What a ride these past couple of years have been, for the large part 2020 saw theatre's closed due to the COVID pandemic but at last in May 2021 I got to return to a theatre after 14 months away. It's certainly been a bumpy journey and even in the past few weeks shows have once again struggled to battle the new variant but having the theatres back open is the highlight of the year for me.
To celebrate the end of the year here is my annual end-of-year awards post celebrating my favourite performances and production of the past year from the productions that I got to see. As usual, I've broken it down into various categories. I've included both streamed and in-person productions but have noted which ones were the streamed shows.
I've tried to only include the new* productions that I've seen in this list so shows such as Amelie and Come From Away are missing except for in the understudy category. Unlike previous years, this year I have decided I am not going to pick individual winners for each category. Please remember these are my own personal choice and are only for a bit of celebratory fun.
*new productions include productions that opened before 2021 but it was my first time seeing the show this year.
Best Set Design:
Jasmine Swan - Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
David Woodhead - Rent (Hope Mill Theatre)
Christopher Oram - Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
Lez Brotherston - The Midnight Bell (UK Tour)
Colin Richmond - The Magician's Elephant (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Tom Paris - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (UK Tour)
David Shields - Heathers the Musical (The Other Palace)
Helga Wood - Dick Whittington (Royal and Derngate)
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| Heathers at The Other Palace. Photo by Pamela Raith |
Best Costume Design:
Alex Lowde - The Color Purple At Home - Curve (Streamed)
Jasmine Swan - Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
Hayley Grindle - Gin Craze! (Royal and Derngate)
Phil R Daniels and Charles Cusick Smith - Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (UK Tour)
Christopher Oram - Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
Colin Richmond - The Magician's Elephant (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Tom Paris - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (UK Tour)
Barney George - The Smeds and the Smoos (UK Tour)
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| Priscilla: Queen of the Desert. Photo by Darren Bell. |
Best Lighting Design:
Zoe Spurr - Animal Farm - National Youth Theatre
Zoe Spurr - Othello - National Youth Theatre
Ben Cracknell - The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Curve)
Neil Austin - Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
Paule Constable - The Midnight Bell (UK Tour)
Oliver Fenwick - The Magician's Elephant (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Jack Knowles - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (UK Tour)
Howard Hudson - A Chorus Line (Curve)
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| The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at Curve. Photo by Ellie Kurttz |
Best Direction:
Tinuke Craig - The Color Purple At Home - Curve (Streamed)
Ed Stambollouian - Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
Phillip Breen - The Comedy of Errors (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Luke Sheppard - Rent (Hope Mill Theatre)
Michael Grandage - Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
Michael Fentiman - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (UK Tour)
Andy Fickman - Heathers the Musical (The Other Palace)
Nikolai Foster - A Chorus Line (Curve)
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| Rent at The Hope Mill Theatre. Photo by Pamela Raith |
Best Musical Direction:
Alex Parker - AM:DRAM (Curve)
Tamara Saringer - Gin Craze! (Royal and Derngate)
Richard Atkinson - Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (UK Tour)
George Dyer - Kilworth's Memories of the Musicals (Kilworth House Theatre)
Chris Poon - Rent (Hope Mill Theatre)
Adam Rowe - Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
Graham Tear - Shrek The Musical (Northampton Musical Theatre Company)
Andrew Hilton - Chicago (UK Tour)
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| Kilworth's Musical Memories at Kilworth House Theatre. |
Best Choreography/Movement:
Vicki Igbokwe - Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
Tom Jackson-Greaves - Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (UK Tour)
Tom Jackson-Greaves - Rent (Hope Mill Theatre)
Drew McOnie - Hairspray (UK Tour)
Matthew Bourne and The Company of The Midnight Bell - The Midnight Bell (UK Tour)
Francesca Jaynes - The Magician's Elephant (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Ellen Kane - A Chorus Line (Curve)
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| The Midnight Bell. Photo by Johan Persson |
Best Supporting Performance In A Play:
Lily Nichol (Joan) - Henry VI Part One Open Rehearsal Project - Royal Shakespeare Company (Streamed)
Jamie Ballard (Talbot) - Henry VI Part One Open Rehearsal Project - Royal Shakespeare Company (Streamed)
Jamie Wilkes (Charles, the Dauphin) Henry VI Part One Open Rehearsal Project - Royal Shakespeare Company (Streamed)
Julia Kass (Emilia) - Othello - National Youth Theatre
Matilda Rae (Squealer) - Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
Ishmel Bridgeman (Blue) - Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
Teresa Banham (Big Mama) - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Curve/Everyman and Playhouse/English Touring Theatre)
Jez Unwin (Mr. Tumnus) - The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (UK Tour)
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| Jez Unwin (Mr Tumnus) with Karise Yansen (Lucy) in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Photo by Brinkhoff/Moegenburg |
Best Leading Performance In A Play:
Alexandra Hannant (Desdemona) - Othello - National Youth Theatre
Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (Othello) - Othello - National Youth Theatre
Connor Crawford (Iago) - Othello - National Youth Theatre
Adeola Yemitan (Clover) - Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
Jack Matthew (Napoleon) - Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
Jessica Johnson (Rita) - Educating Rita (UK Tour)
Siena Kelly (Maggie) - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Curve/Everyman and Playhouse/English Touring Theatre)
Oliver Johnstone (Brick) - Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Curve/Everyman and Playhouse/English Touring Theatre)
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| Adeola Yemitan (Clover) in Animal Farm. Photo by Ali Wright. |
Best Understudy/Alternate Performance:
Nuwan Hugh Perera (Lucien/Mysterious Man) - Amelie The Musical (Criterion Theatre)
Robyn Sinclair (Gina) - Amelie The Musical (Criterion Theatre)
Georgina Onuorah (Cinderella) - Cinderella (Gillian Lynne Theatre)
Charli Baptie (Glinda) - Wicked (Apollo Victoria)
Michael Colbourne (Fiyero) - Wicked (Apollo Victoria)
Paul Brown (Mr. White/Paul) - Groan Ups (UK Tour)
Ben Millerman (Nanny Nancy) - Sleeping Beauty (De Montfort Hall)
Luke Bell (Prince Pablo) - Sleeping Beauty (De Montfort Hall)
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| Georgina Onuorah (Cinderella) with Ivan Turco (Prince Sebastian). |
Best Supporting Performance In A Musical:
Danielle Fiamanya (Nettie) - The Color Purple At Home - Curve (Streamed)
Debbie Chazen (Moll/Queen Caroline) - Gin Craze! (Royal and Derngate)
Claudia Kariuki, Aiesha Pease and Rosie Glossop (Divas) - Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (UK Tour)
Millie O'Connell (Maureen) - Rent (Hope Mill Theatre)
Alex Thomas-Smith (Angel) - Rent (Hope Mill Theatre)
Rebecca Jayne-Davies (Penny Pingleton) - Hairspray (UK Tour)
Bob Harms (Happy Man/Mr. Thompson) - Pretty Woman (Savoy Theatre)
Shobna Gulati (Ray) - Everybody's Talking About Jamie (UK Tour)
Ama Scuotto (Lord Farquaad) - Shrek The Musical (Northampton Musical Theatre Company)
Lizzie Bea (Martha Dunnstock) - Heathers the Musical (The Other Palace)
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| Bob Harms (Happy Man) (right). Photo by Helen Maybanks |
Best Leading Performance In A Musical:
Aruhan Galieva (Mary) - Gin Craze! (Royal and Derngate)
T'Shan Williams (Celie) - The Color Purple At Home - Curve (Streamed)
Georgina Onuorah (Cinderella) - Cinderella (Gillian Lynne Theatre)
Aimie Atkinson (Vivien Ward) - Pretty Woman (Savoy Theatre)
Layton Williams (Jamie New) - Everybody's Talking About Jamie (UK Tour)
Dan Hodson (Shrek) - Shrek The Musical (Northampton Musical Theatre Company)
Jack Wolfe (Peter Duchene) - The Magician's Elephant (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Samantha Barks (Elsa) - Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
Katie Brace (Tracy Turnblad) - Hairspray (UK Tour)
Laura Pick (Elphaba) - Wicked (Apollo Victoria)
Ailsa Davidson (Veronica Sawyer) - Heathers the Musical (The Other Palace)
Carly Mercedes Dyer (Cassie) - A Chorus Line (Curve)
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| Samantha Barks (Elsa) in Frozen. Photo by Johan Persson |
Best Play:
Henry VI Part One Open Rehearsal Project - Royal Shakespeare Company (Streamed)
Animal Farm (National Youth Theatre)
Educating Rita (UK Tour)
The Comedy of Errors (RSC)
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Curve/Everyman and Playhouse/English Touring Theatre)
Groan Ups (Mischief Theatre/UK Tour)
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (UK Tour)
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| The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Photo by Brinhoff/Moegenburg |
Best Musical:
The Color Purple At Home - Curve (Streamed)
Gin Craze! (Royal and Derngate)
Rent (Hope Mill Theatre)
Pretty Woman (Savoy Theatre)
Everybody's Talking About Jamie (UK Tour)
Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
The Magician's Elephant (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Heathers the Musical (The Other Palace)
A Chorus Line (Curve)
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| A Chorus Line. Photo by Marc Brenner |
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