An autobiographical one woman theatre show won two awards at the Greater Manchester Fringe Awards 2019 - the F**k It Button scooped Best Comedy and Ali Kahn won Best Actor.
Ali, who wrote and performed the show at the King's Arms and was the first show to sell out three nights in 2019, said afterwards: "I am still in shock! I set out to prove to myself that I could realise my dream of writing and performing a one woman show. And I did it.
"I was an improviser. I could 'do' funny yeah but I couldn't write. Not properly. After years of living in fear and addiction I started to get real, get help and not allow my addiction or fear to define me anymore.
"And then five years into my recovery of being abstinent from drugs and alcohol I needed to create and express myself.
"My story was not edgy or dark or different enough is what I would tell myself. It is too self indulgent...too risky..too much hard work. Too late.
"Then last year through some focused therapy, taking time to put my mental health first in all my decision making, through hours of self development reading and listening to research and interviews and books, through meditation, walking and daily writing of my 'morning pages' which I continued with after completing a 12-week programme called #theartistsway.
"My fear quietened down....alongside this I also received the support and encouragement and friendship / loving bullying from an amazing short 'blonde' haired beautiful ball of energy and raw talent that is Anna Macgowan my director, my vision queen, my wondrous words wizard.
"Through all of this... I have been able to give birth to a piece of work that has impacted my life dramatically and made me see that my story was enough. I am enough...and that I am a writer...not a perfect one but a writer."
Ali is now working with Emmerson & Ward Productions on developing the show, touring it, and working towards Edinburgh Fringe 2020.
There is another chance to see it at The Continental in Preston on Tuesday 8 October with more Manchester dates to b announced very soon.
Time and Again Theatre Company won the Oldham Coliseum Award for
Clouds, which sold out at the Pankhurst Centre in Rusholme during Greater Manchester Fringe.
Clouds will be performed as part of a double bill with Men Chase Women Choose,
People Zoo Productions, on Friday 27 September at Oldham Coliseum.
This is the second year that Oldham Coliseum have chosen their Pick of the Fringe and last year Pop was selected to perform there. Last year's runner up Trollope will also be staged there on Friday 4 October.
Greater Manchester Fringe featured 165 shows this year and sold more tickets than 2018.
One of the new aspects of Greater Manchester Fringe this year was The Hive, which had three places up for grabs at a scratch night of 40 shortlisted acts at Salford Arts Theatre in January, supported by Arts Council England.
Stefanie Moore won a place in The Hive for her duologue Blue Lines and was mentored by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls and Kinky Boots) and Mike Heath (Write for the Stage).
Simon Widdop won a place for his spoken word show Stained and was mentored by Ben Moor.
Siân Davies won a place for her comedy show About Time and was mentored by Dave Williams. She then went on to win the Funny Women awards semi-final in Manchester and will compete in the final on Thursday 19 September at the Bloomsbury Theatre in London.
Below are all the nominations and winners at this year's Greater Manchester Fringe awards. Some of the shows moved onto Camden Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe. Some will return to the North West this autumn. Follow his blog and social media for more details.
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