The shortlist for this year’s Audience Award For Most Popular Show, voted for by visitors to the Official London Theatre website pits WE WILL ROCK YOU up against Billy Elliot, The Phantom Of The Opera, War Horse and Wicked.
Thanks to all who voted in the first round and got We Will Rock You on the shortlist. Voting has now re-opened for the final round.
To vote for We Will Rock You please click over to link
Voting closes at 17:00 on Wednesday 17 March 2010.
The Royal Court Theatre has an impressive total of 15 nominations, over ten categories and four productions, followed by the Donmar with ten and the National Theatre with nine.
In an outstanding year for drama in London theatre, new plays and revivals of classics lead the pack in the nominations for the 2010 Laurence Olivier Awards. The strength of talent has been so strong that the Best Actor, Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Revival categories have been extended to six nominations each.
Lucy Prebble’s ENRON and Jez Butterworth’s JERUSALEM have six nominations each, going head to head in the Best New Play category, along with Katori Hall’s THE MOUNTAINTOP and John Logan’s RED.
Revival plays also had a very strong year, with an unprecedented six productions being nominated. Tennessee Williams’ CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE join A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE, THE MISANTHROPE, ARCADIA and THREE DAYS OF RAIN in the Best Revival category.
Best Actor is extended to six nominations to acknowledge the performances of James Earl Jones, Jude Law, James McAvoy, Mark Rylance, Ken Stott and Samuel West. The leading ladies are equally impressive with Gillian Anderson, Lorraine Burroughs, Imelda Staunton, Juliet Stevenson and Rachel Weisz all nominated in the Best Actress category.
Keira Knightley faces stiff competition in the extended Best Actress in a Supporting Role shortlist from fellow nominees Hayley Atwell, Michelle Dockery, Alexandra Gilbreath, Rachel Stirling and Ruth Wilson. Best Actor in a Supporting Role nominees Mackenzie Crook, Rory Kinnear, Tim Pigott-Smith and Eddie Redmayne round off the list of acting awards which showcases the finest international and home grown talent.
Rising star Bijan Sheibani is nominated for the first time in the Best Director category, for OUR CLASS at the Cottesloe. He is joined on the list by four firmly established talents: Rupert Goold for ENRON, Michael Grandage for HAMLET, Lindsay Posner for A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE and Ian Rickson for JERUSALEM.
The shortlist for this year’s Audience Award For Most Popular Show, voted for by visitors to the Official London Theatre website pits BILLY ELLIOT, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, WAR HORSE, WE WILL ROCK YOU and WICKED against each other. Members of the public can choose their winner at link.
Spice Girl Melanie C heads up the nominations for Best Actress in a Musical or Entertainment for her performance in BLOOD BROTHERS and is up against Patina Miller in SISTER ACT, Samantha Spiro in HELLO DOLLY!, Hannah Waddingham in a LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC and Charlotte Wakefield in SPRING AWAKENING. Rowan Atkinson is nominated as Best Actor in a Musical or Entertainment for his portrayal of Fagin in OLIVER!
The Royal Opera House dominates the opera categories with six nominations, while Rambert Dance Company receives two nominations in the dance categories.
The Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre has three nominations this year: Soho Theatre and Tiata Fahodzi’s IYA ILE (THE FIRST WIFE). The Tricycle Theatre’s THE GREAT GAME and The Royal Court’s COCK.