Lo and behold, we’re back celebrating the dramatic prowess that is UK Theatre with the Olivier Awards, where unlike other award ceremonies we have to watch the ceremony hours later on ITV1 and get the live results over social media or Magic FM.
Can we finally get theatre on an equal footing to film and television, please?
Anyway, I digress. As a seasoned theatregoer and theatre reviewer – albeit one who is still yet to be invited to form part of the Oliviers’ judging process – I thought it was worth sharing who I think will win big at this evening’s main event, detailing both my desired winners as well as those I predict will take home the gongs (as sometimes those two things differ).
Have a read of my predictions below, with the usual disclaimer that I haven’t seen every show nominated (The Band’s Visit was one production which, regrettably, I was unable to see), and opera and dance skipped because I haven’t reviewed any of those productions.
TL;DR: I’m fully expecting Prima Facie, Standing At The Sky’s Edge, For Black Boys… and My Neighbour Totoro to win big…
Best Revival
- The Crucible, National Theatre
- Good, Harold Pinter Theatre
- Jerusalem, Apollo Theatre
- A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre
Desired winner: A Streetcar Named Desire
Predicted winner: Jerusalem
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh and Kaine Lawrence, For Black Boys…
- Will Keen, Patriots
- Elliot Levey, Good
- David Moorst, To Kill A Mockingbird
- Sule Rimi, Blues for An Alabama Sky
Desired and predicted winner: Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh and Kaine Lawrence
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Rose Ayling-Ellis, As You Like It
- Pamela Nomvete, To Kill A Mockingbird
- Caroline Quentin, Jack Absolute Flies Again
- Sharon Small, Good
- Anjana Vasan, A Streetcar Named Desire
Desired winner: Rose Ayling-Ellis
Predicted winner: Anjana Vasan
Best Set Design
- Miriam Buether, To Kill A Mockingbird
- Tom Bye, RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro
- Ben Stones, Standing At The Sky’s Edge
- Mark Walters, Jack and the Beanstalk
Desired winner: My Neighbour Totoro
Predicted winner: Standing At The Sky’s Edge
Best Costume Design
- Frankie Bradshaw, Blues for An Alabama Sky
- Hugh Durrant, Jack and the Beanstalk
- Jean Paul Gaultier, Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show
- Kimie Nakano, RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro
Desired winner: My Neighbour Totoro
Predicted winner: Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show
Best Actress
- Jodie Comer, Prima Facie
- Patsy Ferran, A Streetcar Named Desire
- Mei Mac, RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro
- Janet McTeer, Phaedra
- Nicola Walker, The Corn Is Green
Desired and predicted winner: Jodie Comer
Best Actor
- Tom Hollander, Patriots
- Paul Mescal, A Streetcar Named Desire
- Rafe Spall, To Kill A Mockingbird
- David Tennant, Good
- Giles Terera, Blues for An Alabama Sky
Desired and predicted winner: David Tennant
Best New Play
- For Black Boys…, Royal Court Theatre
- Patriots, Almeida Theatre
- Prima Facie, Harold Pinter Theatre
- To Kill A Mockingbird, Gielgud Theatre
Desired and predicted winner: Prima Facie
Best Director
- Rebecca Frecknall, A Streetcar Named Desire
- Robert Hastie, Standing At the Sky’s Edge
- Justin Martin, Prima Facie
- Phelim McDermott, RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro
- Bartlett Sher, To Kill A Mockingbird
Desired and predicted winner: Prima Facie
Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
- Age Is A Feeling, Soho Theatre
- Blackout Songs, Hampstead Theatre
- The P Word, Bush Theatre
- Paradise Now, Bush Theatre
- Two Palestinians Go Dogging, Royal Court Theatre
Desired winner: The P Word
Predicted winner: Blackout Songs
Best Entertainment or Comedy Play
- Jack and the Beanstalk, The London Palladium
- RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro, Barbican Theatre
- My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?), Garrick Theatre and Ambassadors Theatre
- One Woman Show, Ambassadors Theatre
Desired and predicted winner: RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro
Best Musical Revival
- My Fair Lady, London Coliseum
- Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Young Vic
- Sister Act, Eventim Apollo
- Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Sadler’s Wells
Desired winner: Anything but Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Predicted winner: Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Best Original Score or New Orchestrations
- David Yazbeck for Music and Lyrics, Jamsheid Sharifi for Orchestrations, and Andrea Gody for Additional Arrangements, The Band’s Visit
- Joe Hisaishi for Music and Will Stuart for Orchestrations and Arrangements, RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro
- Daniel Kluger for Orchestrations & Arrangements and Nathan Koci for Additional Vocal Arrangements, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
- Richard Hawley for Music & Lyrics and Tom Deering for Orchestrations, Standing At The Sky’s Edge
Desired and predicted winner: Standing At The Sky’s Edge
Best Theatre Choreographer
- Matt Cole, Disney’s Newsies
- Lynne Page, Standing At The Sky’s Edge
- Kate Prince, Sylvia
- Basil Twist for Puppetry Direction, My Neighbour Totoro
Desired winner: Sylvia
Predicted winner: Newsies
Best Lighting Design
- Natasha Chivers, Prima Facie
- Lee Curran, A Streetcar Named Desire
- Jessica Hung Han Yun, RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro
- Tim Lutkin, The Crucible
Desired and predicted winner: Prima Facie
Best Sound Design
- Bobby Aitkin, Standing At The Sky’s Edge
- Tony Gayle, RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro
- Drew Levy, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
- Ben and Max Ringham, Prima Facie
Desired and predicted winner: Standing At The Sky’s Edge
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in A Musical
- Beverley Knight, Sylvia
- Maimuna Memon, Standing At The Sky’s Edge
- Liza Sadovy, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
- Marisha Wallace, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
Desired and predicted winner: Maimuna Memon
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
- Sharif Afifi, The Band’s Visit
- Peter Polycarpou, The Band’s Visit
- Clive Rowe, Sister Act
- Zubin Varla, Tammy Faye
Desired winner: Zubin Varla
Predicted winner: One of the two nominees from The Band’s Visit (solely on the balance of probability)
Best Actor in a Musical
- Alon Moni Aboutboul, The Band’s Visit
- Arthur Darvill, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
- Julian Ovenden, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific
- Andrew Rannells, Tammy Faye
Desired winner: Andrew Rannells
Predicted winner: Arthur Darvill
Best Actress in a Musical
- Katie Brayben, Tammy Faye
- Anoushka Lucas, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!
- Miri Mesika, The Band’s Visit
- Faith Omole, Standing At The Sky’s Edge
Desired winner: Katie Brayben
Predicted winner: Anoushka Lucas
Best New Musical
- The Band’s Visit, Donmar Warehouse
- Standing At The Sky’s Edge, National Theatre
- Sylvia, The Old Vic
- Tammy Faye, Almeida Theatre
Desired and predicted winner: Standing At The Sky’s Edge
The winners will be announced from 6pm this evening on social media and Magic FM, with the ceremony broadcast on ITV1 from 10:15pm tonight.
Liam O'Dell 