Olivier Awards 2018 – Royal Albert Hall, London. 08.04.2018
Last week I ticked off one of my bucket list, with a friend inviting me to join I couldn’t decline the chance to see the biggest night in West End, The Olivier Awards! Black tie, Royal Albert Hall, musical performances and West End Stars – what is not to love?
Our seats were great, up in the Rausing Circle row 6 seats 176 and 177. Although very high, the full stage could be seen. Faces not as visible – obviously but during the performances being above worked greatly – especially for 42nd street. But, during all speeches they had a screen projected above. At the end of the day, I was there, that was all that mattered!
This years host was TV and stage comedy star Catherine Tate, although she had a few slip ups. she brought the house down numerous times with her humour and cheeky words – some of which she needed to apologise for following her forgetting it was being broadcast live on Magic FM… Never the less she brought the laughs, perfect for an evening for the awards.
Along with many Oliviers finding new homes, there were stunning performances from current musicals Hamilton, Folles, Young Frankenstein, 42nd Street, Girl From the North Country, and Everyone’s Talking About Jamie. Showing many reason’s as to why they received their nominations. Also makes me want to book future tickets to some of them! The whole atmosphere was electric, the finale will stay with me forever as they paid tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat. The Reason I theatre and musicals is because of that show, to watch it again with Joe McElderry, Lee Mead and Jason Donavon was something I could never imagine.
I am so happy i can finally say I have been to the Olivier Awards, experiencing it first hand, loving each moment. Its true what most of the winners and presenters said – London and UK really does accept the arts and praises it for all its worth. I will defiantly be making my return – maybe this time have the cheek to walk downstairs and meet a few stars, because you are allowed!
Nominees and Winners (Winners bolded)
Best New Play
The Ferryman
Ink
Network
Oslo
Best New Comedy
Dry Powder
Labour of Love
Mischief Movie Night
The Miser
Best New Dance Production
Flight Pattern
Goat
Grand Finale
Tree of Codes
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Rocio Molina (for pushing the boundary of Flamenco in Fallen From Heaven (Caida Del Cielo) for Dance Umbrella at the Barbican Theatre)
Francesca Velicu (for her performance in English National Ballet’s production of Pina Bausch’s Le Sacre Du Printemps at Sadler’s Wells)
Zenaida Yanowsky (for her performance in Liam Scarlett’s Symphonic Dances for The Royal Ballet at Royal Opera House
Best Entertainment and Family
David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny
Derren Brown: Underground
Dick Whittington
Five Guys Named Moe
Best Costume Design
Hugh Durrant (For Dick Whittington)
Roger Kirk (for 42nd Street)
Vicki Mortimer (for Follies)
Paul Tazewell (for Hamilton)
Best Sound Design
Tom Gibbons (for Hamlet)
Gareth Owen (for Bat Out of Hell)
Eric Sleichim (for Network)
Nevin Steinberg (for Hamilton)
Best Actor In A Supporting Role
Bertie Carvel (for Ink)
John Hodgkinson (for The Ferryman)
James McArdle (for Angels in America)
Peter Polycarpou (for Oslo)
Best Actress In A Supporting Role
Brid Brennan (for The Ferryman)
Denise Gough (for Angels in America)
Dearbhla Molloy (for The Ferryman)
Imogen Poots (for Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf?)
Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
The B*easts (at Bush Theatre)
Killology (at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre, a Co-Production with Sherman Theatre Cardiff)
The Red Lion (at Trafalgar Studios 2)
The Revlon Girl (at Park Theatre)
Best Set Design
Bunny Christie (for Ink)
Bob Crowley and 59 Productions (for An American in Paris)
Rob Howell (for The Ferryman)
Vicki Mortimer (for Follies)
Best Lighting Design
Howell Binkley (for Hamilton)
Paule Constable (for Angels in America)
Paule Constable (for Follies)
Jan Versweyveld (for Network)
Best Actor
Paddy Considine (for The Ferryman)
Bryan Cranston (for Network)
Andrew Garfield (for Angels in America)
Andrew Scott (for Hamlet)
Best Actress
Laura Donnelly (for The Ferryman)
Lesley Manville (for Long Day’s Journey into Night)
Audra McDonald (for Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill)
Imelda Staunton (for Who’s Afraid of Virigina Woolf?)
Best Director
Dominic Cooke (for Follies)
Marianne Elliott (for Angels in America)
Rupert Goold (for Ink)
Thomas Kail (for Hamilton)
Sam Mendes (for The Ferryman)
Best New Opera Production
La Boheme
The Exterminating Angel
Semiramide
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Paul Brown (for his set and costume designs for Iolanthe at London Coliseum)
Joyce Didonato and Daniela Barcellona (for their performances in Semiramide at Royal Opera House)
Roderick Williams (for his performance in The Royal Opera’s The Return of Ulysses at The Roundhouse)
Best Revival
Angels in America
Hamlet
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Witness for the Prosecution
Outstanding Achievement in Music
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Music and Orchestrations by Dan Gillespie Sells)
Follies (The Orchestra, under the music supervision of Nicholas Skilbeck and music director Nigel Lilley)
Girl from the North Country (Music and Lyrics by Bob Dylan, original orchestrations and arrangements by Simon Hale)
Hamilton (composer-lyricist: Lin-Manuel Miranda; orchestrator: Alex Lacamoire)
Best Theatre Choreographer
Andy Blankenbuehler (for Hamilton)
Bill Deamer (for Follies)
Kate Prince (for Everybody’s Talking about Jamie)
Randy Skinner (for 42nd Street)
Christopher Wheeldon (for An American in Paris)
Best Musical Revival
42nd Street
Follies
On The Town
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Michael Jibson (for Hamilton)
Ross Noble (for Young Frankenstein)
Jason Pennycooke (for Hamilton)
Cleve September (for Hamilton)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Sheila Atim (for Girl from the North Country)
Tracie Bennett (for Follies)
Rachel John (for Hamilton)
Lesley Joseph (for Young Frankenstein)
Best Actress in a Musical
Janie Dee (for Follies)
Shirley Henderson (for The Girl from the North Country)
Imelda Staunton (for Folies)
Josie Walker (for Everybody’s Talking about Jamie)
Best Actor in a Musical
Ciaran Hinds (for Girl from the North Country)
John McCrea (for Everybody’s Talking about Jamie)
Giles Terera (for Hamilton)
Jamael Westman (for Hamilton)
Best New Musical
An American in Paris
Everybody’s Talking about Jamie
Girl from the North Country
Hamilton
Young Frankenstein
Special Recognition Award
David Lam
