While the winners of Edinburgh Comedy Awards are decided one fateful morning by nine judges in a room plus the chair, if a casting vote is needed. The preparations for that exciting announcement are going on year round.
Heading up the awards, and therefore responsible for the team of judges, scouts (often former judges) and administrators associated with them, is the awards director and producer Nica Burns who took over running the awards in 1984.
Established in 1981, the Awards contest for the comedy crowns of Best Comedy Show and Best Newcomer has been dubbed 'The Oscars of Comedy' and has made headline news at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for four decades.
Longstanding Awards Director, Nica Burns CBE is the multi-award-winning producer of over 100 shows. She was Artistic Director at the Donmar Warehouse from 1983 to 1989 and Production Director of Stoll Moss and Really Useful Theatres from 1993 to 2005. She founded Nimax Theatres in 2005 and is Chief Executive and co-owner of the Palace, Lyric, Apollo, Garrick, Vaudeville and Duchess Theatres in London's West End. In 2024 Nica was placed number 2 in The Stage's 100 behind the National Theatre team at number 1. In 2022 she was recognised with the Evening Standard Special Award, Critics Circle Award for Exceptional Theatre Making During Lockdown and the WhatsOnStage Services to Theatre Award. In 2021 she was named Producer of the Year at The Stage Awards. She is a Fellow of University College London and was President of the Society of London Theatre 2008 - 2010 and Vice President 2011-2013. In 2018 Nica was presented with her OBE and in June 2024 she was awarded a CBE in the King's Birthday Honours. In October 2022 after a 12-year design and build journey, she opened @sohoplace, the first new West End theatre in 50 years
Supporting Nica in her work on Edinburgh Comedy Awards are:
Emma Brünjes - Producer
Laurence Miller - Producer
Laura Wilkinson - Production Coordinator
Soraya Wagstaff - Awards Assistant
Minder Athwal - Digital Communications