Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Michael Jibson for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Ross Noble for Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre
Jason Pennycooke for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Cleve September for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Look, I don't set out to be That Asshole, but certain members of the Hamilton West End cast just weren't on a par with the original Broadway cast, and if that's my burden to bear and the majority of people seeing it in the West End never saw the original Broadway cast and think I'm just That Asshole, then so be it. I didn't see Young Frankenstein so I can't comment on Ross Noble, but of the ones I did see, I'm STRONGLY in favour of Cleve September.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Sheila Atim for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Tracie Bennett for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Rachel John for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Lesley Joseph for Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre
Ah, a much better category already. I'm Team Girl From The North Country Is A Play With Songs, but I'm also Team Sheila Atim Just Generally so I'd most love her to win this one, but I can't imagine being cross about any of these women winning.
Outstanding Achievement in Music
Everybody's Talking About Jamie - Music and Orchestrations by Dan Gillespie Sells, his debut as a musical theatre composer and orchestrator at Apollo Theatre
Follies - The Orchestra, under the Music Supervision of Nicholas Skilbeck and Music Director Nigel Lilley at National Theatre – Olivier
Girl From The North Country - Music & Lyrics by Bob Dylan, Original Orchestrations & Arrangements by Simon Hale at The Old Vic
Hamilton - Composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda at Victoria Palace Theatre
Just what is this category all about anyway? Is it a sneaky way to honour the best score but with a loophole so that you can give it to a revival if you'd rather? I can't quite decide if there's going to be a Hamilton juggernaut or not. The fact it's open and can sell tickets for quite a long way into the future is something that could work in its favour, but it is an almost wholesale American import, so things could tip the other way. I don't think I'd mind any of these winning though.
Best New Dance Production
Flight Pattern by Crystal Pite at Royal Opera House
Goat by Ben Duke for Rambert Dance Company at Sadler’s Wells
Grand Finale by Hofesh Shechter at Sadler’s Wells
Tree Of Codes by Wayne McGregor and The Paris Opera Ballet at Sadler’s Wells
Oh, my sister saw one of these, how funny, but I saw none, so MOVING ON
Best Entertainment and Family
David Walliams' Gangsta Granny at Garrick Theatre
Derren Brown: Underground at Playhouse Theatre
Dick Whittington at London Palladium
Five Guys Named Moe at Marble Arch Theatre
Oh how the worm has turned, I've seen none of these, and this is usually my best category. (My nephew rejected a trip to Gangsta Granny, I believe because he knew his mother my sister would cry, and he's not yet sophisticated enough to realise that sometimes that's what we WANT.)
Best Theatre Choreographer
Andy Blankenbuehler for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Bill Deamer for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Kate Prince for Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Randy Skinner for 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Christopher Wheeldon for An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre
I'm on a deadline, so let's not pretend I know anything about dance, even in the context of musical theatre, especially where I've only seen three of the nominees. Based on what I have seen, I almost hope the award goes to one of the ones I've not seen, not out of spite towards the ones I have seen, but because I'm aware the two I haven't seen are much more dance-based so it would seem reasonable.
Magic Radio Best Musical Revival
42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
On The Town at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Okay, fine, I'll commit to something and hang my hat out for Team Follies, and not just because it's the only one I saw. I'm sure the other two were fine, but Follies was reasonably breathtaking in its entirety.
Best Actor in a Musical
Ciarán Hinds for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
John McCrea for Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Giles Terera for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Jamael Westman for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
LOOK, it's not that I didn't enjoy Hamilton in the West End, I promise I did, but having already seen the original Broadway cast does seem to have poisoned my views somewhat, and there are very few instances of the West End cast member being better than (or even equal to) the corresponding Broadway cast member, also have you SEEN Everybody's Talking About Jamie? John McCrea all the way please.
Best Actress in a Musical
Janie Dee for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Shirley Henderson for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Imelda Staunton for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Josie Walker for Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
JANIE DEE JANIE DEE JANIE DEE JANIE DEE but also hey I guess they were all super good at what they did but I don't know that Imelda was better than the other three?
Best Revival
Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Hamlet at Almeida Theatre
Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre
Witness For The Prosecution at London County Hall
I would laugh quite a lot if Witness for the Prosecution won. I don't think Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? deserves it over Angels, and *whispers* I don't know if Angels deserves it over Hamlet *normal volume* although tbh Angels or Hamlet would be a successful day for me.
Best New Comedy
Dry Powder at Hampstead Theatre
Labour Of Love at Noël Coward Theatre
Mischief Movie Night at Arts Theatre
The Miser at Garrick Theatre
I don't know which is the bigger surprise here, that the 17th century play The Miser counts as a new comedy, or that Dry Powder counts as a comedy. I understand and respect that not everyone thinks James Graham is the best thing since sliced bread, but I did think Labour of Love was one of his triumphs. Though I don't have anything against Mischief Movie Night.
Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
The B*easts at Bush Theatre
Killology at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
The Red Lion at Trafalgar Studios 2
The Revlon Girl at Park Theatre
I didn't see The Revlon Girl but I understand it was terribly well-received. Same with The B*easts, I believe. I did think Killology was good but it didn't blow my mind like it apparently did for other people, nor did I rate it as highly as Gary Owen's last traumatic Upstairs At The Royal Court play. I can't believe it's not too soon for a revival of The Red Lion.
White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Howell Binkley for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Paule Constable for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Paule Constable for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Jan Versweyveld for Network at National Theatre - Lyttelton
Ah, a category where I do uncomplicatedly favour Hamilton, if only because when I saw the original Broadway cast I was in the stalls and I actually saw the impressive lighting work on the stage floor for the West End production. Nothing against the others though, just a casual chuckle for the classic Versweyveld design.
Best Sound Design
Tom Gibbons for Hamlet at Almeida Theatre
Gareth Owen for Bat Out Of Hell The Musical at London Coliseum
Eric Sleichim for Network at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Nevin Steinberg for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
I just don't have strong opinions on sound design beyond "hey isn't it great that we're still awarding it even though it's like the most invisible job ever because most people will only even notice it if you do a terrible job".
Best Costume Design
Hugh Durrant for Dick Whittington at London Palladium
Roger Kirk for 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Vicki Mortimer for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Paul Tazewell for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Follies pls.
Blue-I Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Bunny Christie for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
Bob Crowley and 59 Productions for An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre
Rob Howell for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Vicki Mortimer for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
I don't particularly like a naturalistic set in the theatre, it feels cheating somehow. I did uncomplicatedly love Ink, which is sort of weird when you consider what it's about, and obviously I love Follies and didn't see An American in Paris sooo... Ink or Follies for me please.
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Bertie Carvel for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
John Hodgkinson for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
James McArdle for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Peter Polycarpou for Oslo at Harold Pinter Theatre
I did not like Oslo but I did like Peter Polycarpou. I am obviously going to be cheering for Theatre Twitter's Boyfriend James McArdle but Bertie Carvel and John Hodgkinson were very good too.
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Bríd Brennan for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Denise Gough for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Dearbhla Molloy for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Imogen Poots for Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre
Honestly? Imogen Poots. That was one helluva cast she was up against and such an almost-nothing character she was playing, she did a FULLY TREMENDOUS job.
Best Actor
Paddy Considine for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Bryan Cranston for Network at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Andrew Garfield for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Andrew Scott for Hamlet at Almeida Theatre
This is a 75% extremely solid category. I'm glad I'm not on the panel because I wouldn't want to have to choose between Cranston, Garfield, and Scott. Though that said, Scott. It's not often that I will favour a Hamlet, so let's ROLL with it. (Though obviously if Conleth Hill were taking his RIGHTFUL PLACE AS A NOMINEE FOR BEST ACTOR FOR WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? THEN I WOULD BE SUPPORTING HIM.)
Best Actress
Laura Donnelly for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Lesley Manville for Long Day's Journey Into Night at Wyndham’s Theatre
Audra McDonald for Lady Day At Emerson's Bar & Grill at Wyndham's Theatre
Imelda Staunton for Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre
OH MY GOD HOW IS ONE MEANT TO CHOOSE well in fairness I've not seen Long Day's Journey into Night because I like to choose who not to support just as much as I like to choose who to support and Mary Tyrone isn't *that* great a part if we're being truthful, and this is another category where Imelda was obviously fine but just doesn't deserve to beat the others, so it's possibly only a choice between Laura Donnelly and Audra McDonald for me, to which I say OH MY GOD HOW IS ONE MEANT TO CHOOSE
Best Director
Dominic Cooke for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Marianne Elliott for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Rupert Goold for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
Thomas Kail for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Sam Mendes for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Oh good, we don't run the risk of Accidentally Encouraging Robert Icke this year, that's a relief. I am very pro-Marianne Elliott as a general rule, but I did just really really love Ink an almost surprising amount, and I am still Team Follies, so... well, there's a reasonable chance I'll be fine whoever wins, let's be honest.
American Airlines Best New Play
The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York's Theatre
Network at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Oslo at Harold Pinter Theatre
I just didn't think Oslo was that good. The state of Broadway, I can see how it went down well in New York, but London theatre basically shits out works of genius in rooms above pubs on a weekly basis so it really doesn't deserve to be here, I don't think. (Which I appreciate is possibly erasure of the New York equivalent of works of genius in rooms above pubs but they don't seem to win Tony awards and get West End transfers...) I loved Ink, I enjoyed The Ferryman but wasn't in love with it, Network was delightful but also it's erm... well, I don't know that I'd nominate it for Best New Play. It's moot, The Ferryman'll take it, though I'm still firmly crossing my fingers for Ink.
Mastercard Best New Musical
An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre
Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre
EVERYBODY'S TALKING 'BOUT JAMIE
EVERYBODY'S TALKING 'BOUT J-J-JAMIE
EVERYBODY'S TALKING 'BOUT THE BOY IN THE DRESS WHO WAS BORN TO IMPRESS
EVERYBODY'S TALKING 'BOUT THE THINGS THAT HE WORE
EVERYBODY'S LISTENING 'CAUSE WE NEED TO KNOW MORE
EVERYBODY'S TALKING 'BOUT THE BOY IN THE WIG 'CAUSE HE'S GONNA BE BIG
EVERYBODY'S TALKING 'BOUT JAY-AY-AY-AMIE
I'll be back later to mark the winners and possibly provide feedback depending on how angry and/or delighted (but face it, angry's most likely) I am.
UPDATE I am delighted for Sheila Atim, Bertie Carvel, Laura Donnelly, and Nevin Steinberg. Especially Nevin Steinberg, they took the Sound Design Tony away so he couldn't win it before now, and based on an in-depth article I once read, he absolutely deserves it. But, as with Pacific Rim Uprising, although I can appreciate these awards for what they are, there is no power on earth that can stop me mourning what they are not. Still, at least the Olivier awards never killed anyone. Even if I'm currently most bitter about who was erased before they even got going. (In the case of both the Olivier awards and Pacific Rim Uprising.)
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