Monday 18 February 2013

The What's on Stage Awards - A Night of Glitz, Glamour and Pure Hilarity

Hi my lovely readers, how are all of you? I'm having a fantastic time, especially as I'm going to see the Priscilla tour for the first time this Thursday...excited isn't the word!!! AND last night I went to the What's on Stage Awards...well when your mum offers to buy to a top price ticket plus a room at a luxury hotel, it would be rather silly to refuse.
Well to begin with, the evening looked like it was going to be a right royal disaster as we'd been told our tickets would be waiting for us at the hotel and, well, they weren't. However, the hotel concierge was lovely and started rushing around to get us and the other people sorted. Well, after about 2 hours of panicking our tickets arrived at reception and what a relief that was!!!
So after a quick bite to eat at Bella Italia and a lovely cocktail for me called Berry Bellissima, it was off to The Palace Theatre. I was expecting this to be emotional as this was where Priscilla was housed. Although it felt a little odd, it wasn't as strange as I thought, mainly because it wasn't like seeing a show so it was a completely different experience altogether.
The theatre was absolutely buzzing when we arrived and after a bit of confusion as to where us plebs should enter, we took our seats, G19 and 20 in the Dress Circle, and WOW the view was completely amazing!!!
The show was being hosted by Mel Giedroyc and Rufus Hound. Now I've heard quite a lot of criticism about them on Twitter and their presentation style. Firstly, they weren't allowed to read out the names of the nominees so this wasn't actually their fault. Secondly, I don't know whether the live streaming involved the links they did in the middle of the awards or not but my sense of humour found this completely hilarious...maybe I'm just warped but both my mum and I found them so totally funny we just couldn't stop laughing!!!
There were, also, little performances by some shows which was a really nice touch to the evening. These included Taboo, The Bodyguard, Soho Cinders, Sheridan Smith, Spamalot and Top Hat. My favourite had to be the song that Spamalot did called 'You Won't Succeed in Showbiz'. This has been changed from the original version 'You Won't Succeed in Broadway if You Don't Have Any Jews' and now mocks the fact that shows need celebrities to survive nowadays.
Anyway, the main point of the show was the awards. To me these were slightly bland because of the fact they couldn't read the nominees names out as I feel this would have made the atmosphere a lot more tense. I was quite happy with the majority of winners although I think that Oliver Tompsett should have won for best take over (well I am a little Oliver fan) and, personally, I think Top Hat should have won a lot more. A special congratulations has to go to Sweeney Todd, their actors and their creative team as they ended up taking 5 awards home! The Bodyguard needs a mention as well as they landed the award for best new musical...well done guys. Oh and I'll just mention Tim Minchin who won best supporting actor in a musical just because he's fab and he sang really well on the night too!!!
Well, after the show we headed round to Balans for a bite to eat and some cocktails. I had a Pornstar and a frozen Strawberry Daiquiri (which was flipping cold) and my mum had a Buttery Nipple and a Cosmopolitan. However, the best part was that we got talking to the guy and his friend on the table next to us and it turned out that he works backstage at Matilda! Had such a lovely conversation, and yes I did manage to have a discussion about the Priscilla tour as well. He even offered to get our WOS programme signed for us and could do us a backstage tour the next time we were in London...OMG!!!
So after a totally amazing evening, we headed back to the hotel (The Hampshire in Leicester Square), which was absolutely beautiful and I'd highly recommend it for it's location and the fact it was really quiet!!!
Did anyone else go to the WOS Awards? If so what did you think? I know there's been quite a lot of criticism about the rudeness of the hosts but as I said before I don't know whether that was my warped sense of humour or what...and anyway we are in a West End where the Book of Mormon is on!
I'll leave you with some pictures of my evening...

At the Theatre
 
The Stage
 
With yet another telephone box
(For those of you who are new, I kind of have a thing about telephone boxes!)
 
In Balans with my Pornstar - aka the best cockatil ever!
 
Mum in Balans with her Cosmo

Love you lots
Kat
Xx

The What's on Stage Awards Results

Hi everyone, here are the results for the What's on Stage Awards. I'm doing these from memory as I cannot find an official page with the results...please don't kill me if I've got one wrong just politely tell me and I'll change it :)...
The DIGITAL THEATRE Best Actress in a Play• Billie Piper - The Effect , Headlong at the National, Cottesloe
• Hattie Morahan - A Doll’s House at the Young Vic
• Jill Halfpenny - Abigail’s Party at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Wyndham’s
• Julie Walters - The Last of the Haussmans at the National, Lyttelton
• Sally Hawkins - Constellations at the Royal Court Upstairs & Duke of York’s
Sheridan Smith - Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic

The DIGITAL THEATRE Best Actor in a Play
• Adrian Lester - Red Velvet at the Tricycle
• David Haig - The Madness of George III at the Apollo
• David Suchet - Long Day’s Journey into Night at the Apollo
• Luke Treadaway - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time at the National, Cottesloe
• Mark Rylance - Twelfth Night & Richard III at Shakespeare’s Globe & the Apollo
Rupert Everett - The Judas Kiss at Hampstead

Best Supporting Actress in a Play
• Fenella Woolgar - Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic
• Helen McCrory - The Last of the Haussmans at the National, Lyttelton
• Jenny Jules - Moon on a Rainbow Shawl at the National, Cottesloe
• Linda Bassett – In Basildon at the Royal Court Downstairs & People at the National, Lyttelton
Natalie Casey - Abigail’s Party at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Wyndham’s
• Sophie Thompson – The Physicists at the Donmar Warehouse & She Stoops to Conquer at the National, Olivier

Best Supporting Actor in a Play
• Adrian Scarborough - Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic
• Andy Nyman - Abigail’s Party at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Wyndham’s
• Kyle Soller - Long Day’s Journey into Night at the Apollo
• Mark Gatiss - The Recruiting Officer at the Donmar Warehouse & 55 Days at Hampstead
Stephen Fry - Twelfth Night at Shakespeare’s Globe & the Apollo
• Tim McInnerny - Scenes from an Execution at the National, Lyttelton

The STAR Best Actress in a Musical
• Emi Wokoma - Soul Sister at Hackney Empire & the Savoy
• Hannah Waddingham - Kiss Me, Kate at the Old Vic
• Heather Headley - The Bodyguard at the Adelphi
Imelda Staunton - Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi
• Megan McGinnis - Daddy Long Legs at the St James
• Scarlett Strallen - Singin’ in the Rain at the Palace

The THEATRE TOKENS Best Actor in a Musical
• Adam Cooper - Singin’ in the Rain at the Palace
• Alex Bourne - Kiss Me, Kate at the Old Vic
• Lloyd Owen - The Bodyguard at the Adelphi
• Mark Umbers – Merrily We Roll Along at the Menier Chocolate Factory
Michael Ball – Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi
• Tom Chambers - Top Hat at the Aldwych

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
• Beverly Rudd & Suzie Chard - Soho Cinders at Soho
• Debbie Kurup - The Bodyguard at the Adelphi
• Katherine Kingsley - Singin’ in the Rain at the Palace
Melanie C – Jesus Christ Superstar at the O2
• Sian Phillips - Cabaret at the Savoy
• Vivien Parry - Top Hat at the Aldwych

The W&P LONGREACH Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
• Adam Garcia – Kiss Me, Kate at the Old Vic
• Daniel Crossley - Singin’ in the Rain at the Palace
• Jon Robyns – Spamalot at the Harold Pinter & Playhouse
• Ricardo Afonso - Top Hat at the Aldwych
• Sam Buttery – Taboo at the Brixton Club House
• Tim Minchin - Jesus Christ Superstar at the O2

The JO HUTCHISON INTERNATIONAL Best Solo Performance
• Chris Larner – An Instinct for Kindness at Trafalgar Studios 2
• Cillian Murphy – Misterman at the National, Lyttelton
Idina Menzel – Idina Menzel at the Apollo
• Mark Quartley & Paul Chequer - Private Peaceful at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
• Roger Rees - What You Will at the Apollo
• Simon Callow - A Christmas Carol at the Arts

The IMAIL Best Ensemble Performance
• Chariots of Fire – at Hampstead & the Gielgud
• Let It Be – at the Prince of Wales
• Our Boys – at the Duchess
Richard III & Twelfth Night – at Shakespeare’s Globe & the Apollo
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – at the National, Cottesloe
• The Ladykillers – at the Gielgud

Best Takeover in a Role
• Danielle Hope - Les Misérables at the Queen’s
• Dean Chisnall – Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Gina Beck – Wicked at the Victoria Apollo
• Oliver Tompsett – We Will Rock You at the Dominion
• Owain Arthur - One Man, Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Ramin Karimloo - Les Misérables at the Queen’s

Best New Play
• 55 Days by Howard Brenton – at Hampstead
• Chariots of Fire by Mike Bartlett – at Hampstead & the Gielgud
• Constellations by Nick Payne – at the Royal Court Upstairs & Duke of York’s
• Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti – at the Tricycle
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Simon Stephens – at the National, Cottesloe
• The Effect by Lucy Prebble – Headlong at the National, Cottesloe

The TIME OUT Best New Comedy
• All New People by Zach Braff – at the Duke of York’s
• Birthday by Joe Penhall – at the Royal Court Downstairs
• NSFW by Lucy Kirkwood – at the Royal Court Downstairs
• People by Alan Bennett – at the National, Lyttelton
The Ladykillers by Graham Linehan – at the Gielgud
• The Last of the Haussmans by Stephen Beresford – at the National, Lyttelton

Best New Musical
• Daddy Long Legs by Paul Gordon & John Caird – at the St James
• Loserville by James Bourne & Elliot Davis – at the Garrick
• Soho Cinders by George Stiles, Anthony Drewe & Elliot Davis – at Soho
• Sweet Smell of Success by Marvin Hamlisch & John Guare – at the Arcola
The Bodyguard by Alex Dinelaris – at the Adelphi
• Top Hat by Matthew White & Howard Jacques – at the Aldwych

Best Play Revival
• A Doll’s House – at the Young Vic
• Abigail’s Party – at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Wyndham’s
• Long Day’s Journey into Night – at the Apollo
• Our Boys – at the Duchess
• She Stoops to Conquer – at the National, Olivier
• The Judas Kiss – at Hampstead

The RADISSON BLU EDWARDIAN Best Musical Revival
• Jesus Christ Superstar – at the O2
• Kiss Me, Kate – at the Old Vic
• Merrily We Roll Along – at the Menier Chocolate Factory
• Singin’ in the Rain – at the Palace
Sweeney Todd – at the Adelphi
• Taboo – at Brixton Club House

Best Shakespearean Production
• Julius Caesar – RSC at the Noël Coward
• King Lear – at the Almeida
• Much Ado About Nothing – RSC at the Noël Coward
• Richard III – at Shakespeare’s Globe & the Apollo
• Timon of Athens – at the National, Olivier
Twelfth Night – at Shakespeare’s Globe & the Apollo

The TOTALLY THEATRE PRODUCTIONS Best Director
• Edward Hall – Chariots of Fire at Hampstead & the Gielgud
• Gregory Doran – Julius Caesar, RSC at the Noël Coward
Jonathan Kent - Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi
• Lindsay Posner – Abigail’s Party at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Wyndham’s, Noises Off at the Old Vic & Novello, Uncle Vanya at the Vaudeville
• Marianne Elliott – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time at the National, Cottesloe
• Thea Sharrock – The Bodyguard at the Adelphi

The FEAST Best Set Designer
• Bunny Christie - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time at the National, Cottesloe
• Hildegard Bechtler - Scenes from an Execution at the National, Lyttelton
• Michael Taylor - The Ladykillers at the Gielgud
• Miriam Buether - Chariots of Fire at Hampstead & the Gielgud, Wild Swans at the Young Vic & The Effect at the National, Cottesloe
• Tim Hatley - The Bodyguard at the Adelphi
Tom Scutt - The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe at Kensington Gardens & Constellations at the Royal Court Upstairs & Duke of York’s

The WHITE LIGHT Best Lighting Designer
• Humphrey McDermott - Let It Be at the Prince of Wales
Lee Curran – Constellations at the Royal Court Upstairs & Duke of York’s
• Mark Henderson - Sweeney Todd at the Adelphi
• Patrick Woodroffe - Jesus Christ Superstar at O2
• Paul Anderson - The Master & Margarita, Complicite at the Barbican
• Paule Constable - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time & This House at the National, Cottesloe

The made Best Choreographer
Andrew Wright - Singin’ in the Rain at the Palace
• Bill Deamer - Top Hat at the Aldwych
• Karen Bruce - Midnight Tango at the Aldwych
• Nathan M Wright - Sweet Smell of Success at the Arcola
• Scott Ambler - Chariots of Fire at Hampstead & the Gielgud
• Stephen Mear - Kiss Me, Kate at the Old Vic

The AUTOGRAPH Best Original Music
• Daddy Long Legs – Paul Gordon at the St James
• Soho Cinders – George Stiles at Soho
• The Last Session – Steve Schalchlin at the Tristan Bates
• The Magistrate – Richard Sisson at the National, Olivier
• The Recruiting Officer – Michael Bruce at the Donmar Warehouse
Sweet Smell of Success – Marvin Hamlisch at the Arcola

The DEWYNTERS London Newcomer of the Year
• Alex Lawther (actor) - South Downs at the Harold Pinter
• Joshua Miles (actor) - Bully Boy at the St James
• Lolita Chakrabarti (playwright) - Red Velvet at the Tricycle
• Maria Friedman (director) – Merrily We Roll Along at the Menier Chocolate Factory
• Rob Brydon (actor) - A Chorus of Disapproval at the Harold Pinter
Will Young (actor) – Cabaret at the Savoy

The BOOM ENTS Best Off-West End Production
• Desire Under the Elms – at Lyric Hammersmith
• Mad About the Boy – at the Bush, Young Vic & Unicorn theatres
• Shivered – at Southwark Playhouse
• Steel Pier – at the Union
Taboo – at the Brixton Club House
• Uncle Vanya – at The Print Room

The TICKETS.COM Best Regional Production
American Idiot – on tour
• Company – at Sheffield Crucible
• Gypsy – at Leicester Curve
• Medea – Headlong at Watford Palace & on tour
• The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – at Chichester Festival
• Wonderful Town – The Lowry, Salford & on tour

The EQUITY Best West End Show
Les Misérables – at the Queen’s
• Matilda the Musical – RSC at the Cambridge
• The Lion King – at the Lyceum
• The Phantom of the Opera – at Her Majesty’s
• War Horse – at the New London
• Wicked – at the Apollo Victoria

The AKA Theatre Event of the Year
Danny Boyle’s Olympics Opening Ceremony
• Jesus Christ Superstar’s arena tour, following the ITV casting competition Superstar
• Mark Rylance returning to Shakespeare’s Globe in Twelfth Night & Richard III
• The Globe to Globe season, all 37 plays in 37 different languages, as part of the World Shakespeare Festival
• The opening of the new state-of-the-art St James Theatre on the site of the demolished Westminster Theatre
• The premiere of the Susan Boyle bio-musical I Dreamed a Dream