The Scotsman announced today that a play written by a former factory worker has won the first Scotsman Best of the Fringe Firsts Award for 2001 festival. Gagarin Way, written by Gregory Burke, opened to rave reviews on Aug. 1 and has been performing to packed houses ever since.

Londoners will have a chance to see the show as it will be transferring to the National Theatre in London in September. Gregory Burke, expressed his surprise and delight at winning The Scotsman award, which will be presented at Edinburgh's Scotsman Hotel tonight, Aug. 23.

In the third week of the Fringe, The Scotsman also announced the final Scotsman Fringe First Award winners. The awards will also be presented today by actor, director and writer Steven Berkoff, a recipient of the award in the past.

Here are the winners:

School for Fools Adapted by Andrey Moguchy from the novel by Alexandr Sokolov and presented by Formalny Teatr/Baltic House Teatr at the Komedia St. Stephens. This "breathtakingly beautiful" and impressive 90-minute show is "full of spectacular and haunting visual images". Alexandr Mashanov and Dmitri Voroblev perform two halves of a young boy, in the drama. Upside Downco-directed and co-created by Evgeny Kozlov & Alexandr Bondarev, presented by Do Teatr at the Komedia St Stephens. From the company that brought Hopeless Games, this "gruesomely funny" play on Frankenstein and the Promethean myth uses pantomime and physical theatre to create a macabre dance.

Cracked by Skye Loneragan performed by The Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama at Venue 13. This "tiny but almost perfect show" is a 35-minute monologue written and performed by Skye Loneragan. Director Zinnie Harris creates a vivid small-scale tragedy about Hope and her relationship with her father.

Mental by Lynn Ferguson and Stephen Powell and presented by Glynis Henderson Productions at The Scotsman Assembly. New play about two cash-strapped psychiatric nurses and their search for meaning in life is a "near-perfect vehicle for Lynn Ferguson's characteristic mix of wry comedy and slow-burning tragedy".

Midden by Morna Regan, presented by Rough Magic at Traverse Theatre. "Full of a rich, exuberant energy", this production, with an all female cast, paints a portrait of life in Derry for the women of the Sweeney family.

— by Theatrenow