THE MERVs

Mervyn Stutter's Spirit of the Fringe Awards

The Mervyn Stutter ‘Spirit of the Fringe’ Awards (aka ‘The MERVs’), along with Mervyn’s regular ‘Pick of the Fringe’ show, are this year celebrating their 32nd anniversary which makes them one of the oldest Awards on the Fringe.

Seven Awards are given in this special ‘Spirit of the Fringe Awards’ show which is always the final show each year (this year, Saturday 23rd Aug 2025). These Awards acknowledge and celebrate the talent, hard work, pluck and sheer doggedness demanded of performers from all genres on the Fringe to make a show a success.

Winners of a MERV are chosen from the 140 amazing shows that have been highlighted during the regular 2025 ‘Pick of the Fringe’ showcases, so it is fair to say that the winners are the crème de la crème. Given this, it could justifiably be argued that this is the best show of the whole ‘Pick of the Fringe’ run. The ‘Spirit of the Fringe’ Awards were created to recognise those who show commitment in the face of little support or funding or those who have consistently provided audiences with quality entertainment over the years.

Previous Winners of a MERV

  • The MERVs

2024 Winners of The MERV Award

KAFKA’S APE – Tony Bonani Miyambo • DAVID EAGLE: THE EAGLE IS CANDID • SUSHI TAP SHOW 2024 • ROY ORBISON – Oliver Harris • LEWIS MAJOR: TRIPTYCH • ELF LYONS: HORSE • DANCE N’SPEAK EASY • TINY LITTLE TOWN

2023 Winners of The MERV Award

BIRTHMARKED – Brooke Tate • IAN STONE • DEATH SUITS YOU – Sam Hooper • N.ORMES – Agathe Bisserier & Adrien Malette Chenier • GOODBYE UNCLE FUDGEY – Tom Greaves • AL PORTER • A MIGRANTS SON – Michaela Burger

2022 Winners of The MERV Award

THE MISTAKE • BALLET FREEDOM • THE TIGER LILLIES • MADE IN INDIAN/BRITAIN • TAIWAN SEASON: SEE YOU • AURIE STYLA: GREEN • SK SHLOMO: BREATHE: THE PLAY THAT BECOME A RAVE • BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY VOICE

2019 Winners of The MERV Award

CLEOPATRA HIGGINS (for Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin Story) • TAIWAN SEASON: FLOATING FLOWERS • WHO CARES • INTERBEING – Stories from a Current War • DIVET SHOW: THE GREATEST DIVAS • TOM STADE: YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHING YET • HAVANA AFTER DARK

2018 Winners of The MERV Award

BOWJANGLES: EXCALIBOW • JIM TAVARE: FROM DEADPAN TO BEDPAN • FREEMAN • BEN HART: THE NUTSHELL • FRINGE WIVES CLUB: GLITTERY CLITTERY • MATT FORDE: BREXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP • MISHA’S GANG

2017 Winners of The MERV Award

CHRISTINE BOVILL • MANDY KNIGHT – THE DARK KNIGHT • MATT PANESH • DESCENT • SLEEPING TREES AT THE MOVIES • JO CAULFIELD: OLDER. WISER. SMARTER. MEANER. • WERELDBAND: SLAPSTICK

2016 Winners of The MERV Award

MICHAEL ROULSTON • PAUL FOOT: ‘Tis a Pity She’s a Piglet • JOAN • PETE FIRMAN – TriX • BUCKET LIST – Theatre Ad Infinitum • THE TAP PACK • JunNk

2015 Winners of The MERV Award

SPENCER JONES • ECHOES by HENRY NAYLOR • JESS ROBINSON • FILLS MONKEY • GEORGE EGG • 1972: The Future of Sex • LE HAGGIS

2014 Winners of The MERV Award

THE TARZAN MONOLOGUES • MS SAMANTHA MANN • CHRISTIAN REILLY • ARCOS DANCE • KRAKEN (TRIGVEE WAKENSHAW) • CROFT AND PEARCE • THIS IS BRASIL • BARRY FERNS

2013 Winners of The MERV Award

LADY RIZO • LIGHTS CAMERA IMPROVISE • TANGRAM • SMOOTH FACED GENTLEMEN – TITUS ANDRONICUS • MARCEL LUCONT • BANGALORE ROCK

2012 Winners of The MERV Award

KATE DAISY GRANT • A SOLDIER’S SONG • SCHOOL OF NIGHT • TIFFANY STEVENSON • TOM FLANAGAN in KAPUT! • DAVID BATES – FAMOUS SPIEGELTENT • FELIPE – BLUES! • RHYTHMIC CIRCUS

2011 Winners of The MERV Award

TECHNODELIC COMEDY • THE ADVENTURES OF ALVIN SPUTNIK • IVOR DEMBINA • BANE 1 2 & 3 • KEV ORKIAN • SOWETO ENTSHA

2010 Winners of The MERV Award

ARTHUR SMITH • STICK STONES BROKEN BONES • SARAH LOUISE YOUNG • FRAGILITY OF XTOM ADAMS • HENNING WEHN • THE MAGNETS

2009 Winners of The MERV Award

OUT OF THE BLUE • SIMON MUNNERY • STALAG HAPPY • FELICITY WARD • CHICKENSHED • SHOWSTOPPER – THE MUSICAL • CHARLIE BAKER • MERCY MADONNA IN MALAWI

2008 Winners of The MERV Award

RICARDO GARCIA’S FLAMENCO FLOW • GRAHAM ELWELL • THE REBEL CELL • ZOE GARDNER • STEWART LEE • GREYFRIARS TWISTED TALES

2007 Winners of The MERV Award

TRIPOD • TIM FITZHIGHAM • FAUSTUS • JOSEY LONG • IVAN BRACKENBURY (aka TOM BINNS) • CAMILLE

2006 Winners of The MERV Award

WOMEN WITH STANDARDS • OWEN O’NEILL • CAL McCRYSTAL • HELLO DALA • ANDY ZALTZMAN • THE 4 NOELS • NEIL EDMOND • NICK AND PHIL MORIARTY

2005 Winners of The MERV Award

JANE BOM-BANE • NICK PYNN • DAVID SANT • KAHLIL ASHANTI • TRICKLOCK • PHIL NICHOL • PRIORITE A GAUCHE • CHILDREN OF THE SEA

2004 Winners of The MERV Award

PLUCK • PETER ATERMAN • MARK WATSON • NEW INTERNATIONAL ENCOUNTER • LONG JOURNEY HOME • SABOTAGE • MIKE BLAHA and NIGEL MILES-THOMPSON • WE ARE KLANG • BONGO FURY

2003 Winners of The MERV Award

GUY MASTERSON • FASCINATING AIDA • DAVID O’DOHERTY • TRICK BOXING • SOL BERNSTEIN • MIKELANGELO & THE BLACK SEA GENTLEMEN

2002 Winners of The MERV Award

TERRA FOLK • A NIGHT IN NOVEMBER • FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS • WHITE SIDE STORY • VELOCITY • GOGO THE BOY WITH THE MAGIC FEET

2001 Winners of The MERV Award

DOUBLE EDGE DRAMA • RUSSELL CHURNEY • PHIL NICHOL • MICHELLE BUXTON • LINDA MARLOWE • PEEPOLYKUS • ANTONIO FORCIONE • MAC TONTOH AND THE KETE WARRIORS

2000 Winners of The MERV Award

BLUE GRASSY KNOLL • ROBERT FARQUHAR • OVER THE EDGE • INFINITE NUMBER OF MONKEYS DO GRAVITY • EARL OKIN • ROSS NOBLE • JIVE JUNKIES

1999 Winners of The MERV Award

TIM VINE • BARB JUNGR • OMID DJALILI • BRUTAL TELLING • SAMUEL ZUCKERMAN’S WARHORSE • TREE HOUSE • GENTLEMEN VOLUNTEERS

1998 Winners of The MERV Award

HUUN HUUN TU • SHAKTI(GARAGE) • YAMATO • DAVE JOHNS • MONKEY AND THE WATERFALL • TALL STORIES • JIVING LINDYHOPPERS • BOOTHBY GRAFFOE

1997 Winners of The MERV Award

PIP UTTON • YLLANA (GLUB GLUB) • SHELAGH MARTIN • CRYING IN PUBLIC PLACES (JUMP) • PETER STRAKER • HUMOURBEASTS • RED SOX (PIGSTY)

1996 Winners of The MERV Award

ED BYRNE • LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN • DAVID BENSON • BROKEN DREAMS THEATRE CO. • PHILIP JEAYS • LEGS ON THE WALL

1995 Winners of The MERV Award

WILL GAINES • THE SECOND CITY • REJECTS REVENGE • IVAN HENG • MICHAEL MEARS

1994 Winners of The MERV Award

EARL OKIN • OMID DJALILI • MAGDELENA BUZNEA • SCOTT CAPURRO • UMBILICAL BROS • HONKIN’ HEP CATS

1993 Winners of The MERV Award

SIBIKWA PLAYERS • GARY DRABWELL • THEATRE SANS FRONTIERES • THE CAGE • WOODY BOP MUDDY • HE HAN (From ZHANG HOUDE TROUPE)

How much are tickets?

All shows: £17.50

Over the 32 years of doing this show we have kept the prices as competitive as we can.

We think we’ve done it again this year with our top price of just over £10 per hour*!

* Remember, it is a 90 minute show, not one hour!