THE SOCIETY OF WEST END THEATRE AWARDS 1979
Awards announced: 1979
Designer of the Year
Winner:
* William Dudley for Undiscovered Country, at the National
Nominees:
* John Bury for Strife, at the National
* William Dudley for Undiscovered Country, at the National
* John Napier for Once In A Lifetime, RSC at the Aldwych
* Carl Toms for For Services Rendered, at the National
Director of the Year
Winner:
* Michael Bogdanov for The Taming of the Shrew, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
* Michael Bogdanov for The Taming of the Shrew, RSC at the Aldwych
* Michael Elliott for The Family Reunion, at the Vaudeville
* Trevor Nunn for Once In A Lifetime, RSC at the Aldwych
* Michael Rudman for Death of a Salesman, at the National
Actor of the Year in a Revival
Winner:
Warren Mitchell for Death of a Salesman, at the National
Nominees:
* Michael Bryant for Strife, at the National
* Warren Mitchell for Death of a Salesman, at the National
* Jonathan Pryce for The Taming of the Shrew, RSC at the Aldwych
* Patrick Stewart for The Merchant of Venice, RSC at the Warehouse
Actress of the Year in a Revival
Winner:
* Zoe Wanamaker for Once In A Lifetime, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
* Billie Whitelaw for Happy Days, at the Royal Court
* Paola Dionisotti for The Taming of the Shrew, RSC at the Aldwych
* Glenda Jackson for Antony and Cleopatra, RSC at the Aldwych
* Zoe Wanamaker for Once In A Lifetime, RSC at the Aldwych
Actor of the Year in a New Play
Winner:
* Ian McKellen for Bent, at the Royal Court and the Criterion
Nominees:
* Michael Gambon for Betrayal, at the National
* Dinsdale Landen for Bodies, at the Ambassadors
* Ian McKellen for Bent, at the Royal Court and the Criterion
* John Standing for Close of Play, at the National
Actress of the Year in a New Play
Winner:
* Jane Lapotaire for Piaf, RSC at the Warehouse
Nominees:
* Constance Cummings for Wings, at the National
* Gemma Jones for And A Nightingale Sang, at the Queen’s
* Jane Lapotaire for Piaf, RSC at the Warehouse
* Jessica Tandy for The Gin Game, at the Lyric
Comedy Performance of the Year
Winner:
Barry Humphries for A Night With Dame Edna, at the Piccadilly
Nominees:
* Richard Griffiths for Once In A Lifetime, RSC at the Aldwych
* Barry Humphries for A Night With Dame Edna, at the Piccadilly
* Oscar James for Gloo Joo, at the Criterion
* Maureen Lipman for Outside Edge, at the Queen’s
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
* Winner: The Rake’s Progress – The Royal Opera, at the Royal Opera House
Nominees:
* Die Zauberflote – The Royal Opera, at the Royal Opera House
* Manon – English National Opera, at the London Coliseum
* The Adventures of Mr Broucek – English National Opera, at the Royal Opera House
* The Rake’s Progress – The Royal Opera, at the Royal Opera House
Actor of the Year in a Supporting Role
Winner:
Patrick Stewart for Antony and Cleopatra, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
* Michael Bryant for Undiscovered Country, at the National
* Stephen Greif for Death of A Salesman, at the National
* Patrick Stewart for Antony and Cleopatra, RSC at the Aldwych
* David Suchet for Once In A Lifetime, RSC at the Aldwych
Actress of the Year in a Supporting Role
Winner:
* Doreen Mantle for Death of A Salesman, at the National
Nominees:
* Carmen Du Sautoy for Once In A Lifetime, RSC at the Aldwych
* Alison Fiske for For Services Rendered, at the National
* Doreen Mantle for Death of A Salesman, at the National
* Patricia Routledge for And A Nightingale Sang, at the Queen’s
Actor of the Year in a Musical
Winner:
Anton Rodgers for Songbook, at the Globe
Nominees:
* Tony Britton for My Fair Lady, at the Adelphi
* Michael Crawford for Flowers for Algernon, at the Queen’s
* Ben Cross for Chicago, at the Cambridge
* Anton Rodgers for Songbook, at the Globe
Actress of the Year in a Musical
Winner:
* Virginia McKenna for The King and I, at the London Palladium
Nominees:
* Carol Channing for Hello Dolly, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
* Antonia Ellis for Chicago, at the Cambridge
* Virginia McKenna for The King and I, at the London Palladium
* Liz Robertson for My Fair Lady, at the Adelphi
Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Ballet
Winner:
* Peter Schaufuss for London Festival Ballet’s La Sylphide, at the Royal Festival Hall
Nominees:
* Kenneth MacMillan for Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet’s Playground, at Sadler’s Wells
* Peter Schaufuss for London Festival Ballet’s La Sylphide, at the Royal Festival Hall
* The Tempest – Ballet Rambert, at Sadler’s Wells
Comedy of the Year
Winner:
* Middle Age Spread by Roger Hall, at the Lyric
Nominees:
* Clouds by Michael Frayn, at the Duke of York’s
* Middle Age Spread by Roger Hall, at the Lyric
* Outside Edge by Richard Harris, at the Queen’s
Musical of the Year
Winner:
* Songbook by Monty Norman and Julian Moore, at the Globe
Nominees:
* Ain’t Misbehavin’ by Murray Horwitz, Richard Maltby and Luther Henderson, at Her Majesty’s
* Bar Mitzvah Boy – book: Jack Rosenthal, lyrics: Don Black, music: Julie Styne, at the Adelphi
* Chicago – book: Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music: John Kander, at the Cambridge
* Songbook by Monty Norman and Julian Moore, at the Globe
Play of the Year
Winner:
* Betrayal by Harold Pinter, at the National
Nominees:
* Betrayal by Harold Pinter, at the National
* Night and Day by Tom Stoppard, at the Phoenix
* The Crucifer of Blood by Arthur Conan Doyle, adapted by Paul Giovanni, at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
* Undiscovered Country by Arthur Schnitzler, adapted by Tom Stoppard, at the National
The Society’s Special Award
* Winner: Lord Olivier
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