The winners have been announced for the inappropriately-named (and increasingly unwieldy) Luke Rollason Memorial Memorial Bursary – an award set up by the physical comedian and actor Luke Rollason (pictured) to support new comedy creatives from alternative backgrounds bringing unusual work to the Brighton Fringe.
The winners are:
- Su Mi, presenting BANANA BEARD – absurdist sketch/standup debut from the BBC New Comedy Award Nominee, smashing stereotypes of what an “Asian Woman” can be.
- Rosalie Minnitt, presenting CLEMENTINE – Bridgerton meets The Mighty Boosh in a superbly surreal one-woman character-comedy period romcom.
The award is also supporting two runners-up, who are:
- Ruth Hunter, presenting THE RUTH IS ON FIRE – subversive So You Think You’re Funny finalist combines accomplished standup with horror-comedy puppetry.
- Eppie Brilliant, presenting WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE SONG – a raucous odyssey through musical history from Teeside’s trans songbird.
The prize for the winners includes the cost of their registration, £100 towards marketing, mentorship, as well as fizzy drinks and crisps of their choice. The runners-up will also have their registration costs covered and might get some crisps if they are lucky.
All four winners will be featured in an industry showcase on the 2nd June at Brighton’s KOMEDIA Comedy Club, alongside selected shortlisted acts.
Applications were judged by the comedian and a panel of professionals working in the comedy industry. This is the award’s second year, with last year’s winners including Freddie Hayes and Aruhan Galieva.
Luke said “My unbearable vanity project is back to highlight the fantastically creative work being made on the fringes of the comedy industry. This will be the first year I haven’t performed at the Brighton Fringe since 2017, and it looks like absolutely no one will notice. Thank you to these amazing acts for ensuring my legacy will be buried by brighter talents.”
Luke Rollason can currently be seen starring in Disney+ series Extraordinary, which is how we assume he is affording all of this.
Su Mi: Banana Beard will perform at The Actors Theatre on the 20th and 21st May. Tickets available here.
Rosalie Minnitt: Clementine will perform at the Rotunda on the 5th, 6th and 7th of May. Tickets available here.
Ruth Hunter: The Ruth Is On Fire will perform at the Caxton Arms on the 13th and 14th May. Tickets available here.
Eppie Brilliant: What’s Your Favourite Song will perform at Junkyard Dogs at The Round Georges on the 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th May. Tickets available here.
