2017 AWARD WINNERS
Looks like the West End’s “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is the English equivalent of Broadway’s “Hamilton.”
The West End production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” due on Broadway next year, has broken the record for most wins at the Olivier Awards in London — nine trophies at the Sunday (April 9) ceremony.
Following is the Variety report posted online
With a haul that included best new play, best actor and best director, the production surpassed both “Matilda” and “The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night Time,” each of which collected seven awards in their time.
The overriding success of “Harry Potter,” winning all but two of its 11 nominations, could be seen as the Society of London Theatre recognizing the debt it owes to a show that has raised the profile of live theater in the U.K .and drawn new audiences to the West End.
Forget the Triwizard Tournament and the Hogwarts House Cup, Harry Potter has arguably won an ever bigger prize. The West End production of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” due on Broadway next year, has broken the record for most wins at the Olivier Awards in London, racking up nine trophies at the April 9 ceremony.
With a haul that included best new play, best actor and best director, the production surpassed both “Matilda” and “The Curious Incident of the Dog In the Night Time,” each of which collected seven awards in their time.
The overriding success of “Harry Potter,” winning all but two of its 11 nominations, could be seen as the Society of London Theatre recognizing the debt it owes to a show that has raised the profile of live theater in the U.K .and drawn new audiences to the West End.
Those crowds will find rich pickings there, as a spread of musical theater winners makes clear. Tim Minchin’s “Groundhog Day” took the spoils for best new musical, with a win for its leading man Andy Karl (who’s currently appearing in the Broadway staging of the musical), while “Glee” star Amber Riley won best actress for her performance as Effie White in “Dreamgirls.”
However, the prospect of a “Harry Potter” landslide became apparent within half an hour, with a clean sweep of design awards for lighting (Neil Austin), sound (Gareth Fry), set (Christine Jones) and costume (Katrina Lindsay). Within 15 minutes, it had added two more, as Anthony Boyle and Noma Dumezweni picked up both prizes for supporting performances as Scorpius Malfoy and Hermione Grainger respectively.
The record tally was in the bag before the half-way point. Jamie Parker, last seen on Broadway in “The History Boys,” took best actor before the British playwright Jack Thorne collected best new play, reading out a statement from J.K. Rowling in the process.
John Tiffany completed the set immediately after the ceremony’s intermission, winning best director. But that was it for the show’s winning streak: It lost out in its final two categories.
That might have put a slight dampener on producer Sonia Friedman’s evening, but for “Dreamgirls” two wins — Adam J. Bernard taking best supporting actor, in addition to Riley’s prize – and best new comedy for Lee Hall’s “Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour,” which Friedman will transfer to the West End next summer.
It was left to the Young Vic to fly the flag for subsidized theater. Simon Stone’s production of “Yerma” was named best revival, winning a well-deserved best actress award for Billie Piper, the former pop star who gave an excoriating performance as Lorca’s anti-heroine.
Best actress
Winner: Billie Piper for Yerma at the Young Vic
Also nominated:
Glenda Jackson for King Lear at The Old Vic
Cherry Jones for The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Ruth Wilson for Hedda Gabler at the Lyttelton, National Theatre
Best new comedy
Winner: Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour at the Dorfman, National Theatre
Also nominated:
The Comedy About a Bank Robbery at the Criterion Theatre
Nice Fish at the Harold Pinter Theatre
The Truth at Wyndham’s Theatre
Outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre
Winner: Rotterdam at Trafalgar Studios 2
Also nominated:
Cuttin’ It at the Maria, Young Vic
The Government Inspector at Theatre Royal Stratford East
The Invisible Hand at Tricycle Theatre
It Is Easy To Be Dead at Trafalgar Studios 2
Best lighting design
Winner: Neil Austin for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Lee Curran for Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Natasha Katz for The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Hugh Vanstone for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Best sound design
Winner: Gareth Fry for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Paul Arditti for Amadeus at the Olivier, National Theatre
Adam Cork for Travesties at the Apollo Theatre
Nick Lidster for Autograph for Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Best costume design
Winner: Katrina Lindsay for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Gregg Barnes for Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre
Hugh Durrant for Cinderella at London Palladium
Rob Howell for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Best set design
Winner: Christine Jones for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Bob Crowley for Disney’s Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre
Bob Crowley for The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Rob Howell for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Best actor in a supporting role
Winner: Anthony Boyle for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Freddie Fox for Travesties at the Apollo Theatre
Brian J. Smith for The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Rafe Spall for Hedda Gabler at the Lyttelton, National Theatre
Best actress in a supporting role
Winner: Noma Dumezweni for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Melissa Allan, Caroline Deyga, Kirsty Findlay, Karen Fishwick, Kirsty MacLaren, Frances Mayli McCann, Joanne McGuinness and Dawn Sievewright for Our Ladies Of Perpetual Succour at the Dorfman, National Theatre
Clare Foster for Travesties at the Apollo Theatre
Kate O’Flynn for The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Best new opera production
Winner: Akhnaten at London Coliseum
Also nominated:
4.48 Psychosis at the Lyric Hammersmith
Così Fan Tutte at Royal Opera House
Lulu at London Coliseum
Outstanding achievement in opera
Winner: Mark Wigglesworth for his conducting of Don Giovanni and Lulu at London Coliseum
Also nominated:
Renée Fleming for her performance in Der Rosenkavalier at the Royal Opera House
Stuart Skelton for his performance in Tristan and Isolde at London Coliseum
Best revival
Winner: Yerma at the Young Vic
Also nominated:
The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre
This House at the Garrick Theatre
Travesties at the Apollo Theatre
Best actor
Winner: Jamie Parker for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Ed Harris for Buried Child at Trafalgar Studios 1
Tom Hollander for Travesties at the Apollo Theatre
Ian McKellen for No Man’s Land at Wyndham’s Theatre
Best new play
Winner: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Elegy at Donmar Warehouse
The Flick at the Dorfman, National Theatre
One Night In Miami… at Donmar Warehouse
Best director
Winner: John Tiffany for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Also nominated:
Simon Stone for Yerma at the Young Vic
John Tiffany for The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Matthew Warchus for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Best new dance production
Winner: Betroffenheit by Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young at Sadler’s Wells
Also nominated:
Blak Whyte Gray by Boy Blue Entertainment at Barbican Theatre
Giselle by Akram Khan and English National Ballet at Sadler’s Wells
My Mother, My Dog and Clowns! by Michael Clark at Barbican Theatre
Outstanding achievement in dance
Winner: English National Ballet for expanding the variety of its repertoire with Giselle and She Said at Sadler’s Wells
Also nominated:
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater for its London season at Sadler’s Wells
Luke Ahmet for The Creation by Rambert at Sadler’s Wells
Best theatre choreographer
Winner: Matthew Bourne for The Red Shoes at Sadler’s Wells
Also nominated:
Peter Darling and Ellen Kane for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Steven Hoggett for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre
Drew McOnie for Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Outstanding achievement in music
Winner: School of Rock the Musical at the New London Theatre (three children’s bands who play instruments live every night)
Also nominated:
Dreamgirls at Savoy Theatre (music by Henry Krieger)
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at Palace Theatre (composer and arranger Imogen Heap)
Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre (the band and company creating the gig-like rock vibe of the original concept album of Jesus Christ Superstar)
Best entertainment and family
Winner: The Red Shoes at Sadler’s Wells
Also nominated:
Cinderella at London Palladium
David Baddiel – My Family: Not The Sitcom at the Vaudeville Theatre
Peter Pan at the Olivier, National Theatre
Best actor in a supporting role in a musical
Winner: Adam J Bernard for Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre
Also nominated:
Ian Bartholomew for Half A Sixpence at the Noël Coward Theatre
Ben Hunter for The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre
Andrew Langtree for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Best actress in a supporting role in a musical
Winner: Rebecca Trehearn for Show Boat at the New London Theatre
Also nominated:
Haydn Gwynne for The Threepenny Opera at the Olivier, National Theatre
Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Murder Ballad at the Arts Theatre
Emma Williams for Half A Sixpence at the Noël Coward Theatre
Best musical revival
Winner: Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Also nominated:
Funny Girl at the Savoy Theatre
Show Boat at the New London Theatre
Sunset Boulevard at London Coliseum
Best actor in a musical
Winner: Andy Karl for Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Also nominated:
David Fynn for School of Rock the Musical at the New London Theatre
Tyrone Huntley for Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Charlie Stemp for Half A Sixpence at the Noël Coward Theatre
Best actress in a musical
Winner: Amber Riley for Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre
Also nominated:
Glenn Close for Sunset Boulevard at London Coliseum
Debbie Chazen, Sophie-Louise Dann, Michele Dotrice, Claire Machin, Claire Moore and Joanna Riding for The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre
Sheridan Smith for Funny Girl at the Savoy Theatre
Best new musical
Winner: Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
Also nominated:
Dreamgirls at the Savoy Theatre
The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre
School of Rock the Musical at the New London Theatre
