The 36th annual awards, which are sponsored by MasterCard, will be held on Sunday 15 April 2012 at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, the first time that the venue has been used for the awards.

In 2012 the awards will run slightly later in the year, with nominations announced on Thursday 15 March 2012.

This year’s awards took place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

LINKS

Olivier Awards 2011 microsite

This year’s Olivier Awards winners

Amanda Holden, backstage at the 2011 Olivier Awards

Charlie Gray is a prominent London photographer, well known for his film and TV work and his coverage of the BAFTA film awards.

He started his career shooting reportage for magazines and this style of capturing the glamour of the entertainment industry, combined with the drama of normal life, has stood him in good stead. He has become well-known for getting beautiful shots of beautiful people outside of their on-camera, on-stage lives.

Last year he completed a “Year Behind The Scenes of British Film” project for The Sunday Times, requiring him to visit 20 film sets. Projects like this, and his work as the official photographer for BAFTA for the last four years, means that he has built up an impressive portfolio packed full of famous faces.

In recognition of the Olivier Award’s step-change this year, to become an altogether more glamorous face of the West End theatre industry, the Sunday Times commissioned Gray to go behind the scenes at the Olivier Awards for a Spectrum feature that ran in the Sunday Times magazine on 3 April. The beautiful colour and black and white shots feature a who’s who of London theatre including Amanda Holden, Stephen Sondheim, Barry Manilow, Elisabeth Moss, Angela Lansbury, Michael Ball, Sheridan Smith and Anne-Marie Duff.

A book and exhibition are the next the logical next steps for Gray, but for the time being he’s happy to be busy out there, getting the work done. “Perhaps next year after my 5th BAFTA”, he said.

LINKS

Charlie Gray’s website

The Sunday Times website

GALLERY

SUNDAY TIMES MAGAZINE SPREAD

Paul Gambaccini and Jodie Prenger, hosts of the BBC Radio 2 Olivier Awards coverage

Whilst it’s better to have the awards screened on the red button service than not on TV at all, we can’t help but compare to last year’s Tony Awards, which is broadcast live by CBS and got an average audience of 7 million.

The BBC has also admitted that filming the BBC Radio 2 transmission of the event on the red button service (Radio 2 is the main broadcast partner for the Olivier Awards), “did not meet audience expectations and we’re sorry for any disappointment caused to viewers, especially where it led to viewers missing key live moments from the stage”.

Here’s hoping that all of this results in the BBC widening their investment – and coverage – of the awards next year.

LINKS

Olivier Awards 2011 microsite

Olivier Awards – list of winners

GALLERY

THUMBNAILS

LISTEN & WATCH AGAIN

BBC iPlayer – Radio 2 coverage
BBC iPlayer – BBC News

LINKS

Olivier Awards – list of winners
Olivier Awards microsite
Olivier Awards – news
Olivier Awards – Binkie Blog’s Picks and Pans

That is was actually held in a theatre again (who knew that a London theatre would make a great venue for a London awards ceremony!)

How pregnant was Nancy Carroll? “Awards shock induces labour” headlines were thankfully (sadly) unnecessary.

Elaine Paige claiming all thanks for bringing the Olivier Awards back to the telly (well, kind of back to the telly, so long as you had a red button). Do you think Julian Bird of the Society of London Theatre felt that he might have  also helped to get the Beeb back on board?

Note to the BBC: Aren’t the Olivier Awards what BBC4 was created for? Why not shove it on there and be done with it?

No expense was spared on the television coverage of the BBC Radio 2 coverage… including Paul Gambaccini and Matt Wolf’s plastic punnets of grapes on display during the televised Radio 2 segments, and just enough microphones for about ONE GUEST.  That said, we did love Paul and Matt’s chattettes, but also resented the disastrous cutting away from the awards action, in particular missing the Railway Children receiving Best Entertainment was a crime. Isn’t the red button all about skipping about and being in lots of places at the same time, split screens, viewers deciding what to see and listen to?…

Barry Manilow’s face: scary, and clearly inspiration for Rupert Everett (and tell me again, other than Cobacabana The Musical playing in the West End in 1994, why was Barry there?)

The Stage’s Mark Shenton: please God have a holiday and don’t get up at 4.30am to listen to the Olivier Awards (although we are always pleased that you do make the effort).

I don’t care what they say, Jodie Prenger was a trouper doing the live Red Carpet coverage. You need someone who can just TALK INCESSENTLY whilst thrusting a microphone in the faces on posing celebrities – and she did the Larry’s proud.

Sheridan Smith’s heartfelt, natural speech when picking up best actress in a musical made us love her even more and we have a sneaky feeling she may be back next year for her part in Flare Path (and who wouldn’t swear on camera when you find out you’ve won a MAJOR AWARD?!)

LISTEN & WATCH AGAIN

BBC iPlayer – Radio 2 coverage

BBC iPlayer – BBC News

LINKS

Olivier Awards – list of winners

Olivier Awards microsite

Olivier Awards – news

Best actress in a musical winner Sheridan Smith

Hosted by musicals star Michael Ball and actress Imelda Staunton, the awards celebrate the best of the year’s London theatre.

Big winners last night included the National Theatre, which swept up seven awards for two of its productions: Thea Sharrock’s revival of Terence Rattigan’s After the Dance, which won awards including best revival, best actress for Nancy Carroll and best actor in a supporting role for Adrian Scarborough; and its production of Mikhail Bulgakov’s The White Guard, including best director for Howard Davies and best set design for Bunny Christie.

In other subsidised venues the Royal Court picked up three awards, including best new play for Bruce Norris’s comedy Clybourne Park, which is now playing at the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End, and two awards for the Donmar Warehouse, including David Thaxton picking up best actor in a musical for Passion.

Roger Allam won best actor for his performance as Falstaff in Shakespeare’s Globe’s production of Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, beating stiff competition from Rory Kinnear, Derek Jacobi, David Suchet and Mark Rylance.

The Olivier Awards were held at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

The most successful musical of the night was Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre, which picked up three major awards: best new musical, best actress in a musical for Sheridan Smith and best performance in a supporting role in a Musical for Jill Halfpenny.

Other musicals rewarded at the event included We Will Rock You, which won the Olivier Audience Award voted for by members of the theatregoing public, and the Open Air Theatre’s summer production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods.

Stephen Sondheim was presented with an Olivier Special Award for his enormous contribution to theatre, with the award presented by Sir Cameron Mackintosh and legendary actress Angela Lansbury.

Big shows to miss out on awards this year included Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies, which failed to pick up any awards despite seven nominations, and End of the Rainbow at the Trafalgar Studios, which was nominated for four awards including best actress for Tracie Bennett in her performance as Judy Garland.

Thea Sharrock picks up the Best Revival award for her production of After the Dance at the National Theatre

Notable performances during the ceremony included a star turn by legendary American singer Barry Manilow, who also sang a duet with Wicked and Oliver! star Kerry Ellis; current and former stars of The Phantom of the Opera and Love Never Dies – Ramin Karimloo, John Owen-Jones and Sierra Boggess; Emma Williams and Michael Xavier singing Everything We Know from Love Story; Alfie Boe, who is soon to star in Les Miserables at the Queen’s Theatre, singing Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific; Susan McFadden and the current cast of Legally Blonde; and Adrian Lester paying tribute to Stephen Sondheim by singing Being Alive from Company, along with Angela Lansbury singing a moving rendition of Liaisons from A Little Night Music and 400 students from national drama schools singing Our Time from Merrily We Roll Along.

LISTEN & WATCH AGAIN

BBC iPlayer – Radio 2 coverage

BBC iPlayer – BBC News

LINKS

Olivier Awards – list of winners

Olivier Awards microsite

Olivier Awards – news

Olivier Awards – Binkie Blog’s Picks and Pans

Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess, both nominated for Love Never Dies

This year’s Olivier Awards nominations were led by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s big new show Love Never Dies, securing 7 nominations including Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical for Ramin Karimloo and Best Actress in a Musical for Sierra Boggess.

However, Sunday’s awards at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane proved to be a disappointing night for Lord Lloyd Webber as the show was pipped to the post in all nomination categories.

Ramin Karimloo, who plays the role of the Phantom said last night that it was a “great evening” but a “shame” that the show didn’t win.

Sierra Bogges, who played Christine in the show, flies out of the UK this morning to start rehearsals for a new production of Master Class on Broadway alongside Tyne Daly. Celia Graham has taken over the role of Christine.

At the awards last night, Ramin Karimloo sang Til I Hear You Sing from Love Never Dies, and John Owen-Jones and Sierra Boggess performed The Phantom of the Opera.

In better news for Love Never Dies, its new star David Thaxton, who joined the cast earlier this month to play Raoul, won a Best Actor in a Musical award for his performance in Passion at the Donmar Warehouse.

Organised by the Society of London Theatre, the awards are the most popular and important in the British theatre calendar. This year they enjoyed an overhaul, with Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton hosting, MasterCard sponsoring the event and live broadcast by the BBC.

LINKS

Love Never Dies Special offer: Save £27.50 on tickets

Olivier Awards – list of winners

Olivier Awards microsite

Olivier Awards – news

We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre in London

Valid Monday to Friday evenings

The Audience Award at this year’s Olivier Awards 2011 has been won by acclaimed rock musical We Will Rock You.

Voted for by members of the theatregoing public, this prestigious award recognises the incredible impact that We Will Rock You has had on the West End since it opened in 2002 at the Dominion Theatre in London.

With standing ovations every night, this spectacular show combines the very best music from legendary band Queen with a brilliant script by Ben Elton. Seen by over 5 million people, the show includes 32 of Queen’s classic hits including Killer Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, and more.

Westendtheatre.com readers can now enjoy a special celebratory £24 off top price tickets to see the show. Also great We Will Rock You theatre and dinner deals are available.

Save £24 on tickets to WE WILL ROCK YOU – this year’s Audience Award winner at the 2011 Olivier Awards

Valid Monday to Thursdays

Denise van Outen in Legally Blonde

In another triumph for blonde power the riotously fun musical Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre in London has won Best New Musical at this year’s Olivier Awards.

To celebrate we have a FABULOUS new offer on the show – saving £26 on top price tickets to see one of the best musicals in town.

The show currently stars Susan McFadden (Grease) in the lead role of Elle Woods alongside TV star Denise Van Outen as Paulette, Simon Thomas (The Lion King) as Warner, Olivier Award nominee Alex Gaumond as Emmett and Peter Davison (Law & Order) as Callahan.

The show is based on the movie starring Reese Witherspoon about college sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods, who goes all out to prove to her ex-boyfriend Warner that she’s more than just a dumb blonde – by joining him at Harvard Law School. The show is directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin.

Save £26 on tickets to LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL – winner of this year’s Olivier Award for Best New Musical
Valid Monday to Thursdays

WINNERS

Society of London Theatre Special Award:
Stephen Sondheim

Best Actress:
Nancy Carroll for After the Dance at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Actor:
Roger Allam for Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
Michelle Terry for Tribes at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Adrian Scarborough for After the Dance, at the Lyttelton, NT

Best New Play:
Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court

Best Musical Revival:
Into the Woods at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Best New Musical:
Legally Blonde – The Musical book by Heather Hach, music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin at the Savoy

Best Entertainment:
The Railway Children by E Nesbit, adapted by Mike Kenny at the Waterloo Station Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical:
Sheridan Smith for Legally Blonde – The Musical at the Savoy

Best Actor in a Musical:
David Thaxton for Passion at the Donmar Warehouse

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical:
Jill Halfpenny for Legally Blonde – The Musical at the Savoy

Best Director:
Howard Davies for The White Guard at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Revival:
After the Dance directed by Thea Sharrock at the Lyttelton. NT

Best Theatre Choreographer:
Leon Baugh for Sucker Punch at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court

Best Lighting Design:
The White Guard designed by Neil Austin at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Set Design:
The White Guard designed by Bunny Christie at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Costume Design:
After the Dance designed by Hildegard Bechtler at the Lyttelton, NT

Best Sound Design:
King Lear designed by Adam Cork at the Donmar Warehouse

BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Most Popular Show:
We Will Rock You

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre:
Lyric Hammersmith for Blasted

Best New Opera Production:
OperaUpClose and Soho Theatre’s La Boheme at the Soho Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Opera:
Christian Gerhaher for his performance in the Royal Opera’s Tannhauser at the Royal Opera House

Best New Dance Production:
Babel (Words) by Eastman vzw and Royal Opera House La Monnaie at Sadler’s Wells, choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet

Outstanding Achievement in Dance:
Antony Gormley for his set design of Babel (Words) by Eastman vzw and Theatre Royal de la Monnaie at Sadler’s Wells

LINKS

Olivier Awards – Nominations 2011
Olivier Awards microsite
Olivier Awards news