Olivier Awards nominations 2022: Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club leads the pack
After a virtual ceremony in 2020 and no ceremony last year, the Olivier Awards are back this year with an in-person event, you may have heard. The nominations were announced today by Sam Tutty and Miriam Teak-Lee.
Some quick thoughts: Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club tops the Olivier Award nominations. The odds are in its favour. Lily Allen feels like a makeweight on this list – a so-so entry playing a hysterical wife in a contemporary haunted house-chiller. Where is Saoirse Ronan?
Frozen was mostly snubbed. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella was left out in the cold, with one nomination to its name: not even a nod for that fitful score. Back To The Future – The Musical, a new stage adaptation of the hit 1985 film, landed seven nominations, which was surprising.
On the play front, single nods for Anna X and The Shark is Broken feel kind of stingy. The ‘7 actors who play a tiger’ in Lolita Chakrabarti’s majestic Life of Pi nomination is amazing, the show secured 9 nods.
The Best Actress in a Musical must be the closest fought. Jessie Buckley gives a superb and utterly unique performance in Cabaret. Sutton Foster was totally totally mesmerising in Anything Goes. Not backing Anything Goes in the Best Revival of a Musical is a practically treasonable offence, but Cabaret inches into pole position on nearly every category. These two productions are toe-to-toe, so it will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Anyway, let’s have a recap of the nominees plus a guide to who should win each category.
Cunard Best Revival
A Number at The Old Vic
Constellations – Donmar Warehouse at Vaudeville Theatre
The Normal Heart at National Theatre – Olivier
The Tragedy Of Macbeth at Almeida Theatre
Who should win: The Normal Heart
Who will win: The Tragedy of Macbeth
Noël Coward/Geoffrey Johnson Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play
The Choir Of Man at Arts Theatre
Pantoland At The Palladium at The London Palladium
Pride And Prejudice* (*Sort Of) at Criterion Theatre
The Shark Is Broken at Ambassadors Theatre
Who should win: Pride and Prejudice (*Sort of)
Who will win: The Shark is Broken
Magic Radio Best Musical Revival
Anything Goes at Barbican Theatre
Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Spring Awakening at Almeida Theatre
Who should win: Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
Who will win: Anything Goes
Best Costume Design
Jon Morrell for Anything Goes at Barbican Theatre
Christopher Oram for Frozen at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Tom Scutt for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Catherine Zuber for Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Piccadilly Theatre
Who should win: Tom Scutt for Cabaret
Who will win: Tom Scutt for Cabaret
d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design
Ian Dickinson for 2:22 A Ghost Story at Noël Coward Theatre
Carolyn Downing for Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Nick Lidster for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Gareth Owen for Back To The Future – The Musical at Adelphi Theatre
Who should win: Carolyn Downing for Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Who will win: Gareth Owen for Back To The Future – The Musical at Adelphi Theatre
Best Original Score or New Orchestrations
Anything Goes – New Orchestrations: Bill Elliott, David Chase and Rob Fisher at Barbican Theatre
Back To The Future – The Musical – Composers: Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard; Orchestrations: Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook at Adelphi Theatre
Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical – Orchestrator: Simon Hale at Lyric Theatre
Life Of Pi – Composer: Andrew T. Mackay at Wyndham’s Theatre
Who should win: Anything Goes
Who will win: Life of Pi
Best Theatre Choreographer
Finn Caldwell for Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Julia Cheng for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Kathleen Marshall for Anything Goes at Barbican Theatre
Sonya Tayeh for Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Piccadilly Theatre
Who should win: Cabaret
Who will win: Cabaret
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
7 actors who play the Tiger for Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Dino Fetscher for The Normal Heart at National Theatre – Olivier
Nathaniel Parker for The Mirror And The Light at Gielgud Theatre
Danny Lee Wynter for The Normal Heart at National Theatre – Olivier
Who should win: 7 actors who play the Tiger
Who will win: Dino Fetscher
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Tori Burgess for Pride And Prejudice* (*Sort Of) at Criterion Theatre
Liz Carr for The Normal Heart at National Theatre – Olivier
Christina Gordon for Pride And Prejudice* (*Sort Of) at Criterion Theatre
Akiya Henry for The Tragedy Of Macbeth at Almeida Theatre
Who should win: Tori Burgess
Who will win: Tori Burgess
Blue-I Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Tim Hatley for Design and Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell for Puppets for Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Tim Hatley for Design and Finn Ross for Video Design for Back To The Future – The Musical at Adelphi Theatre
Derek McLane for Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Piccadilly Theatre
Tom Scutt for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Who should win: Life of Pi
Who will win: Life of Pi
White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Neil Austin for Frozen at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Isabella Byrd for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Tim Lutkin for Back To The Future – The Musical at Adelphi Theatre
Tim Lutkin and Andrzej Goulding for Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Who should win: Cabaret
Who will win: Frozen
Best Actress In A Supporting Role In A Musical
Gabrielle Brooks for Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at Lyric Theatre
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Cinderella at Gillian Lynne Theatre
Carly Mercedes Dyer for Anything Goes at Barbican Theatre
Liza Sadovy for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Who should win: Victoria Hamilton-Barritt
Who will win: Carly Mercedes Dyer
Best Actor In A Supporting Role In A Musical
Clive Carter for Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Piccadilly Theatre
Hugh Coles for Back To The Future – The Musical at Adelphi Theatre
Elliot Levey for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Gary Wilmot for Anything Goes at Barbican Theatre
Who should win: Elliot Levey
Who will win: Elliot Levey
Best Actor In A Musical
Olly Dobson for Back To The Future – The Musical at Adelphi Theatre
Arinzé Kene for Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at Lyric Theatre
Robert Lindsay for Anything Goes at Barbican Theatre
Eddie Redmayne for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Who should win: Eddie Redmayne
Who will win: Eddie Redmayne
Best Actress In A Musical
Jessie Buckley for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Sutton Foster for Anything Goes at Barbican Theatre
Beverley Knight for The Drifters Girl at Garrick Theatre
Stephanie McKeon for Frozen at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Who should win: JESSIE BUCKLEY
Who will win: JESSIE BUCKLEY
Best Actress
Lily Allen for 2:22 A Ghost Story at Noël Coward Theatre
Sheila Atim for Constellations – Donmar Warehouse at Vaudeville Theatre
Emma Corrin for Anna X at Harold Pinter Theatre
Cush Jumbo for Hamlet at Young Vic
Who should win: Emma Corrin
Who will win: Lily Allen
Best Actor
Hiran Abeysekera for Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Ben Daniels for The Normal Heart at National Theatre – Olivier
Omari Douglas for Constellations – Donmar Warehouse at Vaudeville Theatre
Charles Edwards for Best Of Enemies at Young Vic
Who should win: Hiran Abeysekera
Who will win: Ben Daniels
Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director
Rebecca Frecknall for Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Michael Longhurst for Constellations – Donmar Warehouse at Vaudeville Theatre
Kathleen Marshall for Anything Goes at Barbican Theatre
Max Webster for Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Who should win: Rebecca Frecknall
Who will win: Rebecca Frecknall
Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
10 Nights at Bush Theatre
Folk at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
The Invisible Hand at Kiln Theatre
Old Bridge at Bush Theatre
A Place For We at Park Theatre
Who should win: Folk at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
Who will win: 10 Nights at Bush Theatre
Best Family Show
Billionaire Boy at Garrick Theatre
Dragons And Mythical Beasts at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
What The Ladybird Heard at Palace Theatre
Wolf Witch Giant Fairy at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Who should win: Billionaire Boy at Garrick Theatre
Who will win: Billionaire Boy at Garrick Theatre
Best New Play
2:22 A Ghost Story at Noël Coward Theatre
Best Of Enemies at Young Vic
Cruise at Duchess Theatre
Life Of Pi at Wyndham’s Theatre
Who should win: Cruise
Who will win: Best of Enemies
Mastercard Best New Musical
Back To The Future – The Musical at Adelphi Theatre
The Drifters Girl at Garrick Theatre
Frozen at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at Lyric Theatre
Moulin Rouge! The Musical at Piccadilly Theatre
Who should win: Moulin Rouge!
Who will win: Moulin Rouge!
And there we have it.
The 2022 Olivier Awards take place on Sunday April 10 at the Royal Albert Hall.
