Winners – Adelaide Fringe 2012 Bank SA Awards

The winners of Adelaide Fringe 2012 Bank SA Awards were announced last night and here’s our 2¢ on the winners (and losers).

 

BANKSA BEST PRESENTATION FOR CHILDREN

Dr Brown Brown Brown Brown Brown – The Kid’s Show – Slow Clap Productions
Jason Chong in Where’s the Remote? – Jason Chong
Kapow! – Asking for Trouble
The Terrible Infants – Holden Street Theatres & Les Enfant Terribles Theatre Company

WINNER – Dr Brown Brown Brown Brown Brown – The Kid’s Show – Slow Clap Productions
While this was an excellent show, we were hoping the Fringe would recognise that kids would benefit more from seeing shows with a little more complexity than just a guy playing the ukulele. We would’ve picked The Terrible Infants, but that’s no secret. 

 

BANKSA BEST PUPPETRY

Slapdash Galaxy – Bunk Puppets
The Buffoon’s Play – Tarabates Theatre & Puppet Palace

WINNER – The Buffoon’s Play – Tarabates Theatre & Puppet Palace
Once again, we disagree with the Fringe here. Slapdash Galaxy was in the Top 5 Fringe shows this year and was definitely the better of the two shows nominated here. If heckler had awards, you would’ve taken this one Mr. Bunk!

 

BANKSA BEST CIRCUS & PHYSICAL THEATRE

Kaput – Strut & Fret and Tom Flanagan
Knee Deep – Casus, in association with Lady Torpedo Productions
The Brothers Pitt – The Pitts Family Circus
This is what we do for a living – Tumble Circus

WINNER – This is what we do for a living – Tumble Circus
On this one, we do agree with the Fringe. We would’ve liked to see Flipside Circus’ That Way at least nominated though.

 

BANKSA BEST DANCE

Dance Interrogations – hipsync
Dark Park – Kelly Alexander
Ellipsis – Gareth Hart
Where Did It All Go Right? – Ponydance & Arts Project Australia

WINNER – Where Did It All Go Right? – Ponydance & Arts Project Australia
We didn’t get around to seeing this one, so no comment.

 

BANKSA BEST MUSIC

Aluka – Aluka
Rapskallion – Rapskallion
Tom Thum – Strut & Fret and Tom Thum

WINNER – Rapskallion – Rapskallion
If there was any award that was all wrapped up, it was this one. We will perhaps never know how Tom Thum lost this one.

 

BANKSA BEST CABARET

EastEnd Cabaret: The Revolution Will Be Sexual – EastEnd Cabaret
Hot – Damsel Sophie for CABfringe
La Soiree – La Soiree Australia (SOLD OUT)
Miss Patsy DeCline in The Cowgirl’s Revenge – Squeezebox and Big Hair Productions
Short+Sweet Cabaret – CabFringe & Short+Sweet

WINNER – EastEnd Cabaret: The Revolution Will Be Sexual – EastEnd Cabaret
We couldn’t agree more with the Fringe here. This show was excellent and completely deserving of the hotly contested award. In fact, we were so excited about them winning the award, we went and saw them again last night!

 

BANKSA BEST VISUAL ART AND DESIGN

AES+F Allegoria Sacra – Art Gallery of South Australia
Art, Pattern and Complexity – RiAus
Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor – JamFactory

WINNER – Art, Pattern and Complexity – RiAus
Another deserving winner here. RiAus created something truly remarkable.

 

BANKSA BEST COMEDY

Abandoman – Gilded Balloon in association with CKP
Andrew O’Neill – Alternative – Julz Hay
Felicity Ward in The Hedgehog Dilemma – Laughing Stock Productions
Michael Workman – Mercy – Token Events
Sammy J & Randy in The Inheritance – Laughing Stock Productions

WINNER – Michael Workman – Mercy – Token Events
Another winner we didn’t get around to seeing, but kudos to Workman for taking it out in his debut year.

 

BANKSA BEST COMEDY – EMERGING

Abandoman – Gilded Balloon in association with CKP
Insert Sponsor Here’ Radio Variety Hour – Bert Maverick Presents…
Michael Workman – Mercy – Token Events
Truth – Slow Clap

WINNER – Abandoman – Gilded Balloon in association with CKP
We were very confused with this award. How can Workman, in his debut year, win the ‘Best Comedy’ award, but then lose the Emerging one? Doesn’t make sense!

 

BANKSA BEST THEATRE PERFORMER

Ensemble – The Terrible Infants
John Hinton – THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES BY MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION OR THE SURVIVAL OF (R)EVOLUTIONARY THEORIES IN THE FACE OF SCIENTIFIC AND ECCLESIASTICAL OBJECTIONS: BEING A MUSICAL COMEDY ABOUT CHARLES DARWIN (1809-1882)
Justin Butcher – Scaramouche Jones
Pauline Knowles – Wee Andy by Paddy Cunneen

WINNER – Pauline Knowles – Wee Andy by Paddy Cunneen
Wee Andy was an intense hard-hitting piece and Pauline Knowles delivered a powerful performance. The nominees in this category are winners simply by being nominated alongside Knowles. We would’ve given a special commendation to the ensemble of The Terrible Infants though!

 

BANKSA BEST THEATRE PRODUCTION

THE ORIGIN OF THE SPECIES BY MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION OR THE SURVIVAL OF (R)EVOLUTIONARY THEORIES IN THE FACE OF SCIENTIFIC AND ECCLESIASTICAL OBJECTIONS: BEING A MUSICAL COMEDY ABOUT CHARLES DARWIN (1809-1882) – Holden Street Theatres, Tangram Theatre & John Hinton
Sons & Mothers – No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability
The Terrible Infants – Holden Street Theatre & Les Enfants Terrible Theatre Company
Wee Andy by Paddy Cunneen – Holden Street Theatres & Tumult in the Clouds

WINNER – Sons & Mothers – No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability
Holden Street Theatres had three out of four shows in this category. They still missed out… Ouch! Once again, our pick here would’ve been The Terrible Infants.

 

BANKSA BEST VENUE

Queen’s Theatre
Tuxedo Cat
The Soul Box
La Boheme

WINNER – Queen’s Theatre
Another award that we’re not quite sure how the Fringe decide. Holden Street wasn’t even nominated?

 

BANKSA PICK OF THE FRINGE

La Soiree – La Soiree Australia
Soap – The Show – Circle of Eleven

WINNER – La Soiree – La Soiree Australia
What?! Did the Fringe judges not go see Soap?

 

UNDERBELLY EDINBURGH AWARD

WINNER – Tom Thum – Strut & Fret and Tom Thum
Oh good, at least the Scots recognised how talented this man is!

 

ADELAIDE CRITICS CIRCLE BEST IN FRINGE AWARD

WINNER – Sons & Mothers – No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability
Disagree again. Our pick would’ve been Fleeto.

 

JOHN CHATAWAY INNOVATION AWARD

Silent Dinner Parties – Honi Ryan
Truth – Slow Clap
Uta Uber Kool Ja – Technicolour Army

WINNER – Uta Uber Kool Ja – Technicolour Army
Great, great show. Well deserved.

 

ERAN SVIGOS AWARD FOR BEST VISUAL ART

Jacky Spencer – iBlink
Penny Byrne – The Art of the Possible
Sam Songailo – Art, Pattern and Complexity

WINNER – Sam Songailo – Art, Pattern and Complexity
Another deserved accolade for the RiAus presentation.

 

ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTRE inSPACE:development AWARD

microMACRO – Zephyr Quartet
Sepia – RiAus & Emily Steel
Sons & Mothers – No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability
Jason Chong in Where’s The Remote? – Jason Chong

WINNER – Sons & Mothers – No Strings Attached Theatre of Disability
Alright, so this show was good, but THREE awards?!

 

TOUR READY AWARD – SUPPORTED BY MELBOURNE FRINGE

WINNER – Sepia – RiAus & Emily Steel
We didn’t get around to seeing this one either, but we heard absolutely nothing negative about this show!

 

THE PEACE TRUST AWARD

The Ballad of the Unbeatable Hearts – Guy Masterson’s Centre for International Theatre (C.I.T.)
seven kilometres north-east – version 1.0 Inc.

WINNER – seven kilometres north-east – version 1.0 Inc.
No comment.

 

So there you have it. We agreed with 4 of the awards and disagreed with 7.
Let us know whether you agree/disagree with the decisions of the Fringe judges in your comments below.