Running since 1997, the Total Theatre Awards recognise the best total theatre work at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, presenting half a dozen or so awards in categories like 'Emerging Company', 'Innovation', and 'Physical/Visual Theatre'.
Total theatre is a nebulous catch-all term that includes physical and visual theatre, puppetry, mime, circus, street arts, devised and site-specific theatre, some forms of dance theatre, the weirdest kinds of improv, etcetera, etcetera. Anyone can nominate a show for consideration (so companies can nominate their own work), then all nominated shows are seen by a team of assessors who draw up a shortlist for a second judging stage. The process spans practically the entire festival.
Registration is open until 29 July 2011. For a registration form click here [PDF] and for additional information here [PDF].
This year the Awards are supported by the Barbican, Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Nuffield Theatre, University of Chichester, University of Winchester, and Wales Millennium Centre. Previous TTA winners include circus companies NoFit State Circus, Company F/Z, No Ordinary Angels and Acrobat.