The 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards were held last night at the Prince of Wales Theatre (current home of The Book of Mormon). Presented by Mel Giedroyc and Steve Furst the winners were all voted for by the public.
The awards are dominated this year by Miss Saigon which returned to the West End in 2014, 25 years since its London première. This new production receives a record 9 awards, from its 12 nominations, winning in all but one category it was nominated for – Eva Noblezada for Best Actress in a Musical sponsored by STAR, Rachelle Ann Go for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical, Jon Jon Briones for Best Actor in a Musical, Kwang-Ho Hong for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, Laurence Connor for Best Direction, Bob Avian & Geoffrey Garratt for Best Choreography, Totie Driver & Matt Kinley for Best Set Design, Best Musical Revival and Best West End Show.
The Best Actor and Actress reunite Doctor Who favourites David Tennant and Billie Piper who win for their roles in the RSC’s Richard II and the National Theatre’s Great Britain respectively.
Leading the play categories is the Donmar Warehouse’s production of Coriolanus, with wins for Mark Gatiss for Best Supporting Actor, Best Lighting Design for Mark Henderson and Best Play Revival.
Sheffield Theatres take Best Regional Production for a second year running, this year for Daniel Evans’ production of Lionel Bart’s masterpiece Oliver!; and in the hotly contested Best Off-West End Production category Twickenham Theatre’s Sweeney Todd wins – it was the only show at the venue which closed just days after the production completed its run.
Continuing the success of film to stage adaptations, Lee Hall wins Best New Play for Shakespeare in Love, currently running at the Noël Coward Theatre; and Memphis the Musical triumphs in the Best New Musical category.
Performers at the event included Beverley Knight (Memphis), Sophie-Louise Dann (Made in Dagenham); Miss Saigonstars Eva Noblezada and Rachelle Ann Go; Michael Watson (Jersey Boys), Lauren Samuels (Bend it Like Beckham),Laura Tebbutt (Forbidden Broadway) and Sophia Ragavelas (Cats) performed a medley of Rodgers and Hammerstein hits; performances from three nominees for Best Off-West End production – Dogfight, In the Heights and Sweeney Todd – as well as a specially commissioned number which marked the 15th anniversary of the awards.
The Winners! (winners in bold):
Best Actor in a Play sponsored by Radisson Blu Edwardian:
- David Tennant, Richard II
- Mark Strong, A View From the Bridge
- Richard Armitage, The Crucible
- Tom Bateman, Shakespeare in Love
- Tom Hiddleston, Coriolanus
Best Actress in a Play:
- Billie Piper, Great Britain
- Gillian Anderson, A Streetcar Named Desire
- Helen McCrory, Medea
- Imelda Staunton, Good People
- Lucy Briggs-Owen, Shakespeare in Love
Best Actor in a Musical:
- Alistair Brammer, Miss Saigon
- Jon Jon Briones, Miss Saigon
- Killian Donnelly, Memphis the Musical
- Marti Pellow, Evita
- Robert Lindsay, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Best Actress in a Musical sponsored by STAR:
- Beverley Knight, Memphis the Musical
- Eva Noblezada, Miss Saigon
- Gemma Arterton, Made in Dagenham
- Jenna Russell, Urinetown the Musical
- Madalena Alberto, Evita
Best Supporting Actor in a Play:
- Adrian Schiller, The Crucible
- David Oakes, Shakespeare in Love
- Hadley Fraser, Coriolanus
- Mark Gatiss, Coriolanus
- Nathaniel Parker, Wolf Hall & Bring Up the Bodies
Best Supporting Actress in a Play:
- Anna Madeley, The Crucible
- Deborah Findlay, Coriolanus
- Nicola Walker, A View From the Bridge
- Samantha Colley, The Crucible
- Vanessa Kirby, A Streetcar Named Desire
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical:
- Ben Forster, Evita
- George Maguire, Sunny Afternoon
- Hugh Maynard, Miss Saigon
- Kwang-Ho Hong, Miss Saigon
- Rolan Bell, Memphis the Musical
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical:
- Claire Machin, Memphis the Musical
- Karis Jack, Urinetown the Musical
- Katherine Kingsley, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
- Rachelle Ann Go, Miss Saigon
- Samantha Bond, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
Best New Play:
- Great Britain
- King Charles III
- The Nether
- Shakespeare in Love
- Wolf Hall
Best New Musical sponsored by Autograph:
- Here Lies Love
- Made in Dagenham
- Memphis the Musical
- Sunny Afternoon
- Urinetown the Musical
Best Play Revival:
- Blithe Spirit
- Coriolanus
- The Crucible
- Richard II
- A Streetcar Named Desire
Best Musical Revival sponsored by R&H Theatricals Europe:
- Evita
- Miss Saigon
- The Pajama Game
- Porgy and Bess
- Sweeney Todd
Best Direction sponsored by Managed Networks:
- Christopher Ashley, Memphis the Musical
- Gregory Doran, Richard II
- Jamie Lloyd, Urinetown the Musical
- Laurence Connor, Miss Saigon
- Yaël Farber, The Crucible
Best Choreography sponsored by Capezio:
- Ann Yee, Urinetown the Musical
- Bob Avian & Geoffrey Garratt, Miss Saigon
- Drew McOnie, In the Heights
- Jerry Mitchell, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
- Sergio Trujillo, Memphis the Musical
Best Set Design sponsored by Feast Creative:
- Bunny Christie, Made in Dagenham
- David Gallo, Memphis the Musical
- Nick Ormerod, Shakespeare in Love
- Soutra Gilmour, Urinetown the Musical
- Totie Driver & Matt Kinley, Miss Saigon
Best Lighting Design sponsored by White Light:
- Adam Silverman, Urinetown the Musical
- Bruno Poet, Miss Saigon
- Howell Binkley, Memphis the Musical
- Jon Clark, Made in Dagenham
- Mark Henderson, Coriolanus
Best Off-West End Production:
- Dogfight, Southwark Playhouse
- Forbidden Broadway, Menier Chocolate Factory
- In the Heights, Southwark Playhouse
- Oh, the Humanity and Other Good Intentions, Tabard Theatre
- Sweeney Todd, Twickenham Theatre
Best Regional Production sponsored by Travelzoo:
- Guys and Dolls, Chichester Festival Theatre
- Gypsy, Chichester Festival Theatre
- The Kite Runner, Nottingham Playhouse
- Oliver!, Sheffield Crucible
- Water Babies, Curve Leicester
Best Takeover in a Role sponsored by Equity:
- Craige Els, Matilda the Musical
- David Hunter, Once
- Jennifer DiNoia, Wicked
- Kerry Ellis, Wicked
- Michael Watson, Jersey Boys
Best West End Show:
- Les Misérables
- Matilda the Musical
- Memphis the Musical
- Miss Saigon
- Wicked
Congratulations to all the winners and the nominees! I am delighted to see so many amazing people and shows being recognised in these awards this year.
Photo: Dan Wooller
