After 16 days, more than 100 shows, 460 performances, and 40 venues the Fringe 2010 has taken its final bow. But before it exited gracefully off the stage, there were the Fringe Awards to hand out.

The organisers must be plenty pleased with themselves – this year’s Fringe had more sold out shows than ever, so all you audience members deserve a hearty high five for digging into your pockets in tough times.

But back to the shiny stuff. The jury panel for this year’s awards was as follows: Deirdre Roycroft , chairwoman of panel; Richard Brickley Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard; Stephanie Courtney, OmnicomMediaGroup; Jim Culleton, Fishamble; Emma Donnellan, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard; Orla Flanagan, Fishamble; Jessica Hilliard, formerly with the Dublin Theatre Festival; David Horan, Bewley’s Cafe Theatre; Paul Johnson, Dance Ireland and Arts Council member; and Bernadette Larkin, Airfield.

(Fumbles with shiny envelope): And the awards go to …..

Best Design – €500
Winner:
Noeline Kavanagh (artistic director, Macnas) for The Wild Hunt and The Sleepwalker

Other Nominees:
Paul O’Mahoney for Medea
Ciaran O’Melia for As You Are Now So Once Were We
Kate Nic Chonaonaigh and Louise White for From The Heart
Ger Clancy for Escape From The Dead Zoo

Bewley’s Cafe Theatre Award – €2000
Winner:
Aonghus Óg McAnally (Show in a bag) for Fight Night

Other Nominees:
Will Irvine and Karl Quinn (Show in a Bag) for Connected
Polar Bear for Return
John Cronin and Caitríona Ní Mhurchú (Show in a bag) for The Sit
Nodding Dog Theatre Company for I am a Man

Best Male Performer – €500
Winner:
Aonghus Óg McAnally (Show in a bag) for Fight Night

Other Nominees:
Jonno Katz for Cactus, The Seduction
Barry O’Connor for Heroin
a smith for the next two days of everything
John Cronin for The Sit

Best Female Performer - €500
Winner:
Claire Barrett for I heart Alice heart I

Other Nominees:
Eileen Walsh for Medea
Sonya Kelly for The Truth of The Moon
Hilary O’Shaughnessy for Berlin Love Tour
A n for Listowel Syndrome

Fishamble New Writing Award
Winner:
I heart Alice heart I (Amy Conroy – Hot for Theatre)

Other Nominees:
World’s End Lane – (Louise Lowe/ Anu Productions)
Strollinstown – (Diet Of Worms)
Berlin Love Tour – (Lynda Radley/Playgroup)

Best Off-Site Production – €1,500
Winner:
World’s End Lane (Anu Productions)

Other Nominees:
Liffeytown – Fergal McCarthy
The Wild Hunt and The Sleepwalker – Macnas
Berlin Love Tour – Playgroup
From The Heart – Louise White and Kate Nic Chonaonaigh

Spirit of the Fringe Commissioning Award – €4,000
Winner:
TheatreClub - Heroin

Other Nominees:
Louise White and Kate Nic Chonaonaigh – From The Heart
La Di Da Theatre Company – Lipstick Service
Aoife McAtamney/D.I.S.H Dance Collective – The Spinner
Emma Martin – Listowel Syndrome

Best Production – €750
Winner:
As You Are Now So Once Were We – The Company

Other Nominees:
Medea – Siren Productions
The Wild Hunt and The Sleepwalker – Macnas
Little Iliad – One Reed Theatre
The Ballet Ruse – Emma O’Kane and Muirne Bloomer

Fringe Wild Card
Winner:
Emma Martin, Listowel Syndrome