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Almeida theatre defeats West End giants at Olivier awards Almeida theatre defeats West End giants at Olivier awards
(35 minutes later)
It is a story of a small local theatre taking on the West End and winning, with the Almeida emerging triumphant at Sunday night's Olivier awards. It was a story of a small subsidised theatre taking on the West End and winning, with the Almeida emerging triumphant at Sunday night's Olivier awards.
The 325-seat north London venue won eight awards for two plays it transferred into the West End: Lucy Kirkwood's new play, Chimerica, and a revival of Ghosts. Both were part of Michael Attenborough's final season at a theatre with an international reputation which has consistently punched above its size. The 325-seat north London venue won eight awards for two plays that transferred into the West End: Lucy Kirkwood's new play, Chimerica, and a revival of Ghosts.
Chimerica was the biggest winner at the 38th awards, held at the Royal Opera House. It won best new play, best director for Lyndsey Turner, best lighting, best sound and best set design. Chimerica was the biggest winner at the 38th awards, held at the Royal Opera House. It won five: best new play, best director for Lyndsey Turner, best lighting, best sound and best set design.
Kirkwood's epic play was programmed by Attenborough but commissioned and nurtured over a six-year period by the theatre company Headlong under Rupert Goold, who took over the Almeida last autumn. Kirkwood's epic play was part of Michael Attenborough's final season in charge of the theatre but was commissioned and nurtured over six years by the theatre company Headlong under Rupert Goold, who took over the Almeida last autumn. Telling the story of an American photojournalist searching for a lone protester who confronted a tank in Tiananmen Square, it felt as much a thriller as a meaty political play, exploring tensions between two global superpowers.
Critics and audiences loved it, at the Almeida and at its West End run at the Harold Pinter theatre. Telling the story of an American photojournalist searching for a lone protester who confronted a tank in Tiananmen Square, it explores big themes and felt as much a thriller as a meaty political play, ex Ghosts, which last month completed its run at the Trafalgar Studios, won three awards including best actress for Lesley Manville, who said afterwards: "I'm completely and utterly over the moon, I'm fizzing with delight." Manville, who cut her teeth at the Royal Court, said: "It is heart warming that subsidised theatres have done so well tonight."
The Richard Eyre-directed and adapted play also won best revival and best actor in a supporting role for Jack Lowden, who played Oswald.
Eyre said starting Ghosts at the Almeida had been important. "There is something emancipating about doing a show outside the West End where you don't think you have to hit the jackpot every time. You're not panicking about whether you can fill the theatre and there's not a hysterical pressure there sometimes is when you do a show in the West End and there's a lot of cash and reputation hanging on it."
The Almeida's success showed the importance of a mixed ecology in theatre, Eyre said. "You can't have one without the other. If subsidised theatre dwindled overnight you would find a very depleted commercial theatre. You can look on subsidy as investment and it is and it's investment that is repaid many times over."
It was also a good night for the National theatre which Eyre ran in the 1990s, with Rory Kinnear winning best actor for Iago in Othello, triumphing from a heavyweight shortlist that included Jude Law, Tom Hiddleston and Henry Goodman.
Kinnear, who is taking a month off after the birth of his second child, said the play had been "the most thrilling professional experience" of his life.
Sharon D Clarke won best supporting actress for The Amen Corner and a special award was given to Sir Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr, who are stepping down from their roles as director and executive director at the NT.
Due to the number of successful comedies last year, the best new comedy award was resurrected, won by Jeeves & Wooster In Perfect Nonsense.
The Book of Mormon dominated the musical categories, with best new musical, best actor in a musical for Gavin Creel, best supporting role in a musical for Stephen Ashfield and best choreography for Casey Nicholaw. Once the Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factor and Merrily We Roll Along all won two musical awards.
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Link to video: Watch a clip from the Olivier-winning Ghosts starring Lesley Manville and Jack Lowden
ploring tensions between two global superpowers.
Ghosts, which last month completed its run at the Trafalgar Studios, won three awards including best actress for Lesley Manville. The Richard Eyre-directed play also won best revival and best actor in a supporting role for Jack Lowden, who played Oswald.
It was also a good night for the National Theatre, with Rory Kinnear winning best actor for his portrayal of Iago in Othello. He won from a particularly strong shortlist that also included Jude Law for Henry V, Tom Hiddleston for Coriolanus and Henry Goodman for The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui.
Sharon D Clarke won best supporting actress for her portrayal of a loyal sister in the National's revival of James Baldwin's The Amen Corner.
The theatre's success was rounded off with a special award for outstanding achievement presented by Kinnear and James Corden to Sir Nicholas Hytner and Nick Starr, who are stepping down from their roles as director and executive director at the NT.
Due to the number of successful comedies last year, the best new comedy award was resurrected, won y Jeeves & Wooster In Perfect Nonsense.
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Link to video: Watch scenes from the Olivier-winning musical Merrily We Roll Along
dian.com/stage/2014/mar/24/musicals-we-love-the-book-of-mormon">The Book of Mormon dominated the musical categories. The shamelessly coarse, crude and vulgar show won best new musical, best actor in a musical for Gavin Creel, best supporting role in a musical for Stephen Ashfield and best choreography for Casey Nicholaw.
Once the Musical won two Oliviers: best actress in a Olivier awards ceremony, a starry red carpet musical for Zrinka Cvitešiç and outstanding achievement in music won by Martin Lowe for compositions and arrangements and Glenn Hansard and Markéta Irglová for music and lyrics.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory won best costume design and best lighting (shared with Chimerica), while Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, which, jointly with Charlie and the Chocolate factory had the most nominations, came away with two awards: best musical revival, triumphing over The Sound of Music and Tell Me on a Sunday; and best sound (shared with Chimerica).
Other awards included one for the Royal Opera House's first West End transfer, The Wind in the Willows, which won the best entertainment and family award. The north-west London Tricycle's production of Handbagged – now in the West End – won the outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre award.
The only prize decided by the public, the radio audience award, went to the West End's longest running musical, Les Misérables – now in its 30th year – which beat Matilda the Musical, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.The only prize decided by the public, the radio audience award, went to the West End's longest running musical, Les Misérables – now in its 30th year – which beat Matilda the Musical, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.
In opera, English Touring Opera won the outstanding achievement award for Placido Domingo's Covent Garden performance in Nabucco, and Joyce DiDonato and Juan Diego Flórez, for their performances in La Donna Del Lago. ETO won, the judges said, for "its brave and challenging touring productions at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House." The best new opera production was Les vêpres siciliennes at the ROH. In opera, English Touring Opera won the outstanding achievement award for Placido Domingo's Covent Garden performance in Nabucco.
Sadler's Wells's Michael Hulls won an outstanding achievement prize for his body of lighting work including Ballet Boyz – the Talent. The theatre also won best new dance production for Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's Puz/zle.Sadler's Wells's Michael Hulls won an outstanding achievement prize for his body of lighting work including Ballet Boyz – the Talent. The theatre also won best new dance production for Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's Puz/zle.
The other special award for outstanding achievement was given to the man whose massive rollcall includes bringing Oh Calcutta! and The Rocky Horror Show to the West End in the 1970s – the theatre impresario Michael White.The other special award for outstanding achievement was given to the man whose massive rollcall includes bringing Oh Calcutta! and The Rocky Horror Show to the West End in the 1970s – the theatre impresario Michael White.
The ceremony featured performances by the Broadway superstar Bernadette Peters, the opera singer Joseph Calleja and Abba's Benny and Bjorn to celebrate 15 years of their hit show Mamma Mia! The ceremony featured performances by the Broadway star Bernadette Peters, the opera singer Joseph Calleja and Abba's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.
The winnersThe winners
Best actor Best actor Rory Kinnear for Othello at the National theatre, Olivier
Rory Kinnear for Othello at the National Theatre, Olivier Best actress Lesley Manville for Ghosts at the Almeida theatre & Trafalgar studios
Best actress Best actor in a supporting role Jack Lowden for Ghosts at the Almeida theatre & Trafalgar studios
Lesley Manville for Ghosts at the Almeida theatre & Trafalgar studios Best actress in a supporting role Sharon D Clarke for The Amen Corner at the National theatre, Olivier
Best actor in a supporting role American Airlines best new play Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre
Jack Lowden for Ghosts at the Almeida theatre & Trafalgar studios Best new comedy Jeeves & Wooster In Perfect Nonsense at the Duke of York's theatre
Best actress in a supporting role Best director Lyndsey Turner for Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre
Sharon D Clarke for The Amen Corner at the National theatre, Olivier Best actor in a musical Gavin Creel for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales theatre
American Airlines best new play Best actress in a musical Zrinka Cvitešić for Once at the Phoenix theatre
Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre Best performance in a supporting role in a musical Stephen Ashfield for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales theatre
Best new comedy Mastercard best new musical The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales theatre
Jeeves & Wooster In Perfect Nonsense at the Duke of York's theatre Best revival Ghosts at the Almeida theatre & Trafalgar studios
Best director Best musical revival Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter theatre
Lyndsey Turner for Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre Best theatre choreographer Casey Nicholaw for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales theatre
Best actor in a musical Best entertainment and family The Wind In The Willows at the Duchess theatre
Gavin Creel for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales theatre Autograph sound award for outstanding achievement in music Once – Martin Lowe for composition & arrangements, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová for music and lyrics
Best actress in a musical White Light award for best lighting design Tim Lutkin & Finn Ross for Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre Paul Pyant and Jon Driscoll for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Zrinka Cvitešić for Once at the Phoenix theatre Best sound design Carolyn Downing for Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre Gareth Owen for Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter theatre
Best performance in a supporting role in a musical Best costume design Mark Thompson for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Stephen Ashfield for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales theatre Xl video award for best set design Es Devlin for Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre
Mastercard best new musical Outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre Handbagged at the Tricycle theatre
The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales theatre Best new dance production Eastman – Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui & Sadler's Wells for Puz/zle at Sadler's Wells
Best revival Outstanding achievement in dance Michael Hulls for his body of lighting work including Ballet Boyz – The Talent at Sadler's Wells
Ghosts at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar studios Best new opera production Les Vêpres Siciliennes at the Royal Opera House
Best musical revival Outstanding achievement in opera English Touring Opera for its brave and challenging touring productions at the Linbury studio theatre, Royal Opera House
Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter theatre BBC Radio 2 audience award Les Misérables at the Queen's theatre
Best theatre choreographer • This article was amended on Sunday 13 April 2014 to correct the description of the English Touring Opera production
Casey Nicholaw for The Book Of Mormon at the Prince of Wales Theatre
Best entertainment And family
The Wind In The Willows at the Duchess theatre
Autograph sound award for outstanding achievement in music
Once – Martin Lowe for composition & arrangements, Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová for music and lyrics
White Light award For best lighting design
Tim Lutkin & Finn Ross for Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre
Paul Pyant and Jon Driscoll for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best sound design
Carolyn Downing for Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre
Gareth Owen for Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter theatre
Best costume design
Mark Thompson for Charlie And The Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Xl video award for best set design
Es Devlin for Chimerica at the Almeida theatre & Harold Pinter theatre
Outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre
Handbagged at the Tricycle theatre
Best new dance production
Eastman - Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui & Sadler's Wells for Puz/zle at Sadler's Wells
Outstanding achievement in dance
Michael Hulls for his body of lighting work including Ballet Boyz – The Talent at Sadler's Wells
Best new opera production
Les Vêpres Siciliennes at the Royal Opera House
Outstanding achievement in opera
English Touring Opera for its brave and challenging touring productions at the Linbury studio theatre, Royal Opera House
BBC Radio 2 audience award
Les Misérables at the Queen's theatre
• Michael Billington's verdict on the winners
• Arterton! Hiddleston! The red carpet: in pictures
• How the Olivier nominees rate each other's work