Theatre News

Glenn Close, Billie Piper and Ralph Fiennes among Evening Standard Award-winners

David Attenborough and Kenneth Branagh were also honoured at the annual event

This year's Evening Standard Award winners have been announced at a ceremony held at the Old Vic, attended by guests including Prince William, Tom Hiddleston and Elton John, who also co-hosted the event.

Ralph Fiennes (The Master Builder) and Billie Piper (Yerma) were crowned Best Actor and Actress in a Play, while Glenn Close won Best Musical Performance for her turn in Sunset Boulevard at the London Coliseum. Fiennes beat Ian McKellen to take the acting prize, although No Man's Land claimed Best Revival.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child won Best Play and the Open Air Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar took home the Best Musical Award, voted for by BBC Radio 2 listeners. From the same production, Tyrone Huntley was honoured with the Emerging Talent Award for his performance as Judas.

John Malkovich was named best director for his production of Good Canary at the Rose Theatre Kingston, and Charlene James won Most Promising Playwright for Cuttin' It, a co-production with the Young Vic and Royal Court. Sound designers Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin won Best Design for their work on The Encounter at the Barbican.

The special awards went to Kenneth Branagh for his season of plays at the Garrick Theatre and David Attenborough for his contribution to broadcasting. The Editor's Award went to Good Chance Theatre for their efforts in the Calais Jungle.

The full list of nominees and winners is as follows:

Best Actor

Winner: Ralph Fiennes – The Master Builder (Old Vic)/Richard III (Almeida)
Kenneth Branagh – The Entertainer (Garrick)
O-T Fagbenle – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (National Theatre's, Lyttelton)
James McArdle – Platonov (Chichester Festival Theatre/National Theatre, Olivier)
Ian McKellan – No Man's Land (Wyndham's Theatre)

Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress

Winner: Billie Piper – Yerma (Young Vic)
Noma Dumezweni- Linda (Royal Court, Jerwood Downstairs)
Helen McCrory – The Deep Blue Sea (National Theatre, Lyttelton)
Sophie Melville – Iphigenia in Splott (Sherman Cymru/National Theatre/Temporary Theatre)

Best Musical Performance

Winner: Glenn Close – Sunset Boulevard (Coliseum)
Andy Karl – Groundhog Day (The Old Vic)
Sheridan Smith – Funny Girl (Savoy)

Best Play

Winner: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne, J K Rowling & John Tiffany (Palace Theatre)
Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1,2 & 3) , by Suzan-Lori Parks (Royal Court, Jerwood Downstairs)
The Flick, by Annie Baker (National Theatre, Dorfman)

Evening Standard Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical*

Winner: Jesus Christ Superstar – Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Funny Girl – Menier Chocolate Factory/Savoy
Groundhog Day – Old Vic
Guys and Dolls – Savoy/Phoenix
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour – National Theatre, Dorfman
Sunset Boulevard – Coliseum

Milton Shulman Award for Best Director

Winner: John Malkovich – Good Canary (Rose Kingston)
Dominic Cooke – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (National Theatre, Lyttelton)
John Tiffany – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace)

Best Revival

Winner: No Man's Land – Wyndham's (dir Sean Mathias)
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom – National Theatre, Lyttelton (dir Dominic Cooke)
Young Chekhov: Platonov, Ivanov and The Seagull – Chichester Festival Theatre/National Theatre, Olivier
Les Blancs – National Theatre, Olivier (dir Yael Farber)

Best Design

Winner: Gareth Fry with Peter Malkin (sound design) – The Encounter (Edinburgh International Festival/Barbican)
Jon Bausor – You For Me For You (Royal Court, Jerwood Upstairs)
Rob Howell – The Master Builder (Old Vic)/Groundhog Day (Old Vic)

Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright

Winner: Charlene James – Cuttin' It (Young Vic/Royal Court/Yard)
Jon Brittain – Rotterdam (Theatre503/Trafalgar Studios)
David Ireland – Cyprus Avenue (Royal Court, Jerwood Upstairs)

Emerging Talent Award in partnership with Burberry

Winner: Tyrone Huntley – Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre)
Jaygann Ayeh – The Flick (National Theatre, Dorfman)
Anthony Boyle – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace)
Aoife Duffin – A Girl is a Half-formed Thing (Samuel Beckett Theatre, Dublin & Young Vic) and The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare's Globe)

Beyond Theatre Award

David Attenborough, for his contribution to broadcasting

Editor's Award

Good Chance Theatre

Lebedev Award

Kenneth Branagh, for his plays at the Garrick