By Grace Harchell
Well now, this is the sort of post that lands in my satchel and makes me stop mid-delivery for a proper read…
The 2026 House of Oz Purse Prize has announced not one, but two winners this year, with Fuccbois: Live in Concert and How Not to Make It in America sharing the honour and setting their sights firmly on the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Now in its third year, the prize has quickly become one of the most exciting pathways for Australian artists heading to the Fringe. House of Oz selects standout work from Adelaide and backs it all the way to Edinburgh, giving artists the kind of support that turns a hopeful trip into a proper international moment.
And this year, they simply couldn’t choose between two very different but equally striking productions.
Fuccbois: Live in Concert arrives as a glitter-soaked, high-energy pop comedy, following a boyband on the brink of farewell as egos clash and old tensions bubble up. It’s bold, camp, and knowingly chaotic, poking fun at modern dating culture while delivering a full musical spectacle. Expect big laughs, sharp satire, and just enough heartbreak to keep it grounded.
Then there’s How Not to Make It in America, which takes a very different route straight through the heart. Set around 2001, it follows a young Australian actor chasing dreams in New York, only to be derailed by real-world events, personal loss, and the ticking clock of a visa. Performed by James Smith, who takes on 28 characters, it’s an intimate and emotional piece that explores identity, ambition, and what happens when everything you planned suddenly shifts.
Together, these two winners reflect exactly what the prize was created to celebrate: bold storytelling, originality, and work that isn’t afraid to take risks.
They were selected from a shortlist of five, which also included I Can Have a Dark Side Too, Tilly Does A Show, and Man Sings The Same Song Over And Over Again For An Hour — a lineup that shows just how strong the field was this year.
For the winners, the prize means more than just recognition. It brings financial support, industry connections, and the chance to present work on one of the biggest stages in the world. For audiences in Edinburgh, it means two shows arriving with real momentum behind them.
From where I’m standing, leaning on a postbox and watching the Fringe map unfold, this feels like one of those deliveries that matters. Two shows, two very different voices, both making the journey from Australia to Scotland with something to say.
And if my satchel’s taught me anything, it’s this: when a prize backs artists like this, it’s worth paying attention.
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