A comedy of talent!

The nominees for most outstanding show and best newcomer gathered on the steps of Melbourne Town Hall on April 17 to celebrate this year's record-breaking Melbourne International Comedy Festival, which saw more than 800 performers over 650 shows in 133 venues.

Announced on the final weekend of the event, British comic Sarah Keyworth took out the top award for most outstanding show for their show My Eyes Are Up Here, while Noah Szto won best newcomer award for his show Success In Everything.

Other winners included Aaron Chen who received the People’s Choice Award for his show Funny Garden, which was voted the most popular show of the festival as determined by the ticket-buying public. The Directors’ Choice Award went to Ben Russell.

The Pinder Prize, honouring festival co-founder John Pinder and awarded in collaboration with Assembly Edinburgh will support Bronwyn Kuss to travel to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, with her show Pillows XXXX.

The Golden Gibbo – in memory of the late, great Lynda Gibson – aims to celebrate a local, independent show that pursues the artists’ idea more than it pursues commercial gain. This year it was awarded to Dougie Baldwin, who performed his show Detention at the Tasma Terrace in East Melbourne.

The Piece of Wood comics’ choice award, selected by past winners and presented to a peer literally for “doin’ good stuff ‘n’ that” was awarded to Claire Hooper, who performed her show So Proud at Melbourne Town Hall during the festival.

The 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival ran from March 27 to April 21.