award-winning La Clique, said: "That's me in the grown-up world now. I'm delighted and see this as an opportunity to explore new directions."

The singer, who is resting in the Cotswolds after her performances, added: "I might even consider developing a different persona."

Jonathan Mills, Festival director, said the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Prize had a different set of criteria from Fringe Firsts in that judges were asking: "Do they have the potential and wish to develop a workshop?"

"We are not asking the winners to produce a fully fledged production but are looking for fledgling ideas. It may be that the way that this prize manifests itself is not as imagined.

"The prizewinner may come back in three years' time with an idea. It also puts us in touch with a group of people who were only coming to Edinburgh to be at the Fringe. There was a recommendation for two very, very different artistic personalities to win this year's prize and the final decision was unanimous.

"The incredible range of works presented during the summer festivals in Edinburgh makes it the world's greatest showcase of new and emerging talent.The Edinburgh International Festival Fringe Prize 2010 is a fantastic opportunity for artists and the festivals to further develop and share in the rich rewards of the amazing melting pot that is Edinburgh and its festivals.

The prize gives the winners the opportunity to present their work at the Edinburgh International Festival's Behind the Scenes programme next year.

Mr Mills chose the winners based on the recommendations of a judging panel. This year's panel was chaired by Fergus Linehan, artistic associate at Edinburgh International Festival and head of contemporary music at Sydney Opera House; Joyce McMillan, chief theatre critic for The Scotsman; Catherine Lockerbie, former director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival; Sally Hobson, head of programme development at the Edinburgh International Festival; and Robert Dawson Scott, theatre critic for the Times and editor of STV's website;

Roadkill was presented by Ankur & Pachamama Productions in association with Traverse Theatre Company and The Tron Theatre. Miaow Miaow was presented by Kay & McLean Productions in Association With Meow Meow Revolution.

n Meanwhile, Tomas Browugh, 10, left - a pupil at Sciennes Primary in Edinburgh - is all set to start the Bank of Scotland Fireworks Concert tomorrow evening.