Olivier Awards (Society of West End Theatre Awards) 1976

THE SOCIETY OF WEST END THEATRE AWARDS 1976

Awards announced: December 1976

Designer of the Year

Winner:

* Farrah for Henry IV / Henry V, RSC at the Aldwych

Nominees:

* Eileen Diss for The Family Dance at the Criterion
* Farrah for Henry IV / Henry V, RSC at the Aldwych
* Ralph Koltai for Old World / Wild Oats, RSC at the Aldwych
* Alan Tagg for Confusions at the Apollo / Donkey’s Years at the Globe / Same Time Next Year

Director of the Year

Winner:

* Jonathan Miller for The Three Sisters, at the Cambridge

Nominees:

* Buzz Goodbody for Occupations / King Lear
* Terry Hands for Old World / Henry IV / Henry V, RSC at the Aldwych / The Merry Wives of Windsor
* Jonathan Miller for The Three Sisters, at the Cambridge
* Alan Strachan for Confusions / Shakespeare’s People / Yahoo, touring South Africa, USA etc., at the Apollo

Actor of the Year in a Revival

Winner:

* Alan Howard for Henry IV / Henry V, RSC at the Aldwych

Nominees:

* Tom Conti for Don Juan / The Devil’s Disciple, RSC at the Aldwych
* Albert Finney for Hamlet / Tamburlaine the Great, at the National
* Alan Howard for Henry IV / Henry V, RSC at the Aldwych
* Emrys James for Henry IV / Henry V, RSC at the Aldwych

Actress of the Year in a Revival

Winner:

* Dorothy Tutin for A Month In The Country, at the Albery

Nominees:

* Susan Fleetwood for The Playboy of the Western World / Hamlet / Tamburlaine the Great, at the National
* Geraldine McEwan for On Approval, at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
* Dorothy Tutin for A Month In The Country, at the Albery
* Googie Withers for The Cherry Orchard / An Ideal Husband

Actor of the Year in a New Play

Winner:

* Paul Copley for Far King and Country, at the Mermaid

Nominees:

* Richard Beckinsale for Funny Peculiar, at the Garrick
* Paul Copley for Far King and Country, at the Mermaid
* Frank Finlay for Watch It Come Down / Weapons of Happiness, at the National
* Alec McCowen for The Family Dance, at the Criterion

Actress of the Year in a New Play

Winner:

* Peggy Ashcroft for Old World, RSC at the Aldwych

Nominees:

* Peggy Ashcroft for Old World, RSC at the Aldwych
* Pauline Collins for Engaged
* Penelope Keith for Donkey’s Years, at the Globe
* Joan Plowright for The Bed Before Yesterday, at the Lyric

Comedy Performance of the Year

Winner:

* Penelope Keith for Donkey’s Years, at the Globe

Nominees:

* Peter Barkworth for Crown Matrimonial, at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
* Richard Beckinsale for Funny Peculiar, at the Garrick
* Penelope Keith for Donkey’s Years, at the Globe
* Geraldine McEwan for Oh, Coward, at the Criterion

Supporting Artist of the Year

Winner:

* Margaret Courtenay for Separate Tables, at the Apollo

Nominees:

* Margaret Courtenay for Separate Tables, at the Apollo
* Bill Fraser for The Fool / M. Perrichon’s Travels / Twelfth Night / The Circle, at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
* Trevor Peacock for Henry IV / Henry V / The Merry Wives of Windsor, RSC at the Aldwych
* Andre Van Gyseghem for Henry IV / Hamlet, RSC at the Aldwych

Comedy of the Year

Winner:

* Donkey’s Years by Michael Frayn, at the Globe

Nominees:

* The Bed Before Yesterday by Ben Travers, at the Lyric
* Confusions by Alan Ayckbourn, at the Apollo
* Donkey’s Years by Michael Frayn, at the Globe
* Funny Peculiar by Mike Stott, at the Garrick

Musical of the Year

Winner:

* A Chorus Line conceived by Michael Bennett, book by James Kirkwood & Nicolas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlish, lyrics by Edward Kleban, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Nominees:

* A Chorus Line conceived by Michael Bennett, book by James Kirkwood & Nicolas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlish, lyrics by Edward Kleban, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
* Ipi-Tombi by Bertah Egnos and Gail Lakier, at Her Majesty’s
* Side By Side By Sondheim lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Sytephen Sondheim and others: including Richard Rodgers and Julie Styne, at Wyndham’s
* Very Good Eddie by Guy Bolton and Jerome Kern, lyrics by P.G Wodehouse, at the Piccadilly

Play of the Year

Winner:

* Dear Daddy by Denis Cannan, at the Ambassadors

Nominees:

* Dear Daddy by Denis Cannan, at the Ambassadors
* For King and Country by John Wilson, at the Mermaid
* Funny Peculiar by Mike Stott, at the Garrick
* Old World by Arbuzov, adapted by A Nicolaeff, RSC at the Aldwych

The Society’s Special Award

Winner:

* Save London’s Theatres Campaign