Sammy J has been crowned Living Legend at the Melbourne Fringe Festival 2025 awards ceremony.
The musical comedy icon and satire heavyweight took home the festival’s top honour at the closing night celebration, which also recognised 36 awards across performance, development and touring categories. The Rabble, Re:Group, Polyglot Theatre and Oozing Future led the charge among companies celebrated for pushing boundaries in independent arts.
Sammy J’s legendary status stems from his unwavering commitment to the fringe community, from his debut show through to this year’s sold-out Fiasco and his ambitious 50 Year Show project, which sees him perform at the festival every five years until 2058. His career spans radio, stage and song, but it’s his dedication to supporting emerging artists that cements his place in Melbourne’s cultural history.
Melbourne Fringe Festival 2025 awards
- Best Cabaret: Too Much, Created and Performed by Lilikoi Kaos
- Best Circus: Strange Chaos, Created by Oozing Future
- Best Comedy: Birds, Created and Performed by Sarah Stafford & Alex Hines
- Best Dance and Physical Theatre: Sissy, Performed by Max Burgess
- Best Experimental: UNWOMAN (the protest), Devised by THE RABBLE
- Best Kids: Whirlwind, Created by Polyglot Theatre
- Best Music: Lung Swara, Artists Aviva Endean, Matthias Schack-Arnott & Cahwati Sugiarto
- Best Theatre: AUTO-TUNE, Presented by re:group performance collective
- Best Visual Arts and Film: Club Rewind, Presented by Club Rewind
- Best Words and Ideas: Lindsay Green’s Escalator Podcast Reunion, Performed by Lindsey Green
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The awards program remains one of Australia’s most comprehensive, with more than 160 industry judges reviewing eligible shows. Each work receives scores and discussion before a final deliberation, resulting in Best in Category, Artist Development and Touring Awards that provide mentorships, cash support and future opportunities.
Touring awards went to productions heading to Edinburgh, New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Man Sings The Same Song Over And Over Again For An Hour by CONK scored both the Edinburgh Touring Award and the Spirit of the Fringe honour.
Artist development awards recognised emerging talent and innovation across the festival. Notable recipients included Claudia Harris for Best Emerging Producer, Olivia Muscat for Outstanding Newcomer and Change Maker Award, and Cynda Beare & Gabrielle Fallen for Best Emerging Indigenous Artist with Poems of a Transsexual Nature.
Special awards highlighted technical excellence, accessibility and crowd appeal. Grouse Melbourne took home Venue of the Year, while Front of House Productions supported the Sound and Technical Excellence Award, which went to Creature by Katrina Rank. The Access and Inclusion Award recognised No Seasons by Oliver Ayres.
The 2026 Melbourne Fringe Festival runs from 29 September to 18 October 2026.
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