The Barry Award was launched in 1998 as the ‘Stella Award’ and was won by Miss Itchy. It was then renamed in 2000 to pay tribute to Melbourne International Comedy Festival founding patron Barry Humphries.
With just one week left of this year’s incarnation, the judges have come to their consensus and the award’s 2017 nominees include Anne Edmonds for her show, No Offence, None Taken, Damien Power for Utopia, Now in 3D and Hannah Gadsby for her hilarious set, Nanette.
Other nominees include Richard Gadd for Monkey See, Monkey Do, Sammy J for Hero Complex with Tom Walker rounding out the nominations with Bee Boo.
Eligibility for the Barry Award requires comics to have at least ten performances at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in that particular year.
The festival has also unveiled its nominees for the 2017 Golden Gibbo Award, named in honour of the late Lynda Gibson for the best independent production.
The nominees include A Visit with Nan in a Caravan, Clara Cupcakes for The Worst, Fran Middleton’s Ceiling Fran as well as Game Boys legendary piece Clash Battle Warlords Age of Royal Candy Robots Royal Strike Kingdom Mobile Legends Saga. Rounding out the nominees are Michelle Brasier and Laura Frew for Double Denim and Rama Nicholas for her amazing set, The Lucky Ones.
