Steven McIntosh
Leisure reporter on the Royal Albert Corridor
Watch: Lesley Manville and John Lithgow react to Olivier Award wins
Lesley Manville and John Lithgow have been some of the giant winners on the Sunday’s Olivier Awards, probably the most prestigious tournament in UK theatre.
Lithgow gained perfect actor for his portrayal of Roald Dahl in Large, which he described as “one of the most perfect studies I’ve ever had on level”.
Manville used to be named perfect actress for her efficiency within the Greek tragedy Oedipus, dedicating the award to her grandson who used to be born all the way through the display’s run.
3 displays have been tied with probably the most wins on the rite – with Fiddler at the Roof, Large and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button each and every profitable 3 prizes.
Different winners integrated Imelda Staunton, who gained perfect actress in a musical for her main position in Hi Dolly!
Scroll down to peer the winners listing in complete.
‘The particular courting is firmly intact’
US actor Lithgow, who may also play Dumbledore within the coming near near Harry Potter TV sequence, mentioned in his acceptance speech: “I need to thank all of you for welcoming me and my spouse Mary so completely to England.
“It isn’t all the time simple to welcome an American into your midst, and at this actual second it is clearly slightly extra difficult than same old,” he persevered.
“However for me, for Mary, and for all of our countrymen and countrywomen, I need to guarantee you that the particular courting remains to be firmly intact.”
The victory marks the primary Olivier Award for 79-year-old Lithgow, who additionally just lately starred within the Oscar-winning movie Conclave.
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Large’s Elliot Levey and The Years megastar Romola Garai have been named perfect supporting actor and actress respectively
Lithgow’s co-star, English actor Elliot Levey, took perfect actor in a supporting position, whilst Large used to be named perfect new play. “To get an award for having this a lot amusing is improper,” he joked.
Romola Garai used to be additionally nominated for Large, one in all two nods she had within the supporting actress class, however she gained for her different efficiency within the level adaptation of Annie Ernaux memoir The Years.
Behind the curtain, Garai joked that she had a “terrifying idea” whilst status on level that she used to be “perhaps accepting the award on behalf of the improper play, which used to be more or less like a fever dream I have had for the previous couple of weeks”.
The Years, which additionally gained perfect director for Eline Arbo, sees 5 actresses play a lady at other levels of her lifestyles.
In her speech, Garai mentioned it used to be “the best privilege of my lifestyles to be a part of this piece of theatre that has modified me and such a lot of other folks”.
Manville’s win marks her 2nd Olivier, following her 2014 triumph for her efficiency in a revival of the Ibsen play Ghosts.
Accepting her award, Manville mentioned: “I knew on day one in all this play that we have been directly to one thing just right.”
She paid tribute to the display’s “nice director” Robert Icke, and her co-star Mark Robust.
“Mark, you have been probably the most absolute best spouse,” she mentioned. “We had some tough scenes to do, and inch via inch, slowly slowly, little by little we constructed up this very advanced courting, to mention the least.”
She concluded: “Whilst we have been doing Oedipus, our little circle of relatives were given slightly bit larger, my son and his spouse had a toddler. It used to be all the way through the run, so at some point, this [trophy] will unquestionably be yours, my candy.”
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Imelda Staunton devoted her award – the 5th Olivier of her occupation – to her overdue mom
Imelda Staunton gained the 5th Olivier Award of her occupation, profitable perfect actress in a musical for Hi, Dolly!
“If I might say one thing to my overdue mum, whose identify used to be Bridie McNicholas,” she mentioned. “Nice identify, will have to renew [my] Irish passport.
“Mum, I am right here on the Albert Corridor, I have were given a prize, however extra importantly, I am about to do a play along with your granddaughter, I want you have been right here.”
‘I gained an Olivier for enjoying an iceberg’
Celine Dion musical Titanique gained two prizes, perfect new leisure and comedy play and perfect supporting actor in a musical for first-time nominee Layton Williams.
Co-director Tye Blue mentioned the win used to be “astounding and overwhelming”, reflecting how the display had long gone from “the basement of a fledgling grocery retailer in Ny, all of the strategy to the fantastic Criterion Theatre in London”.
In his personal speech, Williams laughed: “I simply gained an Olivier for enjoying an iceberg!”
He concluded: “If this will occur to me, slightly boy from humble beginnings, it could actually occur to you too.”
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Layton Williams gained perfect supporting actor in a musical for enjoying an iceberg in Titanique
A level adaptation of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, in keeping with the fast tale via F. Scott Fitzgerald which used to be up to now additionally made into a movie starring Brad Pitt, used to be named perfect new musical.
John Dagleish gained perfect actor in a musical for enjoying the titular position, 10 years after his first Olivier win for The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon.
“Closing time I were given the sort of, my mum used to be my plus one. She’s now not with us, she would’ve beloved this display,” he mentioned. “That is for her.”
Fiddler at the Roof gained perfect musical revival. Accepting the award, director Jordan Fein mentioned: “There used to be a query as as to whether a brand new manufacturing of Fiddler at the Roof used to be suitable for this second.
“It is a musical about love, no longer within the romantic summary sense, however energetic love, courageous and rebellious love that calls for empathy and compassion, and that appears to be what we desperately want presently.”
The winners in complete
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Maimuna Memon gained perfect supporting actress in a musical for Natasha, Pierre & The Nice Comet of 1812
Easiest new musical – The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Easiest revival – Oedipus (Wyndham’s Theatre manufacturing)
Easiest musical revival – Fiddler On The Roof
Easiest new play – Large
Easiest new leisure or comedy play – Titanique
Easiest new opera manufacturing – Festen
Easiest actor – John Lithgow for Large
Easiest actress – Lesley Manville for Oedipus (Wyndham’s Theatre manufacturing)
Easiest supporting actor – Elliot Levey for Large
Easiest supporting actress – Romola Garai for The Years
Easiest actor in a musical – John Dagleish for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Easiest actress in a musical – Imelda Staunton for Hi, Dolly!
Easiest supporting actress in a musical – Maimuna Memon for Natasha, Pierre & The Nice Comet Of 1812
Easiest supporting actor in a musical – Layton Williams for Titanique
Easiest director – Eline Arbo for The Years
Easiest new manufacturing in associate theatre – Boys On The Verge Of Tears
Easiest new dance manufacturing – Meeting Corridor
Easiest circle of relatives display – Brainiac Reside
Easiest theatre choreographer – Christopher Wheeldon for MJ The Musical
Easiest lighting fixtures design – Paule Constable & Ben Jacobs for Oliver!
Easiest sound design – Nick Lidster for Fiddler On The Roof
Easiest dress design – Gabriella Slade for Starlight Specific
Easiest set design – Tom Scutt for Fiddler On The Roof
Exceptional success in dance – Eva Yerbabuena for her efficiency in Yerbagüena
Exceptional musical contribution – Darren Clark and Mark Aspinall for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Exceptional success in opera – Allan Clayton for his efficiency in Festen
The rite used to be hosted via Beverley Knight and Billy Porter and integrated are living performances from displays together with Why Am I So Unmarried?, MJ The Musical, Fiddler On The Roof, Oliver!, Starlight Specific and a fortieth anniversary efficiency from Les Misérables.
