BUTTIE Awards 2023

The so-called Butties are a chance to celebrate the season together, look back on the highlights and lowlights and even, on one memorable occasion, all end up fully clothed in a swimming pool!

As soon as the curtain falls on the final show of the season, everyone who has taken part in that season is given the chance to vote, with individual votes weighted in a fiendishly complicated way on the basis of the number of shows the person has been involved in and seen (an attempt to counterbalance the natural weight of votes for those shows with a cast of thousands and even more people backstage). 

In true Oscars style, the nominees and winners are announced at a gala ceremony in someone’s back garden - we’ve been very grateful over the years to enjoy the hospitality of the late Jim McKenna, Martin Blackwell and Charles Bouchard. Everyone brings a contribution to the pot luck buffet and something to drink - it’s a wonderful moment for all the groups to come together and take a breath before the next season begins. 

Of course, none of this would have happened without the efforts of Martin Kirk, Sue Botterell and Alice Perry, who organised the first ceremony at Jim’s (at this point I’ve almost certainly forgotten several other people who should have been mentioned - please forgive me for the fog of time). Martin K generously donated not only some unusual awards for each of the categories (my favourite being the two plastic, gold-painted dog butts that form the “Golden Butt” award for particular achievement in the season), but also gave us badges and (quite hideous) T-shirts (I still wear mine proudly). In theory, we had a small entry fee to cover costs that first year, but I know that Martin’s wallet bore the brunt.

We are planning to hold this year’s event on 2 July, so put it in your diaries and also look out for the chance to vote from 24 June. Remember, even those who don’t walk away with one of the awards will still have the satisfaction of knowing that “it should have been me!”.