Billy Boys, Dolls & Rachel Corrie Lead WOS AwardsDate: 31 January 2006
More than 12,000 theatregoers voted in this year’s sixth annual Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards, the only major theatre awards in which the paying public decides who and what wins across all categories. Amongst those whose work is today rewarded by audiences are Kristin Scott Thomas, Kevin Spacey, Suranne Jones, Anthony Head, Jane Krakowski, Ewan McGregor, Michael Ball, Alan Rickman, Ian McKellen, Toby Young and real-life Billy Elliots George Maguire, James Lomas and Liam Mower.
Two West End musicals – the world premiere stage adaptation of Billy Elliot and Michael Grandage’s revival of Broadway classic Guys and Dolls - lead the way with four wins apiece. Billy Elliot nabs the coveted Best New Musical prize as well as Best Supporting Actress in a Musical (Ann Emery), Best Choreographer (Peter Darling) and Ms London Newcomer of the Year for the three young performers who originated the title role (George Maguire, James Lomas and Liam Mower). Meanwhile, Guys and Dolls takes the major acting plaudits – Best Actress in a Musical (Jane Krakowski), Best Actor in a Musical (Ewan McGregor) and Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Martyn Ellis) – as well as winning Best Musical Revival.
My Name Is Rachel Corrie, Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner’s monologue based on the writings of the late American aid worker, is the biggest straight play winner, triumphing in three categories: Best New Play, Best Solo Performance (Megan Dodds) and Best Director for Rickman.
The awards also bring good news for Kevin Spacey and the Old Vic. Spacey himself scoops Best Actor – narrowly beating out competition from Derek Jacobi - for his title performance in Trevor Nunn’s staging of Richard II, which is also named Best Shakespearean Production. In addition, Ian McKellen’s pantomime dame debut in Aladdin at the Old Vic is heralded as the Planet Hollywood Theatre Event of the Year.
Elsewhere, Kristin Scott Thomas takes home her second Best Actress trophy for As You Desire Me (she won her first two years ago for her West End debut in Three Sisters), while Suranne Jones (for A Few Good Men) and Anthony Head (Otherwise Engaged) are decisive winners for Best Supporting Actress and Actor, respectively.
Another repeat winner, the Menier Chocolate Factory, triumphs for a second year in a row in the Best Off West End Production category, with its revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George seeing off competition from a field including two other Menier productions.
Amongst other key wins, Chichester’s musical revival How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is Best Regional Production and the Brian Dennehy-led West End staging of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is Samuel French Best Play Revival. Finally, Spectator drama critics Toby Young and Lloyd Evans’ David Blunkett-inspired sex farce Who’s the Daddy? nabs Best New Comedy, narrowly pipping to the post Heroes, which in turn narrowly pips Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me to the post to win Best Ensemble Performance.
Winners of this year’s awards were announced simultaneously with the live Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards ceremony at the Prince of Wales Theatre – which, as usual, made for some interesting comparisons (See Today’s Other News). The 2006 Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Theatre Awards covered the theatre year from 1 December 2004 to the end of November 2005. Productions opened in December 2005 will be covered as part of next year’s awards.
- by Terri Paddock
To view the full list of winners & nominees
as well as final voting percentages, click here.
Wherever possible, awards are presented in person to winners. Look out for photos from various awards presentations over the coming days & weeks.
For head-to-head results from the Critics’ Circle vs the Theatregoers’ Choice Awards, click here For speech highlights from the Critics’ Circle Awards, click here For photos from the Critics’ Circle Awards, click here For a full list of Theatregoers’ Choice winners, click here For further analysis of the Theatregoers’ Choice winners, click here For a final voting percentages for all winners & nominees in the Theatregoers’ Choice winners, click here
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