Olivier Awards 2020: Who Will Win, Who Should Win

& Juliet

The nominations have been announced for this year’s Olivier Awards, led by the musicals & Juliet, Fiddler on the Roof and Dear Evan Hansen.

These awards are theatre’s biggest accolades. It is probably worth mentioning that members of the Society of London Theatre themselves choose who to nominate – and also who wins.

More power to commercial producers.

Obviously, omissions are a given.

No awards shortlist is ever perfect – it is impossible to recognise everyone that deserves it. (And while we are on the subject where’s the Young Vic’s earth-quaking production of Fairview or the National Theatre’s spellbinding Small Island in the nominations?)

From the nominees I have picked my deserving winners in some key categories, and I’ve also taken a guess at who might actually win. Wild cards include Amélie The Musical and Upstart Crow. 

Anyway, I will be there on the night to cause some mischief. So that’s something for you all to look forward to. 

Amélie The Musical

Note: don’t get me started on Mary Poppins – no idea why it is eligible – this is a slick remount of a 15 year old production. Depressing.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical                       

Will win: Jack Loxton for Dear Evan Hansen

Should win:  Stewart Clarke for Fiddler On The Roof

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Will win:  Petula Clark for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre                       

Should win:  Cassidy Janson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre                       

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations

Will win: Dear Evan Hansen – Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Orchestration by Alex Lacamoire 

Should win:  Amélie The Musical – Musical Supervisor and Arrangements by Barnaby Race at The Other Palace

Noel Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play

Will win: Fleabag at Wyndham’s Theatre

Should win:  Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre

Best Theatre Choreographer

Will win: Jerome Robbins and Matt Cole for Fiddler On The Roof

Should win:  Jennifer Weber for & Juliet

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

Will win: Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Should win:  Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium

Best Actor in a Musical

Will win: Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen

Should win:  Andy Nyman for Fiddler On The Roof

Best Actress in a Musical

Will win: Miriam-Teak Lee for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Should win:  Miriam-Teak Lee for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Cunard Best Revival

Will win: Present Laughter at The Old Vic

Should win:  Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre                       

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre

Will win: Blues In The Night at Kiln Theatre

Should win:  Baby Reindeer at Bush Theatre

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design

Will win: Neil Austin for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre

Should win:  Neil Austin for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Will win: Arinzé Kene for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic                           

Should win:  Adrian Scarborough for Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Will win: Sophie Thompson for Present Laughter at The Old Vic

Should win:  Sophie Thompson for Present Laughter at The Old Vic

Best Actor

Will win: Wendell Pierce for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre

Should win:  Wendell Pierce for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre

Best Actress

Will win: Sharon D. Clarke for Death Of A Salesman at Piccadilly Theatre

Should win: Sharon D. Clarke for Death Of A Salesman at Piccadilly Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

Will win: Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre                       

Should win:  Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre                       

American Airlines Best New Play

Will win: The Doctor at Almeida Theatre

Should win: Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre

Mastercard Best New Musical 

Will win: Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

Should win: & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre  

Come back on the night to see how I did on the night, but be quick because I’m definitely going to come back and change all my predictions so that it looks like I knew what I was talking about.

Full list of Olivier Awards 2020 nominations:

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical                       

• David Bedella for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre                       
• Stewart Clarke for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre   
• Jack Loxton for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre                       
• Rupert Young for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre                       

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

• Lucy Anderson for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre
• Petula Clark for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre                       
• Cassidy Janson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre                       
• Lauren Ward for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations                

• & Juliet – New Orchestrations by Bill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro at Shaftesbury Theatre
• Amélie The Musical – Musical Supervisor and Arrangements by Barnaby Race at The Other Palace
• Dear Evan Hansen – Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Orchestration by Alex Lacamoire at Noël Coward Theatre                       
• Fiddler On The Roof – New Orchestrations by Jason Carr at Playhouse Theatre
• Waitress – Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles at Adelphi Theatre                       

Best New Dance Production

• La Fiesta by Israel Galván at Sadler’s Wells
• Ingoma by Mthuthuzeli November for Ballet Black at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
• MÁM by Michael Keegan-Dolan for Teaċ Daṁsa at Sadler’s Wells
• Vessel by Damien Jalet & Kohei Nawa at Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

• Sara Baras for her choreography and performance in Ballet Flamenco – Sombras at Sadler’s Wells
• Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for her performance in Mitten Wir Im Leben Sind/Bach6Cellosuiten at Sadler’s Wells
• Gisèle Vienne for her choreography of Crowd, presented by Dance Umbrella at
  Sadler’s Wells

Noel Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play

• Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre                       
• Fleabag at Wyndham’s Theatre                       
• Magic Goes Wrong at Vaudeville Theatre                       
• The Upstart Crow at Gielgud Theatre                       

Best Theatre Choreographer                 

• Fabian Aloise for Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre
• Jerome Robbins and Matt Cole for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre
• Jennifer Weber for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre                       

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival

• Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre                       
• Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre                       
• Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium
• Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre                       

Best Actor in a Musical

• Andy Nyman for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre
• Charlie Stemp for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre
• Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre                       
• Jac Yarrow for Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium                                   

Best Actress in a Musical

• Audrey Brisson for Amélie The Musical at The Other Palace                        
• Judy Kuhn for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre         
• Miriam-Teak Lee for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre                       
• Zizi Strallen for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre

Cunard Best Revival                                                        

• Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre                       
• Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre                       
• Present Laughter at The Old Vic                           
• Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre                       

Best Family Show

• Mr Gum And The Dancing Bear – The Musical! at National Theatre – Dorfman
• Oi Frog & Friends! at Lyric Theatre
• To The Moon And Back at Barbican Theatre
• The Worst Witch at Vaudeville Theatre 

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre

• Baby Reindeer at Bush Theatre
• Blues In The Night at Kiln Theatre
• Our Lady Of Kibeho at Theatre Royal Stratford East
• Seven Methods Of Killing Kylie Jenner at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
• Warheads at Park Theatre

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design                        

• Neil Austin for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre
• Paule Constable for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman
• Howard Hudson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre                       
• Bruno Poet for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre                       

Royal Albert Hall Award for Best Sound Design

• Gregory Clarke for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre
• Emma Laxton for Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre
• Ben and Max Ringham for ANNA at National Theatre – Dorfman
• Ben and Max Ringham for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre

Best Costume Design                        

• Hugh Durrant for Goldilocks And The Three Bears at The London Palladium
• Jonathan Lipman for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre         
• Joanna Scotcher for Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre           
• Paloma Young for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre                       

Blue-I Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design

• Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre                       
• Soutra Gilmour for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre                       
• Rae Smith for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre                       
• Rae Smith for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre                       

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

• Arinzé Kene for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic                           
• Colin Morgan for All My Sons at The Old Vic                           
• Adrian Scarborough for Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre                       
• Reece Shearsmith for A Very Expensive Poison at The Old Vic

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

• Michele Austin for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre
• Sophie Thompson for Present Laughter at The Old Vic
• Indira Varma for Present Laughter at The Old Vic
• Josie Walker for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman  

Best New Opera Production

• Berenice at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
• Billy Budd at Royal Opera House
• Hansel And Gretel at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Noye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford East

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

• Jette Parker Young Artists for their performances in Berenice, Death In Venice and Phaedra at Royal Opera House
• The Children’s Ensemble for their performance in Noye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford East
• Martyn Brabbins and James Henshaw for their conducting of The Mask Of Orpheus for English National Opera at London Coliseum

Best Actor                         

• Toby Jones for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre                       
• James McAvoy for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre
• Wendell Pierce for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre
• Andrew Scott for Present Laughter at The Old Vic                           

Best Actress

• Hayley Atwell for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre                       
• Sharon D. Clarke for Death Of A Salesman at Piccadilly Theatre
• Juliet Stevenson for The Doctor at Almeida Theatre                       
• Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at Wyndham’s Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director                      

• Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre                       
• Jamie Lloyd for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre                       
• Trevor Nunn for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre                       
• Ian Rickson for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre                                                     

American Airlines Best New Play

• A Very Expensive Poison at The Old Vic
• The Doctor at Almeida Theatre