Daniel Kitson, Demetri Martin and Mark Watson have all been nominated for the most prestigious award at the Melbourne Comedy Festival.

They all made the shortlist for the Barry Award for the most outstanding festival show, named after Barry Humphries.

Also nominated are Australian acts Tim Minchin, who won the Perrier best newcomer award at Edinburgh last year, Charlie Pickering, who was  also nominated for the Perrier newcomer, and absurdist Sam Simmons.

Nominations were also announced last night for the Golden Gribbo award, the prize for a local independent show that ‘bucks trends and pursues the artist’s ideas more strongly than it pursues any commercial lure’ in memory of late Melbourne comic Lynda Gibson.

Shortlisted were Justin Kennedy, Monica Dullard for the fast-food van Mon’s Comedy Cooker, Roadhouse, Nelly Thomas and character comedian Cliffy.

The winners are announced next Saturday, along with the festival’s other accolades: the best newcomer award,  the critics’ award, the director’s choice and the piece of wood award as judged by comics.