Sir Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Jodie Prenger and Jason Donavan were just some of the stars on stage last night for the Theatregoers awards concert.
The glitzy evening was hosted by “King of the Jungle” Christopher Biggins and the hilarious Mel Giedroyc, who proved a winning double act.
This year a record 46,000 people voted across 26 different award categories between 4 December, when the nominations were announced, and 31 January, smashing last year’s total by 11,000.
Among the awards on offer was the special anniversary Best West End Show Award, which saw long-runner and previous Whatsonstage.com Award winner Wicked beat off fierce competition from the National Theatre production of War Horse, which only transferred to the New London theatre last year.
In the musicals categories, Oliver! and Priscilla Queen of the Desert shared the glory, with three and four respectively: Oliver! winning the Best Musical Revival category, Best Actor in a Musical (Rowan Atkinson) and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical (Jodie Prenger), while Priscilla took home Best Choreographer (the late Ross Coleman), Best New Musical, Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Oliver Thornton) and Best Set Designer (Brian Thomson).
Rowan Atkinson (pictured above), who made his musical theatre debut in Oliver!, said he was “touched” by the recognition. “When I embarked on this journey to play the part of Fagin, I did so with a degree of apprehension. I hadn't been on the West End stage in 20 years and I had never sung in a musical – well, I'd never sung really … So I'd like to thank you all sitting there very much indeed, but I'd also like to thank mostly all those who voted for me, and all those real people who spent real money to come and see the show.”
British screen stars Jude Law and Rachel Weisz were named as Best Actor and Best Actress in a Play, both for Donmar Warehouse productions: Law with a commanding 40% of the Best Actor vote for his portrayal of Hamlet and Weisz for her much acclaimed performance as Blanche DuBois (for which she's already won Best Actress honours at the Evening Standard and Critics' Circle Awards) in A Streetcar Named Desire, which also took home the award for Best Play Revival.
This is a real thrill. Thank you so much, particularly to Whatsonstage.com, and of course, to everyone who voted for me. [Jude Law]
Accepting his award, Jude Law said: “This is a real thrill. Thank you so much, particularly to Whatsonstage.com, and of course, to everyone who voted for me. It's a very important award for me because it's voted for by the theatregoers.
“To be under the wings of the Donmar at the Wyndham's Theatre was extraordinary at the end of such a successful season and to be in a great company led by an extraordinary director really made this one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life. And to be celebrated for it by the audience that came really means an awful lot. So thank you very, very much. And I look forward to seeing you all again soon, on the stage.”
In the ‘battle of the Hamlets’, the Royal Shakespeare Company production, headed by David Tennant, won the Best Shakespearean Production Award, with Patrick Stewart scooping the prize for Best Supporting Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Claudius. Stewart also took home the award for Theatre Event of the Year, sharing the prize with his colleague, friend and X-Men co-star, Ian McKellen for their pairing in Waiting for Godot at the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Stewart paid tribute to his co-star McKellen in a heartfelt acceptance speech.
The concert, directed by The Drama Student Magazine columnist Russell Labey, saw performances from Ryan Molloy (Jersey Boys), Leanne Jones (Hairspray), Jodie Prenger (Oliver!) and a fantastic finale performance from the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
There was even a surprise performance from Christopher Biggins who dressed up as Susan Boyle and performed his own version of I Dreamed a Dream, much to the delight of the packed audience.
A full list of winners are listed below:-
Best Actress in a Play
Rachel Weisz
A Streetcar Named Desire
The CAPITAL BREAKS Best Actor in a Play
Jude Law
Hamlet
Best Supporting Actress in a Play
Miriam Margolyes
Endgame
Best Supporting Actor in a Play
Patrick Stewart
Hamlet
The BABY GRAND Best Actress in a Musical
Patina Miller
Sister Act
The SEE TICKETS Best Actor in a Musical
Rowan Atkinson
Oliver!
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Jodie Prenger
Oliver!
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
Oliver Thornton
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The MOBIUS INDUSTRIES Best Solo Performance
Derren Brown
Derren Brown: Enigma
The LES MISERABLES 25th Anniversary Award for Best Ensemble Performance
On the Waterfront
The MILK TWO SUGARS Best Takeover in a RoleJohn Barrowman
La Cage aux Folles
The NICK HERN BOOKS Best New Play
Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth
The WALDORF HILTON Best New Comedy
Calendar Girls by Tim Firth
The SUPERBREAK Best New Musical
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The EMG Best Play Revival
A Streetcar Named Desire
The AMBASSADOR TICKETS Best Musical Revival
Oliver!
The SHAKESPEARE 4 KIDZ Best Shakespearean Production
Hamlet, RSC
Best Director
Trevor Nunn
Inherit the Wind at the Old Vic & A Little Night Music at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Garrick
Best Set Designer
Brian Thomson
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The WHITE LIGHT Best Lighting Designer
Natasha Katz
Sister Act
Best Choreographer
Ross Coleman
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
The DEWYNTERS London Newcomer of the Year
Diana Vickers
The Rise & Fall of Little Voice
Best Off-West End Production
The Pirates of Penzance
at the Union Theatre
The BOOKING OFFICE Best Regional Production
Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall
The GROUPLINE Best West End Show
Wicked
The AKA Theatre Event of the Year
The pairing of Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in Waiting for Godot
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