Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2019
Nov 25, 2019 8:57:37 GMT
BurlyBeaR, Latecomer, and 15 more like this
Post by alece10 on Nov 25, 2019 8:57:37 GMT
I was privileged to be invited to the ES theatre awards last night so thought I would share a few thoughts about it with you.
Firstly here are the winners in case you haven't already found out.
Best Actor - Andrew Scott for Present Laughter
Best Actress - Maggie Smith for A German Life
Best Play - Sweat
Best Director - Robert Icke
Best Musical - Evita
Best musical performance - Anne-Marie Duff for Sweet Charity
Best Design - Bunny Christie for Midsummer Nights Dream
Most Promising Playwright - Jasmine Lee-Jones
Emerging Talent - Laurie Kynaston
Editors Award - Ian McKellen
Lebedav Award - Peter Brook
This was a very, very slick event at the London Coliseum, the stalls had been ripped out and replaced with tables where the VIP's had dinner before the ceremony.
We. of course, were not seated there but were in the 4th row of the dress circle so had a great view. Nice thing was that there were lots of young people there as students from all of the drama colleges were invited.
There was an orchestra in the two large boxes either side of the stage.
Evening was opened by Damian Lewis and Helen McClory who were a less funny than they thought they were being. The host was Cush Jumbo (have to admit I had heard the name but really don't know her). She was excellent and extremely funny throughout the evening. Did a fun opening number with dancers from the Brit School.
The award presenters included Olivia Coleman, Glenda Jackson, Taron Egerton and Steven Mangan.
Some good speeches and some which were a bit too political but you get that at all award ceremonies.
Ian McKellen made a wonderful speech about the future of regional theatre which was very well received. He also did the first half of the speech without using the mic and you could hear every word. Just shows how a great actosr voice can fill a huge theatre with no amplification.
Lots of nods in the speeches to the students in the audience and talking about their future.
There were a couple of musical numbers, 1 by the cast of & Juliet and also Sam Tutty singing Waving through the window and he was superb.
I will be honest and say that I didn't know many of the plays or actors nominated as I am more of a MT person and these awards are heavily slanted towards the play side of theatre but it was great being there and experience the whole thing. Don't think I have ever been in a theatre with so many "names" before and to be able to see and hear Ian McKellen and Maggie Smith was wonderful.
I have been to a few award ceremonies and press nights both as a guest and working over the years and one thing that always strikes me is how difficult it is to get the audience into their seats for the start. None of them ever start on time (this one included that started nearly 30 minutes late) and yet these are all people in the industry who really should know better. Imagine if their show started late every night as people wouldn't take their seats. Similar with people going to the toilet during the evening. It was like Clapham Junction in the rush hour with people getting up and down throughout the evening. And finally using their phones throughout the evening. Again they should know better.
And lastly, a lovely gesture was a special award to all the stage door managers with a video and interview with some of them and then all of the managers invited onto the stage to a standing ovation. It was really great to see them being recognised.
Sorry its a bit of a ramble and well done if you made it to the end but I had to tell someone about the evening and none of my friends or work colleagues would be remotely interested.
Firstly here are the winners in case you haven't already found out.
Best Actor - Andrew Scott for Present Laughter
Best Actress - Maggie Smith for A German Life
Best Play - Sweat
Best Director - Robert Icke
Best Musical - Evita
Best musical performance - Anne-Marie Duff for Sweet Charity
Best Design - Bunny Christie for Midsummer Nights Dream
Most Promising Playwright - Jasmine Lee-Jones
Emerging Talent - Laurie Kynaston
Editors Award - Ian McKellen
Lebedav Award - Peter Brook
This was a very, very slick event at the London Coliseum, the stalls had been ripped out and replaced with tables where the VIP's had dinner before the ceremony.
We. of course, were not seated there but were in the 4th row of the dress circle so had a great view. Nice thing was that there were lots of young people there as students from all of the drama colleges were invited.
There was an orchestra in the two large boxes either side of the stage.
Evening was opened by Damian Lewis and Helen McClory who were a less funny than they thought they were being. The host was Cush Jumbo (have to admit I had heard the name but really don't know her). She was excellent and extremely funny throughout the evening. Did a fun opening number with dancers from the Brit School.
The award presenters included Olivia Coleman, Glenda Jackson, Taron Egerton and Steven Mangan.
Some good speeches and some which were a bit too political but you get that at all award ceremonies.
Ian McKellen made a wonderful speech about the future of regional theatre which was very well received. He also did the first half of the speech without using the mic and you could hear every word. Just shows how a great actosr voice can fill a huge theatre with no amplification.
Lots of nods in the speeches to the students in the audience and talking about their future.
There were a couple of musical numbers, 1 by the cast of & Juliet and also Sam Tutty singing Waving through the window and he was superb.
I will be honest and say that I didn't know many of the plays or actors nominated as I am more of a MT person and these awards are heavily slanted towards the play side of theatre but it was great being there and experience the whole thing. Don't think I have ever been in a theatre with so many "names" before and to be able to see and hear Ian McKellen and Maggie Smith was wonderful.
I have been to a few award ceremonies and press nights both as a guest and working over the years and one thing that always strikes me is how difficult it is to get the audience into their seats for the start. None of them ever start on time (this one included that started nearly 30 minutes late) and yet these are all people in the industry who really should know better. Imagine if their show started late every night as people wouldn't take their seats. Similar with people going to the toilet during the evening. It was like Clapham Junction in the rush hour with people getting up and down throughout the evening. And finally using their phones throughout the evening. Again they should know better.
And lastly, a lovely gesture was a special award to all the stage door managers with a video and interview with some of them and then all of the managers invited onto the stage to a standing ovation. It was really great to see them being recognised.
Sorry its a bit of a ramble and well done if you made it to the end but I had to tell someone about the evening and none of my friends or work colleagues would be remotely interested.
