'Festival gem' wins top Fringe prize
Minnie and Mona, described by The West Australian theatre reviewer David Zampatti as “a finely cut Fringe festival gem”, has taken out the top prize for 2013.
Written by Jeffrey Jay Fowler and directed by Kathryn Osborne, Minnie and Mona received the $10,000 Martin Sims Award for best WA production at the Fringe World Awards last night.
The black comedy featured Gita Bezard and Arielle Gray. playing themselves and their characters dancing through the tough terrain of suicide.
The award, determined by a panel of judges, comes with cash, development support and international touring opportunities.
The judges described Minnie and Mona as funny, sad, challenging and beautifully delivered. They said that it rang true with heartfelt performances and is a universal story that would travel well to just about any other festival.
Other awards presented at the Urban Orchard last night included the People’s Choice Award, decided by online polling through thewest.com.au, to An Evening Without Bill Mohan.
Candice McQueen won the best cabaret act and the Briefs picked up the best circus award. The comedy prize went to Marcel Lucont: Gallic Symbol, Uta Uber Kool Ja won the performance category and the dance award went to With a Bullet: The Album Project, Perth Edition.
The theatre award went to The Bane Trilogy.
Stratosfunk’s Mama: The Music of Etta James and Hush: An Evening of Quiet Music shared the music prize.
FTI’s get Into Film program won the film and multimedia award and La Salon Scintillant was the best visual arts show and The Wives of Hemingway won the Spirit of the Fringe award.
