22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards

teamyali
Ensemble

252 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Dec 21, 2021 12:12:45 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by teamyali on Dec 21, 2021 12:12:45 GMT

The People’s Choice Awards for Theatre, ehem, WhatsOnStage Awards (WOS Awards) is back!!!

Surprised there’s no separate thread for this, so I decided to create one.

Nominees in full (https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/nominees-for-22nd-annual-whatsonstage-awards_55507.html):

Voting is open until 21 January 2022, and the awards ceremony on 27 February 2022.

SPOILER: Click to show

BEST PERFORMER IN A MALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Roger Bart - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
Olly Dobson - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
Arinzé Kene - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
Julian Ovenden - South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre
Eddie Redmayne – Cabaret, Playhouse Theatre - Kit Kat Club
Ivano Turco – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre

BEST PERFORMER IN A FEMALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Aimie Atkinson - Pretty Woman, Piccadilly Theatre & Savoy Theatre
Samantha Barks - Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Jessie Buckley – Cabaret, Playhouse Theatre - Kit Kat Club
Carrie Hope Fletcher – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
Beverley Knight - The Drifters Girl, Garrick Theatre
Stephanie McKeon - Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A MALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Blake Patrick Anderson - Be More Chill, The Other Palace & Shaftesbury Theatre
Hugh Coles - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
Robert Lindsay - Anything Goes, Barbican Centre
Cedric Neal - Back to the Future the Musical - Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
Oliver Ormson – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Obioma Ugoala – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A FEMALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A MUSICAL - Sponsored by Newman Displays
Joanna Ampil - South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre
Gabrielle Brooks - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
Carly Mercedes Dyer - Anything Goes, Barbican Centre
Millie O'Connell - Rent, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Rebecca Trehearn – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre

BEST PERFORMER IN A MALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A PLAY
Richard Armitage - Uncle Vanya, Harold Pinter Theatre
Ben Daniels - The Normal Heart, National Theatre
Omari Douglas – Constellations, Vaudeville Theatre
Hadley Fraser - 2:22 A Ghost Story, Noël Coward Theatre
Henry Lewis - Magic Goes Wrong, Vaudeville Theatre & Apollo Theatre
James McAvoy - Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre

BEST PERFORMER IN A FEMALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A PLAY
Lily Allen - 2:22 A Ghost Story, Noël Coward Theatre
Gemma Arterton – Walden, Harold Pinter Theatre
Sheila Atim – Constellations, Vaudeville Theatre
Emma Corrin - Anna X, Harold Pinter Theatre, The Lowry, Salford
Patsy Ferran - Camp Siegfried, The Old Vic
Saoirse Ronan - The Tragedy of Macbeth, Almeida Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A MALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A PLAY
Stephen K Amos - My Night with Reg, The Turbine Theatre
Dino Fetscher - The Normal Heart, National Theatre
Nathaniel Parker - The Mirror and the Light, Gielgud Theatre
Richard Rankin - The Tragedy of Macbeth, Almeida Theatre
Jonathan Sayer - Magic Goes Wrong, Vaudeville Theatre & Apollo Theatre
Jake Wood - 2:22 A Ghost Story, Noël Coward Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A FEMALE IDENTIFYING ROLE IN A PLAY
Michelle Fox - Shining City, Theatre Royal Stratford East
Akiya Henry - The Tragedy of Macbeth, Almeida Theatre
Penny Layden - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre & Duke of York's Theatre
Isobel McArthur - Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), Criterion Theatre
Aimee Lou Wood - Uncle Vanya, Harold Pinter Theatre
Nancy Zamit - Magic Goes Wrong, Vaudeville Theatre & Apollo Theatre

BEST NEW MUSICAL - Sponsored by Travelzoo
Back to the Future the Musical - Adelphi Theatre
Cinderella - Gillian Lynne Theatre
Frozen - Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical - Lyric Theatre
Pretty Woman the Musical - Piccadilly Theatre & Savoy Theatre
Moulin Rouge! - Piccadilly Theatre

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL - Sponsored by Concord Theatricals
Anything Goes - Barbican Centre
Cabaret - Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Carousel - Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Rent - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
South Pacific - Chichester Festival Theatre
West Side Story - Curve, Leicester

BEST NEW PLAY - Sponsored by Ticketmaster
2:22 A Ghost Story - Noël Coward Theatre
J'Ouvert - Harold Pinter Theatre, Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Leopoldstadt – Wyndham's Theatre
Magic Goes Wrong - Vaudeville Theatre & Apollo Theatre
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) - Criterion Theatre
The Ocean at the End of the Lane - National Theatre & Duke of York's Theatre

BEST PLAY REVIVAL
Constellations - Vaudeville Theatre
Cyrano de Bergerac - Playhouse Theatre
My Night with Reg - The Turbine Theatre
The Normal Heart - National Theatre
The Tragedy of Macbeth - Almeida Theatre
Uncle Vanya - Harold Pinter Theatre

BEST OFF-WEST END PRODUCTION - Sponsored by Les Misérables
Anything is Possible if You Think About it Hard Enough - Southwark Playhouse
My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?) - The Turbine Theatre
Old Bridge - Bush Theatre
Pippin - Charing Cross Theatre
Saving Britney - Old Red Lion Theatre
The Last Five Years - Southwark Playhouse

BEST REGIONAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
Bedknobs and Broomsticks the Musical - UK tour
Bloody Elle - A Gig Musical - Manchester Royal Exchange
Rent - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
South Pacific - Chichester Festival Theatre
West Side Story - Curve, Leicester
What's New Pussycat? – Birmingham Repertory Theatre

BEST WEST END SHOW - Sponsored by Dewynters
Come From Away - Phoenix Theatre
Hamilton - Victoria Palace Theatre
Les Misérables - Sondheim Theatre
Six the Musical - Vaudeville Theatre
The Play That Goes Wrong - Duchess Theatre
Wicked - Apollo Victoria Theatre

BEST DIRECTION - Sponsored by LOVEtheatre
Clint Dyer - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
Yaël Farber - The Tragedy of Macbeth, Almeida Theatre
Rebecca Frecknall – Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Michael Grandage – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Jamie Lloyd - Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre
Katy Rudd - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre & Duke of York's Theatre

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Rob Ashford - Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Drew McOnie – Carousel, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Kathleen Marshall - Anything Goes, Barbican Centre
Shelley Maxwell - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
Sonya Tayeh - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre
Ann Yee - South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre

BEST SET DESIGN
Fly Davis - The Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre & Duke of York's Theatre
Jamie Harrison - Bedknobs and Broomsticks the Musical, UK tour
Tim Hatley - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
Derek McLane - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre
Christopher Oram – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Tom Scutt – Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Lisa Duncan - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
Christopher Oram – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Tom Scutt – Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Gabriella Slade - Bedknobs and Broomsticks the Musical, UK tour
Gabriela Tylesova – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
Catherine Zuber - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN - Sponsored by White Light
Neil Austin – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Charles Balfour - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
Isabella Byrd – Cabaret, Playhouse Theatre, Kit Kat Club
Tim Lutkin - Back to the Future the Musical, Adelphi Theatre
Bruno Poet – Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre
Justin Townsend - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION – Sponsored by AKA
Leo Munby - The Last Five Years, Vaudeville Theatre
Tom Deering - Carousel, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Sean Green - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre
Justin Levine - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre
Stephen Oremus – Frozen - Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Katy Richardson - Rent, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

BEST SOUND DESIGN - Sponsored by Stage & Sound Services
Adam Cork – Leopoldstadt, Wyndham's Theatre
Adam Fisher - The Last Five Years, Southwark Playhouse & Vaudeville Theatre
Paul Groothuis - South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre
Peter Hylenski - Moulin Rouge!, Piccadilly Theatre
Gareth Owen - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
Ben and Max Ringham - Cyrano de Bergerac, Playhouse Theatre

BEST VIDEO DESIGN
Nina Dunn - The Shark is Broken, Ambassadors Theatre
Akhila Krishnan - What's New Pussycat?, Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Mikaela Liakata and Tal Yarden - Anna X, Harold Pinter Theatre & The Lowry, Salford
Finn Ross - Back to the Future the Musical, Manchester Opera House & Adelphi Theatre
Finn Ross – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Tal Yarden - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre

BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN - Sponsored by Hexagon Print
Christopher D Clegg - The Wiz, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Feast Creative - Romeo and Juliet, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Feast Creative – Rent, Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
Bob King Creative – Frozen, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Muse Creative Communications - RE:EMERGE Season, Harold Pinter Theatre
Michael Nash Associates - Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, Lyric Theatre

Time for discussions and predictions!!

Last Edit: Dec 21, 2021 14:19:55 GMT by teamyali

inthenose
Swing

1,835 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Dec 21, 2021 12:59:14 GMT via mobile poster J, Being Alive, and 1 more like this

Quote

Post by inthenose on Dec 21, 2021 12:59:14 GMT

Laughable. Not that the WoS awards ever had any credibility, but a snub for Sutton Foster just about sums up what a sham these "awards" are - and have always been. Carrie Hope Fletcher will win, by the way.

fiyerorocher
Swing

815 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Dec 21, 2021 13:29:05 GMT

Quote

Post by fiyerorocher on Dec 21, 2021 13:29:05 GMT

I'm actually okay with the fact someone who never publicly apologised for being racist didn't get an award nom, but maybe that's just me.

dlevi
Ensemble

407 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Dec 21, 2021 13:57:14 GMT distantcousin, mkb, and 2 more like this

Quote

Post by dlevi on Dec 21, 2021 13:57:14 GMT

Dec 21, 2021 13:29:05 GMT fiyerorocher said:

I'm actually okay with the fact someone who never publicly apologised for being racist didn't get an award nom, but maybe that's just me.

Actually she's not racist. Putting the incident in question in context you'd realize that.

It was a decade ago at a benefit for The Trevor Project a charity which supports LGBTQ+. teens. Named after a short film which featured a young boy obsessed with ( among other things) Diana Ross who in fact lip syncs to Ms Ross. I guess in your book that too wouldbe considered racist? Ms Foster performed Jennifer Holiday's version of "And I'm Telling You" as any devoted fan of Ms Holliday's would, with all the various vocal stylizations intact.

It was over a decade ago when people were less sensitive than they are now. Ms Foster did apologize privately to the Anything Goes company and the staff at the Barbican. Her being "snubbed" by the WOS Awards probably has more to do with the fact that she won't be in town and available to perform at the Awards or show up at their party for photo ops more than anything else.

fiyerorocher
Swing

815 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Dec 21, 2021 14:17:22 GMT andrew likes this

Quote

Post by fiyerorocher on Dec 21, 2021 14:17:22 GMT

Dec 21, 2021 13:57:14 GMT dlevi said:

Dec 21, 2021 13:29:05 GMT fiyerorocher said:

I'm actually okay with the fact someone who never publicly apologised for being racist didn't get an award nom, but maybe that's just me.

Actually she's not racist. Putting the incident in question in context you'd realize that.

It was a decade ago at a benefit for The Trevor Project a charity which supports LGBTQ+. teens. Named after a short film which featured a young boy obsessed with ( among other things) Diana Ross who in fact lip syncs to Ms Ross. I guess in your book that too wouldbe considered racist? Ms Foster performed Jennifer Holiday's version of "And I'm Telling You" as any devoted fan of Ms Holliday's would, with all the various vocal stylizations intact.

It was over a decade ago when people were less sensitive than they are now. Ms Foster did apologize privately to the Anything Goes company and the staff at the Barbican. Her being "snubbed" by the WOS Awards probably has more to do with the fact that she won't be in town and available to perform at the Awards or show up at their party for photo ops more than anything else.

You are of course entitled to your own opinions, but I am just as entitled to mine: It was racist. A public apology should have been given. It takes 30 seconds to send a tweet saying 'I made a mistake and did a bad thing, but I apologise and have learnt and grown since, and will continue to do so.' She wasn't snubbed, she just didn't get nominated. I saw Anything Goes and didn't nominate her because I didn't think it was all that great and her performance didn't actually make me feel anything. It's that simple - those who voted preferred other performances. Like it or not, that's what the WoS Awards are about and I think it's good that we have awards based on public vote rather that solely awards based on a judging panel. Sure it means that stunt cast performers will often win, but it also often sees awards go to shows that are truly loved by audiences but not critically acclaimed by a historically hegemonic judging panel. That's a good thing. It's not like the existence of the WoS awards means the Oliviers don't exist.

Last Edit: Dec 21, 2021 14:17:52 GMT by fiyerorocher

teamyali
Ensemble

252 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Dec 21, 2021 14:18:26 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by teamyali on Dec 21, 2021 14:18:26 GMT

Although the WOS Awards are voted by the public, they could influence the Oliviers, couldn’t they? Although it’s not a 100% match among nominees and winners (last awards, Andrew Scott won here and the Olivier but Claire Foy did not, for example), and some nominees are not SOLT-eligible.

I also find it weird that Cabaret was nominated in many categories despite only officially opening by mid-December, though they started previews mid-November, before the WOS eligibility cut-off. That also means Eddie and Jessie’s star power helps. And maybe Jessie would face off with Sutton and CHF at the Oliviers and the rest of the awards season!

The wording of “Best [Supporting] Performer in a Male/Female-Identifying Role in a Play/Musical” just brings more confusion. I know they want to be more inclusive for trans and nonbinary performers and roles, yet I just feel the wording is so…off and awkward?

No Cush Jumbo as Hamlet…but Best Actress in a Play contenders are basically Stan Twitter - Saoirse Ronan versus Emma Corrin! Same with Best Actor too.

fiyerorocher
Swing

815 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Dec 21, 2021 14:22:06 GMT

Quote

Post by fiyerorocher on Dec 21, 2021 14:22:06 GMT

Dec 21, 2021 14:18:26 GMT teamyali said:

Although the WOS Awards are voted by the public, they could influence the Oliviers, couldn’t they? Although it’s not a 100% match among nominees and winners (last awards, Andrew Scott won here and the Olivier but Claire Foy did not, for example), and some nominees are not SOLT-eligible.

I also find it weird that Cabaret was nominated in many categories despite only officially opening by mid-December, though they started previews mid-November, before the WOS eligibility cut-off. That also means Eddie and Jessie’s star power helps. And maybe Jessie would face off with Sutton and CHF at the Oliviers and the rest of the awards season!

The wording of “Best [Supporting] Performer in a Male/Female-Identifying Role in a Play/Musical” just brings more confusion. I know they want to be more inclusive for trans and nonbinary performers and roles, yet I just feel the wording is so…off and awkward?

No Cush Jumbo as Hamlet…but Best Actress in a Play contenders are basically Stan Twitter - Saoirse Ronan versus Emma Corrin! Same with Best Actor too.

It definitely feels odd that Cabaret was eligible for nomination for this year's WoS when barely anyone had a chance to see it! Although I guess it opened at an awkward time in regards to cut off dates because by next year it might be closed or at least wouldn't be a new and shiny thing to talk about anymore. They're probably glad they were eligible this year so they could harness the hype.

mkb
Swing

1,337 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Dec 21, 2021 15:43:41 GMT via mobile inthenose likes this

Quote

Post by mkb on Dec 21, 2021 15:43:41 GMT

I found little correlation between those nominations and what I considered to be of high quality. That Cinderella was not nominated for sound design beggars belief imho.

teamyali
Ensemble

252 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 15, 2022 16:28:14 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by teamyali on Feb 15, 2022 16:28:14 GMT

Hosts, performers, and presenters announced!

www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/hosts-performers-and-presenters-announced-for-22nd_55923.html

stagebyte
Swing

839 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 15, 2022 18:50:14 GMT via mobile distantcousin likes this

Quote

Post by stagebyte on Feb 15, 2022 18:50:14 GMT

It’s basically a popularity contest and has little bearing on whether people have actually seen a show or not. They’ll vote for their faves anyway.
Interesting to see who is performing, maybe a correlation to who’s won as someone mentioned above.
Does anyone take these awards as a mark of quality? Oliviers seem more reliable

Last Edit: Feb 15, 2022 18:50:30 GMT by stagebyte

teamyali
Ensemble

252 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 16, 2022 1:40:29 GMT via mobile xanady likes this

Quote

Post by teamyali on Feb 16, 2022 1:40:29 GMT

The Oliviers are the top awards, although WOS is considered a precursor award, an indicator on who could be the potential contenders. Like BroadwayWorld UK, it’s a reader/fan-based award, but they usually got it right for the above the line categories. The BroadwayWorld UK Awards nominations will be announced on next Monday, 21 February.

The other UK theatre awards like the Evening Standard Theatre Awards and Critics Circle Awards are important too, although ES will resume on November 2022 and CCA moved dates (instead of January, they will announce soon, although no month mentioned but likely it is before the Oliviers. The critics have decided already on who made to the final list). The ES are more mainstream when it comes to the nominees, something similar to the Golden Globes.

poster J
Member

4,458 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 27, 2022 21:38:40 GMT via mobile tom, mkb, and 2 more like this

Quote

Post by poster J on Feb 27, 2022 21:38:40 GMT

And the awards are showing themselves to be the joke popularity contest that they are.

theatreian
Swing

2,292 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 27, 2022 22:09:17 GMT

Quote

Post by theatreian on Feb 27, 2022 22:09:17 GMT

Yes award winners here with Frozen winning 7!
www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/22nd-annual-whatsonstage-awards-winners-full-list_55975.html

robertb213
Swing

2,382 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 27, 2022 22:42:04 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by robertb213 on Feb 27, 2022 22:42:04 GMT

I attended the ceremony tonight, first time ever.

It was a bit like that year at the Oscars when Titanic basically won everything and it became a bit predicatble. I haven't seen Frozen but I'm glad it's so popular!

It's definitely not got much credibility to it (when Carrie Hope Fletcher and Lily Allen are deemed the best female performers?!) but I guess the people have spoken and that's what they've decided. There was a lot of love in the room whenever Back To The Future won, so that has a lot of public support which is nice. Excellent performances from Samantha Barks and Julian Ovenden as well.

Also Eddie Redmayne walked past me. Lordy he's beautiful up close.

mrbarnaby
Leading Player

5,340 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 27, 2022 22:47:16 GMT via mobile caa, andrew, and 1 more like this

Quote

Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 27, 2022 22:47:16 GMT

These awards are an absolute joke. Frozen winning 7 awards? PLEASE 😂

Jon
Star Performer

6,440 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 27, 2022 22:50:30 GMT

Quote

Post by Jon on Feb 27, 2022 22:50:30 GMT

Feb 27, 2022 22:47:16 GMT mrbarnaby said:

These awards are an absolute joke. Frozen winning 7 awards? PLEASE 😂

That what you get for letting the public vote for them.

interval99
Ensemble

342 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 27, 2022 22:54:15 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by interval99 on Feb 27, 2022 22:54:15 GMT

Winners list is more varied than might have been expected
Very happy that hope mills theatre production of rent won an award. Their stream recording of it had all the power and passion that musical has which had never been caught so well in any other UK production of rent I have seen.

Also great to see Hugh Coles win for his perfect performance of george mcfly , in a hi tech musical he stands out with just plain old fashioned acting stagecraft and talent.

shambles
Ensemble

157 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 27, 2022 22:55:11 GMT

Quote

Post by shambles on Feb 27, 2022 22:55:11 GMT

Honestly, I'd like to complain, but I'd rather these be celebrated for what they are, than the Oliviers trying to go the way of the Oscars and shoe-horning some public voted thing.

And yeah, some surprises, like Akiya Henry were nice.

Last Edit: Feb 27, 2022 22:56:16 GMT by shambles

robertb213
Swing

2,382 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 27, 2022 22:56:43 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by robertb213 on Feb 27, 2022 22:56:43 GMT

And to be fair, a lot of Frozen's awards were on the technical side, not performance, and it is a very polished-looking show technically from what I've seen.

mrbarnaby
Leading Player

5,340 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 28, 2022 5:45:08 GMT via mobile

Quote

Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 28, 2022 5:45:08 GMT

Feb 27, 2022 22:56:43 GMT robertb213 said:

And to be fair, a lot of Frozen's awards were on the technical side, not performance, and it is a very polished-looking show technically from what I've seen.

It’s a terrible show. IMO of course.

Frozen winning best costumes and sets over moulin Rouge is preposterous quite frankly. And Best Director?

These must be the first (and last) awards Frozen has ever won.

Carrie H F over Sutton Foster? It’s embarrassing.

Last Edit: Feb 28, 2022 5:45:53 GMT by mrbarnaby

poster J
Member

4,458 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 28, 2022 6:20:10 GMT via mobile Someone in a tree likes this

Quote

Post by poster J on Feb 28, 2022 6:20:10 GMT

Feb 28, 2022 5:45:08 GMT mrbarnaby said:

Carrie H F over Sutton Foster? It’s embarrassing.

Carrie over Jessie Buckley is even more embarrassing.

viserys
Leading Player

2,595 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 28, 2022 7:44:30 GMT xanady likes this

Quote

Post by viserys on Feb 28, 2022 7:44:30 GMT

Agree that Moulin Rouge would have deserved costumes and Jessie B best female... but let's not forget that Frozen and Cinderella have been running way longer and Frozen in a much bigger theatre, so will have been seen by far more people than Moulin Rouge and Cabaret - especially the latter considering how small the theatre is and how expensive the few available tickets are. Yes, Redmayne won, but I'm sure he united far more voters behind him than Ivano Turco in his fairly bland role and Frozen has no real male lead to speak of.

The fact that the marvellous Carli Mercedes Dyer was recognized for being just about the best thing in Anything Goes shows me that people DID vote for genuine talent. The crop of "big" new shows to vote for just wasn't that great until the very late arrival of Moulin Rouge.

alece10
Star Performer

7,638 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 28, 2022 10:10:12 GMT

Quote

Post by alece10 on Feb 28, 2022 10:10:12 GMT

As we discuss every year the WOS awards are a popularity contest with the winners usually being the person with the biggest fan base or social media following. Biggest proof of this being CHF winning for Cinderella.
I do think, however that the technical awards for Frozen were well deserved.
Eddie Redmanye again was a popularity vote but I do believe he fully deserved it.
When I vote I only vote in the categories where I have seen performances so this year I didn't vote in any of the play/acting categories as I hadn't seen any of the nominated plays but know there will be plenty of people voting who haven't seen one of the shows.
Also a lot depends on the size of the theatre and how many people have seen the show. So Cabaret didn't do so well because its a small theatre, didn't open until Mid November and so not that many people have seen it so far.
But overall it wasn't as bad as some years with BTTF getting a few and also Anything Goes which I was pleased about.

mrbarnaby
Leading Player

5,340 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 28, 2022 10:16:44 GMT via mobile poster J, andrew, and 1 more like this

Quote

Post by mrbarnaby on Feb 28, 2022 10:16:44 GMT

Carly M D winning Is the only sensible award given

poster J
Member

4,458 posts

22nd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Feb 28, 2022 11:25:59 GMT via mobile xanady likes this

Quote

Post by poster J on Feb 28, 2022 11:25:59 GMT

Feb 28, 2022 10:10:12 GMT alece10 said:

Also a lot depends on the size of the theatre and how many people have seen the show.

It really doesn't, you don't even have to have seen the show to vote. It's all about who has the most recognisable name and/or which people or shows can mobilise voting through their social media.

Entirely explains why Redmayne won and Buckley didn't - he is a recognisable name, she isn't. And she doesnt use social media and was up against someone with an adoring legion of fans who think she can do no wrong and more importantly think nothing of spending hours voting for things like this and using social media to encourage others to do likewise. It's what makes these awards a joke.