Honoring the best of London theater, the Laurence Olivier Awards celebrated its 40th anniversary April 3 at the iconic Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. Hosted by two-time Olivier winner Michael Ball, the ceremony was broadcasted live for the first time on YouTube, allowing audiences from around the world to tune into the show’s results and special performances.
This year’s most nominated production, the Jonathan Kent-directed “Gypsy” at the Savoy Theatre, came away the big winner with wins for best musical revival, lighting designer Mark Henderson, and stars Imelda Staunton and Lara Pulver. The National Theatre was also represented with four wins, including best actress in a play Denise Gough for Duncan Macmillan’s “People, Places And Things.”
Gough, who has earned rapturous reviews for her portrayal of an actor struggling with drug addiction, beat out fellow nominees Nicole Kidman and Gemma Arterton. “I won,” she said later on the red carpet, “so now I win the world. Now I have so much power! And I am going to use it for good.”
Perhaps the night’s biggest winner was Dame Judi Dench, who broke her own record as the Olivier Awards’ winningest performer. Her work as Paulina in Kenneth Branagh’s production of “The Winter’s Tale” marks the eighth time the revered actor has taken home a statue. “I had a bet with my grandson, and he’s won,” said Dench after accepting the award for best actress in a supporting role.
Although “In the Heights” did not win best new musical, its author Lin-Manuel Miranda was honored with the Autograph Sound Award for outstanding achievement in music. The King’s Cross Theatre production also received wins for choreographer Drew McOnie and supporting actor David Bedella. Kenneth Cranham triumphed over Benedict Cumberbatch and Mark Rylance for his leading performance in “The Father” at Wyndham's Theatre, while Mark Gatiss earned supporting actor in a play for Patrick Marber’s adaptation of Turganev’s “Three Days In The Country.” Matt Henry took home best actor in a musical for “Kinky Boots.”
Among the evening’s awards presenters were Uzo Aduba, Shirley Bassey, Noma Dumezweni, Alfred Enoch, Kit Harington, Eddie Izzard, Rory Kinnear, Vanessa Redgrave, and Amber Riley. To mark the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, Jack Savoretti delivered the Bard’s 18th sonnet; he was given a heartfelt introduction by Rory Kinnear, the last person to win an Olivier for a Shakespeare role.
Imelda Staunton and Lara Pulver perform a number from “Gypsy” at the 2016 Olivier Awards April 3. Photo by Alastair Muir.
Staunton and the company of “Gypsy” opened the ceremony with a number from the musical; the casts of the other nominees for best musical revival, “Bugsy Malone,” “Guys And Dolls,” and “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers” performed as well. New musical nominees “Bend It Like Beckham,” “In The Heights,” and “Mrs. Henderson Presents” also took to the stage to offer a glimpse of their shows; “Kinky Boots,” the category’s winner, staged a special performance from the show’s musician-lyricist Cyndi Lauper. The ceremony closed with a touching rendition of “What I Did for Love” from “A Chorus Line” by several Olivier winners.
For highlights from this year’s list of Olivier Award winners, see below. For the full list, visit olivierawards.com.
Best Actor
Kenneth Cranham for The Father at Wyndham's Theater (WINNER)
Kenneth Branagh for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theater
Benedict Cumberbatch for Hamlet at Barbican Theater
Adrian Lester for Red Velvet at Garrick Theater
Mark Rylance for Farinelli and The King at Duke of York's Theater
Best Actress
Denise Gough for People, Places and Things at National Theater, Dorfman (WINNER)
Gemma Arterton for Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theater
Nicole Kidman for Photograph 51 at Noël Coward Theater
Janet McTeer for Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Donmar Warehouse
Lia Williams for Oresteia at Almeida Theater
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Judi Dench for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theater (WINNER)
Michele Dotrice for Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theater
Melody Grove for Farinelli and the King at Duke of York's Theater
Catherine Steadman for Oppenheimer at Vaudeville Theater
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mark Gatiss for Three Days In The Country at National Theater, Lyttelton (WINNER)
Michael Pennington for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theater
Tom Sturridge for American Buffalo at Wyndham's Theater
David Suchet for The Importance of Being Earnest at Vaudeville Theater
Best Director
Robert Icke for Oresteia at Almeida Theater (WINNER)
Rob Ashford and Kenneth Branagh for The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theater
Matthew Dunster for Hangmen at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court & Wyndham's Theater
Jonathan Kent for Gypsy at Savoy Theater
Best Actor in a Musical
Matt Henry for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theater (WINNER)
David Haig for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theater
Ian Bartholomew for Mrs Henderson Presents at Noël Coward Theater
Jamie Parker for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theater
Killian Donnelly for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theater
Best Actress in a Musical
Imelda Staunton for Gypsy at Savoy Theater (WINNER)
Laura Pitt-Pulford for Seven Brides For Seven Brothers at Regent's Park Open Air Theater
Natalie Dew for Bend It Like Beckham at Phoenix Theater
Sophie Thompson for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theater
Tracie Bennett for Mrs Henderson Presents at Noël Coward Theater
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
David Bedella for In The Heights at King’s Cross Theater (WINNER)
Dan Burton for Gypsy at Savoy Theater
Gavin Spokes for Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theater
Peter Davison for Gypsy at Savoy Theater
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Lara Pulver for Gypsy at Savoy Theater (WINNER)
Amy Lennox for Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theater
Emma Williams for Mrs Henderson Presents at Noël Coward Theater
Preeya Kalidas for Bend It Like Beckham at Phoenix Theater
Best New Play
Hangmen at Jerwood Theater Downstairs at the Royal Court and Wyndham's Theater (WINNER)
Farinelli And The King at Duke of York's Theater
People, Places And Things at National Theater, Dorfman
The Father at Wyndham's Theater
Best Revival
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at National Theatre, Lyttelton (WINNER)
Hamlet at Barbican Theater
Les Liaisons Dangereuses at Donmar Warehouse
The Winter's Tale at Garrick Theater
Best New Musical
Kinky Boots at Adelphi Theater (WINNER)
Bend It Like Beckham at Phoenix Theater
In The Heights at King’s Cross Theater
Mrs Henderson Presents at Noël Coward Theater
Best Musical Revival
Gypsy at Savoy Theater (WINNER)
Bugsy Malone at Lyric Hammersmith
Guys And Dolls at Savoy Theater
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers at Regent's Park Open Air Theater
Best New Comedy
Nell Gwynn at Apollo Theater (WINNER)
A Christmas Carol at Noël Coward Theater
Hand To God at Vaudeville Theater
Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Apollo Theater
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