Fringe show wins Festival award

A theatre company based in York has won the Edinburgh International Festival Award for best work on the Fringe.

Belt Up Theatre's production of The Red Room, a world of music, dance and physical feats, won over the judges.

It will now be given £5,000 towards developing a new project for next year's Behind the Scenes programme at the Edinburgh International Festival.

Festival Director Jonathan Mills said the young collective had "theatrical integrity and passion".

He said: "We are very much looking forward to working with them over the next year and they promise to bring something fresh to EIF audiences in 2009."

Fringe Festival Director Jon Morgan said: "The company is a great example of the Fringe's capacity to platform young and exciting new talents and get them noticed by promoters and producers."

Belt Up Theatre said: "This is a fantastic opportunity for a company at our stage of development. We look forward to working with the Festival to develop our ideas in what we hope is an exciting workshop in 2009."

The first winner of the Edinburgh International Festival Award was New York-based John Clancy Productions who presented a workshop performance of Captain Overlord's Folly or the Fool's Revenge at EIF 08.

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