First and foremost Auckland Fringe Festival - Ahurei Mōwaho o Tāmaki would like to acknowledge the incredible tenacity and drive that ALL of their artists have shown throughout this
tumultuous never-ending festival. Without them, the festival doesn’t get to be what it is. After multiple lockdowns
during the festival they did what fringes do best, they made it work by extending the festival dates to support all
artists that were hit by COVID restrictions, so they could continue to be supported at a later date.
The extended festival came to a triumphant close last night with the Auckland Fringe Awards, celebrating all of the
incredibly resilient and hardworking artists that took on the challenge of putting on a show during a pandemic.
The judges had a hard task ahead of them, with an impressive programme that included plenty of theatre, comedy, music,
dance, and a whole heap of personal and heartfelt stories.
The winners of the 2021 Auckland Fringe Awards are…
Best Newcomer
– Individual – Fa’asu Afoa-Purcell
– Collective – Te Whare Kapua
Best Sound design – Te Whare Kapua
Best Costume – This Ain’t Auckland
Best Production Design – Standard Acts
Best Performance (Individual)
Dance – Katrina Bastian
Ensemble – Over My Dead Body: UNINVITED
Music – Maggie Cocco
Theatre – Amanda Tito
Best (Overall)
Comedy – Ghost Machine
Contemporary Performance / Live Art – Standard Acts
Dance – Let them Eat Cake/Soliloquy in Sweat
Music – Voyagers
Performance Poetry – Super Duper Boom Boom Fun Night Slam
Theatre – Waiting
Visual Arts – R+R (Rest & Restoration)
Directed – Bryony Skillington
Intergenerational Award – Outta the Mouth of Babes
Auckland Fringe Hero – Anders Falstie-Jensen
Spirit of the Fringe
– Daniel Fernandez
– Sean Dugdale-Martin
Community Engagement Award – An Extraordinary Meeting
Mana Enhancing – Kim Gruebner
PAANZ Auckland Fringe Award
– Pitching – Waiting
– Attending (x4) – Songs From My Suitcase
– Squeaky Wheel
– The Big O.E
– Coded
Unf**k The World Award – Cook Thinks Again
Organised Chaos – Let Them Eat Cake
Best off Broadway Venue – Garnet Station, Tiny Theatre
Outstanding Community Engagement – Whau the People
Sharu Loves Hats – Evening! With Jimmy Applause
Auckland Live ‘Free Your Mind’ Award – Voyagers
Auckland Arts Festival - Super Duper Boom Boom Fun Night Slam
Basement Theatre Disruptor Award – Soliloquy in Sweat, Katrina Bastian
Taurima Vibes Atawhai Award – Sunrise
Whangarei Fringe Northern Opportunity Award – Squeaky Wheel
Honorable Mentions
– La Guitarra – Music
– Ravi the Poet – Best Newcomer Individual
– Adam May – Best Newcomer Individual
– Victoria Abbot – Director