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