The Empty Space...Peter Brook Awards Honors Edinburgh's Forest Fringe and London's Cock Tavern Today, 11/3

The Empty Space...Peter Brook Awards were held today, November 3, at the National Theatre Studio in London. Among the winners are London's The c*ckTavern and Edinburgh's Forest Fringe. 

Named after famed British theatre and film director Peter Brook's book, "The Empty Space," The Empty Space...Peter Brook Awards Twere founded by Blanche Marvin in 1989 celebrate London's fringe theatre, based on overall excellence in writing, acting, directing, design, publicity, production and administration. The Empty Space...Peter Brook Awards are the only awards that support studio venues and not the individual. 

There are four awards total. The main Empty Space Peter Brook Award and £2000 (with nominees receiving £350), is awarded to a theater for the most innovative body of work in the spirit of Peter Brook; The Dan Crawford Pub Theatre Award and £2000 that is bestowed to a significant pub theatre, named in honor of the late founder of Britain's first pub theatre, the King's Head, founded in 1970; Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award; and the Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award.

The awards were selected by U.K. critics Dominic Cavendish (Daily Telegraph), Lyn Gardner (Guardian), Fiona Mountford (Evening Standard) and Sam Marlowe (The Times).

The 2009 Empty Space...Peter Brook Award Winners are: 

The Peter Brook Award:
Forest Fringe

Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award:
Fuel Theatre at the Roundhouse, and regional, national and London venues

Mark Marvin Rent Subsidy Award:
Crazy Love and Burnt Up Love by Che Walker at the Oval House

Dan Crawford Pub Theatre Award
Cockburn Tavern Theatre

Peter Brook/Equity Ensemble Award
Fuel

The c*ckTavern Theatre is a new fringe theatre venue in the heart of Kilburn, devoted to bringing only the highest quality new works and carefully selected revivals. Under the artistic direction of Adam Spreadbury-Mahur, resident company Good Night Out Presents maintains an exciting and challenging program with a strict commitment to world premieres and revivals from world class playwrights. For more information visit www.cocktaverntheatre.com.

Forest Fringe is an award-winning new venue providing a home for experimentation and play in the midst of the Edinburgh Festival Season. Now in it's third year, they've supported works-in-progress, one-on-one encounters, beguiling puppet shows, interactive adventures, installations and live art from their old church hall in the centre of Edinburgh. For more information visit www.forestfringe.co.uk.