Four of Britain’s brightest acts will battle it out for Edinburgh Festival’s top comedy accolade, the if.comedy award, it was announced today.

David O'Doherty, Rhod Gilbert, Russell Kane and Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler are on the shortlist for the £8000 top prize, formerly known as the Perrier Award.

Over 350 acts were considered for the award, given to “the most outstanding up-and-coming, funny, original comedy show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe”.

New York-based comedians Kristen Schaal and Kurt Braunohler have made the cut with their silly drama Double Down Hearts, which includes a scene featuring Pocahontas and American colonist John Smith having phone sex.

“Plying the sort of wilfully daft double act that just looks like graduate jollies when so many British comedians try it…there are sparks of something glorious in here”, concluded Times Comedy Editor Dominic Maxwell.

Schaal has achieved fame in the television hit Flight of the Conchords.

40-year old Welsh comic Rhod Gilbert has also been winning over the critics for his stand-up act, a bitter sweet narrative that culminates with a confrontation over an “award-winning” mince pie.

Revealing the shortlist, awards founder Nica Burns said: "In a year where a number of shows made it to the final animated discussion, the four nominees presented shows which combined outstanding material and performance in a shortlist which offers something comedic for everyone.

“David O'Doherty's effortless charm with song, Americans Kristen and Kurt's utterly quirky and unique double-act, Welshman Rhod Gilbert, whose perfectly structured, gag-packed show has moved him into a new league and livewire stand-up Russell Kane's brilliantly energetic celebration of family, relationships and life's imperfections.”

The final winner will be named at midnight on Saturday at Edinburgh’s Jam House. In addition to the cash prize, the winner will also headline next month's if.comedy show in London's West End.

Nominees for best newcomer, also announced today, are Mike Wozniak, Pippa Evans with her show Other Lonely People and Sarah Millican with Not Nice.

This is the 28th year of the awards, which were renamed The Intelligent Finance Comedy Awards in 2006. This year's judges include two competition-winning Times readers - Rosanna Bond and Alison Leitch.