The winners have been announced for the fourth year of the inappropriately-named Luke Rollason Memorial Memorial Bursary – an award set up by the physical comedian and actor to support new comedy creatives from alternative backgrounds bringing unusual work to the Brighton Fringe.
The winners are:
- Verity Sharpe, presenting LANDLORD’S WET DREAM – a comedy punk-poet’s rage against the mad machine of the UK Housing Crisis.
- Ellen Turnill Montoya, performing as a giant hand in MR HANDSOME – absurdly creative art-comedy set in an illustrated world.
The award is also supporting two runners-up, who are:
- Ozzy Algar, presenting SPEED QUEEN – darkly subversive character folk-comedy from the 2024 Sketch-Off Finalist.
- Sam Hickman, presenting SEXY RUDE HARP CONCERT – camp musical comedy and burlesque from the glamorous harpist and comedy goddess.
The prize for the winners includes the cost of their registration, venue fees, a photoshoot with Rob Trendy, mentorship from comedy agent Daisy Francis, 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 from the bottom of the bag if they are lucky.
All four winners will be featured in an industry showcase on the 24th May at Brighton’s KOMEDIA Comedy Club, alongside shortlisted acts Anna Soden, Carl Carzana, Haylin Cai and Sophie Walmsley (“Curly”). These acts receive no crisps.
This is the award’s fourth year. Previous winners include BBC New Comedy Nominee Su Mi, Funny Women Awards Finalist Rachel Baker, and Rosalie Minnitt – creator of sell-out smash hit Clementine.
Luke said “As the sun sets on the dying twilight of my career, I desperately reach for some kind of legacy that can be inscribed on my tomb. Thankfully, I have single-handedly saved alternative comedy with this ongoing vanity project/PR exercise. I have done all I can. Farewell.”
Luke Rollason can be seen in both series of Extraordinary, streaming on ITVX from the 6 March. This year, the alternative comic will join the main cast of upcoming CBBC series Horrible Science. His most recent solo show Luke Rollason, Luke Rollason, Let Down Your Hair will go on tour this Summer.
Verity Sharpe: Landlord’s Wet Dream will perform at the Rotunda on the 2nd and 8th May. Tickets available here.
Ellen Turnhill Montoya is Mr Handsome will perform at the Caroline of Brunswick on the 25th and 31st May, and the 1st June. Tickets available here.
Ozzy Algar: Speed Queen will perform at Presuming Ed’s on the 25th May and the 1st June. Tickets available here.
Sam Hickman: Sexy Rude Harp Concert will perform at the Rotunda from the 3rd – 5th May. Tickets available here.
All acts can be seen at KOMEDIA’s Brighton Fringe Comedy Showcase on the 24th May. Tickets available here.
Pictured: The bursary winners with Luke Rollason in red in the centre.
