Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society announces winners of the 2017 Allen Wright Award

26 August 2017

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society today announced the winners of the 2017 Allen Wright Award. The award recognises the best writing from arts journalists under 30 years old for the best Fringe review and the best Fringe feature in 2017.

In the features category the winner is Arusa Qureshi and runner-up is Gillian Furmage.

Features winner Arusa Qureshi said:

“I'm delighted to be one of the winners of this year's Allen Wright Award.The Fringe is always something I look forward to but this year has been particularly special because of the many excellent shows I've been able to see and write about. Interviewing Courtney Act was a highlight and I'm so pleased to have been given the opportunity to feature someone so interesting and talented. Many thanks to the judges for choosing my article and reviews as the winning entries. And a special thank you to my colleagues at The List and to Yasmin Sulaiman for the incredible support this month.”

In the reviews category the winner is Kate Wyver and runner-up is Arusa Qureshi.

Reviews winner Kate Wyver said:

“I'm over the moon to have been chosen as the winner for the Allen Wright Award for reviews this year. I'm thrilled to be part of a gang of writers contributing to the discussion of some of the best, worst, strangest, most uplifting and devastating theatre around. “

Each winner and runner-up will receive a cash prize.

The Allen Wright Award was established in 1998 to commemorate Allen Wright, the first Arts Editor of The Scotsman newspaper, a post he held from 1964 to 1993. Allen was the paper’s Chief Theatre Critic and a passionate supporter of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, conceiving and establishing The Scotsman Fringe First Awards in 1973. Following his death at the age of 65, the Fringe Society set up the Allen Wright Award in 1998, celebrating Allen’s passion and support for the Fringe and his determination to foster new journalistic talent.

Find out more about the Allen Wright Award

Notes to Editors

The Allen Wright Award Shortlist 2017

Reviews Category

  • Arusa Qureshi
  • Fergus Morgan
  • Kate Wyver
  • Lucy Evans
  • Polly Checkland Harding

Features Category

  • Arusa Qureshi
  • Lucy Evans
  • Gillian Furmage

For further information please contact the Fringe Media Office. Email: [email protected], Tel: +44 (0)131 240 1919.