Shortlists announced for The List Festival Awards 2025

Following the successful inaugural awards in 2024, this year’s ceremony will include four new categories, celebrating the diversity of talent at the Edinburgh Festival. The incredible line-up of artists and works highlighted in the shortlists showcases the strong quality and power of work on offer in Edinburgh during August. The shortlists are as follows:

ART - Best rising Scottish artist

Aqsa Arif: Raindrops Of Rani, Edinburgh Printmakers

The List Festival Awards

Drawing on Pakistani folklore and imagery from the Sony Bravia Paint advert filmed in her childhood council flat, Aqsa Arif’s multimedia installation that encompasses film, textile screenprints and sculpture probes themes of fractured identity, displacement and cultural synthesis.

Hamish Halley: Please Keep, The People’s Story Museum

Hamish Halley presents a poignant video piece that intertwines two narratives: the intimate act of cleaning his grandparents’ home after their passing and the monumental transition of the Perth Museum’s collection to a new space.

Megan Rudden: Love In The Ecotone, Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop

This installation of new work explores the relationship between sculpture and language through the idea of the ecotone, a transitional space between two states.

BOOKS - Best rising Scottish author

Alessandra Thom

Winner of 2023’s Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award, Alessandra Thom has made her Edinburgh-set debut with Summer Hours, a sizzling story of what happens when the lines of friendship are blurred.

Chris Barkley

The Man on the Endless Stair sees the beautiful Scottish Isles as remote, picturesque and the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery when troubled but talented young author Euan is taken there on a trip by decorated novelist Malcolm Furnivall.

Michael Mullen

Goonie is the raw and joyful debut collection from award-winning Scottish poet and spoken word artist Michael Mullen exploring queerness through fierce lyrical poetry and celebrating Mullen's beloved Scotland through vernacular vignettes.

FILM - Best Scottish film

Reality Is Not Enough, Paul Sng

This striking new film directed by Paul Sng pays a fittingly eclectic homage to acclaimed Scottish author Irvine Welsh with an approach that is richly detailed, playful and complex.

Neil Armstrong And The Langholmites, Duncan Cowles

From BAFTA winner Duncan Cowles comes a wry, beautiful slice of Scottish life and a unique tale about on one of America's most famous sons.

Lady Maclean, Catriona MacLeod

A captivating short film Lady MacLean, championing a vibrant and unexpected story about the rural island communities we both know and love.

INTERNATIONAL – Best Show

Make It Happen, National Theatre Of Scotland

This biting satire on the Scottish banking ambition that shattered the global economy starring legendary actor Brian Cox, provided unmissable drama, decadence, world-domination and a dizzying descent await.

Orpheus & Eurydice, Opera Queensland & Circa

Journey to the underworld and back with Opera Australia, presenting Opera Queensland’s production of Orpheus & Eurydice in association with Circa, as heartbroken Orpheus has the chance to rescue his wife Eurydice from the underworld.

Mary, Queen Of Scots, Scottish Ballet

The fates of Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I are explored in this new Scottish Ballet epic which imagines a rich, resonant journey through memory, history and myth. This is punk meets haute couture.

FRINGE – LGBTQIA+ Award

Club NVRLND, David Adkin & RJG Productions, Assembly Checkpoint

Featuring the biggest 2000s anthems and an intoxicating reunion between Wendy and Peter Pan, Club NVRLND is an irreverent, high-energy, nostalgia-fuelled immersive party where happy thoughts abound, drinks flow, and the night is always young.

Kinder, Ryan Stewart, Underbelly Cowgate

An unexpected call from a library derails a performance planned by newly arrived drag artist Goody Prostate, booked to headline a local reading hour, leading Goody to spiral into a chaotic exploration of childhood, memory, stories and what it means to truly grow up.

Baby Doomer, Sam Nicoresti, Pleasance Courtyard

LSQ Theatre New Comedian winner and Chortle Awards nominee brings a glistening new stand-up show about losing your mind, finding it again and the hunt for the perfect skirt suit as Sam Nicoresti felt themselves leave their body during a stressful home move.

She’s Behind You, Traverse Theatre & National Theatre Of Scotland, Traverse Theatre

Scotland’s premiere dame, Johnny McKnight, and award-winning director John Tiffany deliver a riotous, heartfelt journey into the wild world of pantomime as She’s Behind You unearths the magic and madness behind the curtain with a story as touching as it is hilarious.

FRINGE – Best Dance, Circus & Physical Theatre Show

The Genesis, Copenhagen Collective, Assembly Hall

Experience a breathtaking acrobatic journey as 17 international artists unite to celebrate the spirit of Edinburgh Fringe through the joys of human connection.

Inlet, Hani Dance, Assembly @ Dance Base

Inspired by the myth of Romulus and Remus and the symbolic meaning of Rome’s city walls, Inlet explores the significance of borders throughout history via raw movement and compelling visuals.

Small Town Boys, Shaper/Caper, Zoo Southside

Eight electrifying dancers bring the legendary Paradise Nightclub to life with a community cast, blurring the lines between performer and audience, encapsulating the joy and chaos of the club scene.

FRINGE – Best Comedy

Christbride, Bebe Cave, Pleasance Dome

In the dark, deathly world of the Middle Ages, one (annoying) woman strives to find the light, as Christbride, a female mystic in a world of male dullards, escapes from a life of monotony to one of misplaced devotion.

Is That A Cock In Your Pocket, Or Are You Just Here To Kill Me?, Jordan Gray, Assembly George Square Gardens

Returning with a guitar on her back and a bounty on her ballbag is Jordan Gray with her rootin-est, tootin-est, shootin-est hour of musical comedy yet.

Toxically Optimistic, Zainab Johnson, Pleasance Courtyard

Zainab Johnson’s Fringe debut explores being charitable on dates, owning a gun but refusing to kill, and a surprising friendship with a weird-looking animal.

FRINGE – Best Kids

The Box Show, Junkyard Beats, Assembly George Square

With explosive drumming, dance, comedy and imagination, this is a high-energy family spectacular where four rhythmic misfits turn ordinary junk (wheelie bins, cardboard boxes, plastic bags) into a riot of percussive creativity.

Cinderella Ice Cream Seller – A Musical, Little Seeds Music, Underbelly Bristo Square

This exciting musical retelling of a fairytale classic is a delightful blend of storytelling, stunning live music and theatrical magic that will capture your heart and tickle your tastebuds.

Funz & Gamez Rebootz, Phil Ellis, Monkey Barrel

The smash-hit, Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning Funz & Gamez is back with a brand-new show and fresh gang of ‘helpers’, led by host Phil Ellis, providing audiences with a hilarious kids hour that’s even more funz for adultz.

FRINGE - Best show from Adelaide

Chopin’s Nocturne, Aidan Jones, Summerhall

Combining classical piano and stand-up, Aidan Jones presents Chopin’s Nocturne In Eb Major. But with actual jokes!

Arthur Hull's FLOP – The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals Ever Written, Arthur Hull,Gilded Balloon At Appleton Tower

A love letter to Broadway’s biggest misfires from a self-proclaimed musical theatre nerd who aims to prove that even the dodgiest show might still have one tune to save it.

Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence, Crash Theatre Co, Assembly George Square Studios

Set in the cut-throat world of competitive netball, this electropop-infused cautionary tale explores the consequences of unchecked ambition and the fierce determination of teenage girls, bringing new life into a literary classic.

Smile – The Story Of Charlie Chaplin, Marcel Cole, Pleasance Courtyard

Charlie Chaplin, one of the greatest comedians of all time, is brought to the stage by dazzling performer Marcel Cole, for a one-hour treatment of The Little Tramp’s extraordinary life and career.

FRINGE – Sit-up Award

Youth In Flames, Dare Theatre, Zoo Playground

Amid the 2019 Hong Kong protests, Millie searches for her sense of home whilst a city fights for its identity. With original sound design blending euphoric techno and the intensity of a Hong Kong riot, enter Millie's world where being an outsider has always been the norm.

Float, F-Bomb Theatre, Gilded Balloon Patter House

A new autobiographical solo show by Indra Wilson about the lonely, turbulent journey of experiencing pregnancy loss as a queer young person. Featuring dynamic sound and projections, audiences are immersed in this unique, heartfelt and hopeful debut.

Body Count, Issy Knowles, Pleasance Courtyard

A one-woman dark comedy exploring the new era of sex work as a competitive sport, Body Count dives into the head and heart of one of society’s most vilified women, uncovering the person behind the tabloids and stripping away male fantasy to reveal the humanity beneath.

24Weeks, Tatty Pants Theatre Company, Gilded Balloon Patter House

24Weeks explores a not-so-distant UK transformed by anti-abortion politics where choice is criminalised. We are left with no option but to make villains of ourselves and to make villains of those we love.

FRINGE – International Fringe Encore Series Edinburgh Prize

The shortlist for the International Encore Series Edinburgh Prize will be announced on Wednesday 19th August on The List’s social media channels: Instagram (@thelistuk), Facebook (@thelistmagazine) and Blue Sky (@thelistuk.bsky.social). See below for full details of the prize.

FRINGE – Spirit of The Fringe Award

An open award that pays tribute to a person, place or event that sums up the true spirit of the Edinburgh Fringe, to be announced on the day of the awards.

The List Festival Awards are in partnership with Johnnie Walker Princes Street and will be hosted by Michael Pedersen and Gemma Cairney. Each List winner will receive a cash award of £500 with two further awards presented in partnership with other organisations. The Sit-Up Award winner will receive £5000 and a slot on the 2025/26 Fringe Encore series.

The award aims to help harness the power of theatre to achieve greater social impact. The International Fringe Encore Series Edinburgh Prize will receive a run at the SoHo Playhouse in New York including accommodation and travel plus financial support.

Supporters of The List Festival Awards include LNER, Ghost Light Global, Data Thistle, The Pitt, Dishoom, Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood, Set! Productions, Adelaide Fringe, Pure Life Plus and Johnnie Walker Princes Street.

With a year-round monthly magazine (weekly during the Festival) and an extensive digital platform, The List publishes and distributes information on events and entertainment and is a must-read for finding out what’s on. The List reviews approximately 400 shows across the Edinburgh Festival offering some of the most engaging, authoritative and extensive content for audiences.

Brian Donaldson, Editor of The List, said: "Squeezing so many incredible shows and people into shortlists of three or four is a monumental task. But between our judges, scouts and reviewers, we’ve come up with strong, credible and eclectic selections.

"A case in point is the shortlist for Best Kids Show at the Fringe: that trio comprises an anti-kids kids hour, a musical that you could very easily picture on the West End stage, and an interactive percussion show which addresses ecological concerns. And all three are brilliant. That’s Edinburgh in August in a nutshell."