Shortlists Announced for the List Festival Awards 2025

The shortlists have been announced for The List’s Edinburgh Festival awards, unveiling the rich array of  talent at the Art, Book, Film, Fringe and International festivals this summer. Following the successful  inaugural awards in 2024, this year’s ceremony will include four new categories, celebrating the  diversity of talent at the Edinburgh Festival. The incredible line-up of artists and works highlighted in  the shortlists showcases the strong quality and power of work on offer in Edinburgh during August. 

The shortlists are as follows: 

ART – Best rising Scottish artist 

Aqsa Arif: Raindrops Of Rani,Edinburgh Printmakers 

Drawing on Pakistani folklore and imagery from the Sony Bravia Paint advert filmed in her childhood  council flat, Aqsa Arif’s multimedia installation that encompasses film, textile screenprints and  sculpture probes themes of fractured identity, displacement and cultural synthesis. 

Hamish Halley: Please Keep,The People’s Story Museum 

Hamish Halley presents a poignant video piece that intertwines two narratives: the intimate act of  cleaning his grandparents’ home after their passing and the monumental transition of the Perth  Museum’s collection to a new space.

Megan Rudden: Love In The Ecotone,Edinburgh Sculpture Workshop 

This installation of new work explores the relationship between sculpture and language through the  idea of the ecotone, a transitional space between two states. 

BOOKS – Best rising Scottish author 

Alessandra Thom 

Winner of 2023’s Scottish Book Trust New Writers Award, Alessandra Thom has made her Edinburgh set debut withSummer Hours, a sizzling story of what happens when the lines of friendship are  blurred. 

Chris Barkley 

The Man on the Endless Stairsees the beautiful Scottish Isles as remote, picturesque and the perfect  backdrop for a murder mystery when troubled but talented young author Euan is taken there on a trip  by decorated novelist Malcolm Furnivall. 

Michael Mullen 

Goonieis the raw and joyful debut collection from award-winning Scottish poet and spoken word artist  Michael Mullen exploring queerness through fierce lyrical poetry and celebrating Mullen’s beloved  Scotland through vernacular vignettes. 

FILM – Best Scottish film 

Reality Is Not Enough,Paul Sng 

This striking new film directed by Paul Sng pays a fittingly eclectic homage to acclaimed Scottish author  Irvine Welsh with an approach that is richly detailed, playful and complex. 

Neil Armstrong And The Langholmites,Duncan Cowles 

From BAFTA winner Duncan Cowles comes a wry, beautiful slice of Scottish life and a unique tale about  on one of America’s most famous sons. 

Lady Maclean,Catriona MacLeod 

A captivating short filmLady MacLean, championing a vibrant and unexpected story about the rural  island communities we both know and love.

INTERNATIONAL – Best Show 

Make It Happen,National Theatre Of Scotland 

This biting satire on the Scottish banking ambition that shattered the global economy starring  legendary actor Brian Cox, provided unmissable drama, decadence, world-domination and a dizzying  descent await. 

Orpheus & Eurydice,Opera Queensland & Circa 

Journey to the underworld and back with Opera Australia, presenting Opera Queensland’s production  ofOrpheus & Eurydicein association with Circa, as heartbroken Orpheus has the chance to rescue his  wife Eurydice from the underworld.  

Queen Of Scots,Scottish Ballet 

The fates of Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I are explored in this new Scottish Ballet epic which  imagines a rich, resonant journey through memory, history and myth. This is punk meets haute  couture. 

FRINGE – LQBTQIA+ Award 

Club NVRLND, David Adkin & RJG Productions, Assembly Checkpoint 

Featuring the biggest 2000s anthems and an intoxicating reunion between Wendy and Peter Pan,Club  NVRLNDis an irreverent, high-energy, nostalgia-fuelled immersive party where happy thoughts  abound, drinks flow, and the night is always young. 

Kinder, Ryan Stewart, Underbelly Cowgate 

An unexpected call from a library derails a performance planned by newly arrived drag artist Goody  Prostate, booked to headline a local reading hour, leading Goody to spiral into a chaotic exploration of  childhood, memory, stories and what it means to truly grow up. 

Baby Doomer,Sam Nicoresti, Pleasance Courtyard 

LSQ Theatre New Comedian winner and Chortle Awards nominee brings a glistening new stand-up  show about losing your mind, finding it again and the hunt for the perfect skirt suit as Sam Nicoresti  felt themselves leave their body during a stressful home move. 

She’s Behind You, Traverse Theatre & National Theatre Of Scotland, Traverse Theatre Scotland’s premiere dame, Johnny McKnight, and award-winning director John Tiffany deliver a  riotous, heartfelt journey into the wild world of pantomime as She’s Behind You unearths the magic  and madness behind the curtain with a story as touching as it is hilarious.

FRINGE – Best Dance, Circus & Physical Theatre Show 

The Genesis, Copenhagen Collective, Assembly Hall 

Experience a breathtaking acrobatic journey as 17 international artists unite to celebrate the spirit of  Edinburgh Fringe through the joys of human connection. 

Inlet, Hani Dance, Assembly @ Dance Base 

Inspired by the myth of Romulus and Remus and the symbolic meaning of Rome’s city walls, Inlet  explores the significance of borders throughout history via raw movement and compelling visuals. 

Small Town Boys, Shaper/Caper, Zoo Southside 

Eight electrifying dancers bring the legendary Paradise Nightclub to life with a community cast,  blurring the lines between performer and audience, encapsulating the joy and chaos of the club scene. 

FRINGE – Best Comedy 

Christbride, Bebe Cave, Pleasance Dome 

In the dark, deathly world of the Middle Ages, one (annoying) woman strives to find the light, as  Christbride, a female mystic in a world of male dullards, escapes from a life of monotony to one of  misplaced devotion. 

Is That A Cock In Your Pocket, Or Are You Just Here To Kill Me?, Jordan Gray, Assembly George Square  Gardens 

Returning with a guitar on her back and a bounty on her ballbag is Jordan Gray with her rootin-est,  tootin-est, shootin-est hour of musical comedy yet. 

Toxically Optimistic, Zainab Johnson, Pleasance Courtyard 

Zainab Johnson’s Fringe debut explores being charitable on dates, owning a gun but refusing to kill,  and a surprising friendship with a weird-looking animal.  

FRINGE – Best Kids 

The Box Show, Junkyard Beats, Assembly George Square 

With explosive drumming, dance, comedy and imagination, this is a high-energy family spectacular  where four rhythmic misfits turn ordinary junk (wheelie bins, cardboard boxes, plastic bags) into a riot  of percussive creativity. 

Cinderella Ice Cream Seller – A Musical,Little Seeds Music, Underbelly Bristo Square This exciting musical retelling of a fairytale classic is a delightful blend of storytelling, stunning live  music and theatrical magic that will capture your heart and tickle your tastebuds.

Funz & Gamez Rebootz, Phil Ellis, Monkey Barrel 

The smash-hit, Edinburgh Comedy Award-winning Funz & Gamez is back with a brand-new show and  fresh gang of ‘helpers’, led by host Phil Ellis, providing audiences with a hilarious kids hour that’s even  more funz for adultz. 

FRINGE – Best show from Adelaide 

Chopin’s Nocturne,Aidan Jones, Summerhall 

Combining classical piano and stand-up, Aidan Jones presentsChopin’s Nocturne In Eb Major.But  with actual jokes! 

Arthur Hull’s FLOP – The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals Ever Written, Arthur Hull, Gilded  Balloon At Appleton Tower 

A love letter to Broadway’s biggest misfires from a self-proclaimed musical theatre nerd who aims to  prove that even the dodgiest show might still have one tune to save it. 

Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence, Crash Theatre Co, Assembly George Square Studios Set in the cut-throat world of competitive netball, this electropop-infused cautionary tale explores the  consequences of unchecked ambition and the fierce determination of teenage girls, bringing new life  into a literary classic. 

Smile – The Story Of Charlie Chaplin, Marcel Cole, Pleasance Courtyard 

Charlie Chaplin, one of the greatest comedians of all time, is brought to the stage by dazzling  performer Marcel Cole, for a one-hour treatment of The Little Tramp’s extraordinary life and career. 

FRINGE – Sit-up Award 

Youth In Flames, Dare Theatre, Zoo Playground 

Amid the 2019 Hong Kong protests, Millie searches for her sense of home whilst a city fights for its  identity. With original sound design blending euphoric techno and the intensity of a Hong Kong riot,  enter Millie’s world where being an outsider has always been the norm. 

Float, F-Bomb Theatre, Gilded Balloon Patter House 

A new autobiographical solo show by Indra Wilson about the lonely, turbulent journey of experiencing  pregnancy loss as a queer young person. Featuring dynamic sound and projections, audiences are  immersed in this unique, heartfelt and hopeful debut.

Body Count, Issy Knowles, Pleasance Courtyard 

A one-woman dark comedy exploring the new era of sex work as a competitive sport, Body Count  dives into the head and heart of one of society’s most vilified women, uncovering the person behind  the tabloids and stripping away male fantasy to reveal the humanity beneath. 

24Weeks, Tatty Pants Theatre Company, Gilded Balloon Patter House 

24Weeksexplores a not-so-distant UK transformed by anti-abortion politics where choice is  criminalised. We are left with no option but to make villains of ourselves and to make villains of those  we love. 

FRINGE – International Fringe Encore Series Edinburgh Prize 

The shortlist for the International Encore Series Edinburgh Prize will be announced on Wednesday 19th August on The List’s social media channels: Instagram (@thelistuk), Facebook (@thelistmagazine) and  Blue Sky (@thelistuk.bsky.social). See below for full details of the prize. 

FRINGE – Spirit of The Fringe Award 

An open award that pays tribute to a person, place or event that sums up the true spirit of the  Edinburgh Fringe, to be announced on the day of the awards. 

The List Festival Awardsare in partnership with Johnnie Walker Princes Street and will be hosted by  Michael Pedersen and Gemma Cairney. EachListwinner will receive a cash award of £500 with two  further awards presented in partnership with other organisations. The Sit-Up Award winner will  receive £5000 and a slot on the 2025/26 Fringe Encore series. The award aims to help harness the  power of theatre to achieve greater social impact. The International Fringe Encore Series Edinburgh  Prize will receive a run at the SoHo Playhouse in New York including accommodation and travel plus  financial support. 

Supporters ofThe List Festival Awards include LNER, Ghost Light Global, Data Thistle, The Pitt,  Dishoom, Edinburgh Marriott Hotel Holyrood, Set! Productions, Adelaide Fringe, Pure Life Plus and  Johnnie Walker Princes Street. 

With a year-round monthly magazine (weekly during the Festival) and an extensive digital platform,  TheListpublishes and distributes information on events and entertainment and is a must-read for  finding out what’s on. The List reviews approximately 400 shows across the Edinburgh Festival offering  some of the most engaging, authoritative and extensive content for audiences. 

Brian Donaldson, Editor ofThe List, said, ‘squeezing so many incredible shows and people into  shortlists of three or four is a monumental task. But between our judges, scouts and reviewers, we’ve  come up with strong, credible and eclectic selections. A case in point is the shortlist for Best Kids Show  at the Fringe: that trio comprises an anti-kids kids hour, a musical that you could very easily picture on the West End stage, and an interactive percussion show which addresses ecological concerns. And all  three are brilliant. That’s Edinburgh in August in a nutshell.’ 

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