Comedy writer surprise winner of Perrier Award

A former BBC comedy writer won the prestigious Perrier Award with a show in which she plays eight different characters, it was announced today.

Laura Solon, 26, put together Kopfrapers Syndrome in just three weeks after splitting from her writing partner, but has gone on to win one of comedy’s most coveted prizes.

Nica Burns, director of the award, said: “The final debate matched the intensity of that in 1991 in a year when the shortlist was remarkable in its range and diversity.

“How fitting, in the 25th year, that out of the blue a young woman of extraordinary talent should be discovered in an out-of-the way venue and become the surprise winner and only the second solo woman to win the Perrier.

She added: “Laura Solon is an extraordinary writer and performer who will become a major star. Let us hope that in the next 25 years, a woman winner of a comedy award will not be an unusual event.”

Solon’s one-woman show, her Edinburgh debut, features her playing eight characters including The Festival Bookworm, the Rain-Proof Siren, Karen the prize-winning beautician and Borgesia the Polish storyteller with a radical take on Aesops Fables.

Solon has previously appeared in the first episode of the BBC2 series Sack Race.

Missing out on the top spot – and the £7,500 prize fund – was Chris Addison, who also made the shortlist in 2004 and was the bookmakers’ favourite for his show Atomicity.

The Best Newcomer Award, also announced at midnight at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, went to Australian Tim Minchin.

Judges described his show, Darkside, as “a smorgasbord of stunning musicality, hilarious stand up and average air guitar”.

The other shortlisted nominees for Best Newcomer were Charlie Pickering, Mark Watson, Rhod Gilbert and Toulson and Harvey.

The Perrier Award is in its 25th year and is considered one of the most coveted of all comedy awards.

Previous winners include The League of Gentlemen, Tommy Tiernan, Al Murray and Dylan Moran.