Olivier Awards 2020: Winners Announced in Virtual Ceremony

This was an Olivier Awards like no other. Hosted by comedian Jason Manford at the London Palladium but delivered entirely via broadcast on YouTube and ITV, it was a celebration of theatre with no audience or industry in attendance.

Some key winners accepted their awards in person, but most speeches were delivered remotely. Almost all referenced the current crisis brought about by the pandemic. “When theatres go dark, something larger goes dark with them,” said Tom Stoppard, accepting Best New Play for Leopoldstadt, encapsulating the mood of the theatre community.

Other winners on the night included Broadway import Dear Evan Hansen, which won Best New Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Actor in a Musical (for Sam Tutty). New West End musical & Juliet also scooped three awards: Best Actor and Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical (for David Bedella and Cassidy Janson) and Best Actress in a Musical (for Miriam-Teak Lee).

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Matthew Bourne won his ninth award, named Best Theatre Choreographer – alongside Stephen Mear – for Mary Poppins, making him the individual bagging the most Oliviers.

Best Actress went to Sharon D. Clarke for her performance in the Young Vic’s Death of a Salesman; she was the first person to be nominated in all four performing categories and has now won in three of them. Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell won the Sir Peter Hall Best Director Award for the same production. Andrew Scott was named Best Actor for the Old Vic’s revival of Noel Coward’s Present Laughter.

The all-female creative team behind Emilia, a play which puts a twist on the all-male companies of Shakespeare’s day, won three awards. Best Entertainment or Comedy Play was accepted by its writer Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, with Joanna Scotcher winning Best Costume Design and Emma Laxton winning for Best Sound Design.

It was a ceremony that featured plenty of legendary names alongside new talent. Ian McKellen won his seventh Olivier Award for his 80th Birthday tour, which raised vital funds for theatres across the UK, while lyricist Don Black received his Special Award from his regular collaborator Andrew Lloyd Webber and HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

Theatre solidarity
But this was an evening not so much about individual winners as industry solidarity. In her speech, the Duchess thanked those working in theatre for their “determination and flexibility,” adding: “Please remain resilient – we need you and we have missed you.”

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Sharon D. Clarke, who closed the show with a stirring performance of Love Changes Everything from Aspects of Love, issued a passionate rallying cry in her earlier acceptance speech: “We must know what our incredible industry brings not only to the coffers, but to the soul of our nation.” She added: “Keep the faith, people. We will be back.”

Full list of 2020 Olivier Awards winners:

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
David Bedella for & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Cassidy Janson for & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations
Dear Evan Hansen – Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Orchestration by Alex Lacamoire at the Noël Coward Theatre

Best New Dance Production
Ingoma by Mthuthuzeli November for Ballet Black at the Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Sara Baras for her choreography and performance in Ballet Flamenco – Sombras at Sadler’s Wells

Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play
Emilia at the Vaudeville Theatre

Best Theatre Choreographer
Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival
Fiddler on the Roof at the Playhouse Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical
Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical
Miriam-Teak Lee for & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre

Cunard Best Play Revival
Cyrano De Bergerac at the Playhouse Theatre

Best Family Show
The Worst Witch at the Vaudeville Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Baby Reindeer at the Bush Theatre

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Paule Constable for The Ocean at the End of the Lane at the National Theatre – Dorfman

Royal Albert Hall Award for Best Sound Design
Emma Laxton for Emilia at the Vaudeville Theatre

Best Costume Design
Joanna Scotcher for Emilia at the Vaudeville Theatre

Blue-I Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Adrian Scarborough for Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Indira Varma for Present Laughter at the Old Vic

Best New Opera Production
Billy Budd at the Royal Opera House

Outstanding Achievement in Opera
The Children’s Ensemble for their performance in Noye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford East

Best Actor in a Play
Andrew Scott for Present Laughter at the Old Vic

Best Actress in a Play
Sharon D. Clarke for Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic and the Piccadilly Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director
Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell for Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic and the Piccadilly Theatre

American Airlines Best New Play
Leopoldstadt at the Wyndham’s Theatre

Mastercard Best New Musical
Dear Evan Hansen at the Noël Coward Theatre