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WOS TV: Oliviers Broadcast on Internet for First Time

The Laurence Olivier Awards 2007 were the first ever to be broadcast using new Internet TV technology (See Full Winners' List, 18 Feb 2007). The filming - conducted by new company Theatre Vision (UK) ltd, co-owned by Whatsonstage.com owner Bandwidth Communications and Ticketmachine Ltd, owners of Groupline and Lovetheatre.com - meant that thousands of viewers who logged onto the official Oliviers website were able to follow the event in instalments throughout the night.

ALL AWARDS COVERAGE IS AVAILABLE VIA OUR DEDICATED
LAURENCE OLIVIERS AWARDS’ PAGE – CLICK HERE NOW!

Commenting on the broadcast, Theatre Vision director Edward Snape said: "I am delighted with how the filming has gone. We had a team of cameramen and editors here all night, as well as back at the office, uploading the footage onto the internet. I think it has been a great success."

Fellow Theatre Vision director and managing director of Whatsonstage.com David Dobson noted: "Internet TV has come a long way in a very short space of time and, with new technology such as that used on the Oliviers, we are able to present near TV quality at a fraction of the price it would cost to broadcast on terrestrial television."

Below you can view edited highlights of the awards footage. And, you can visit the official Oliviers site to see more interviews and acceptance speeches including an hilarious one from a clearly shocked Tamsin Greig (Best Actress winner for Much Ado About Nothing).

This year’s star-studded ceremony was hosted by Richard Wilson and Sue Johnston at Grosvenor House on Park Lane, with guest presenters including Elaine Paige, Don Johnson, Kim Cattrall, Claire Sweeney, Samantha Janus, Richard Schiff, Isla Blair, Robert Bathurst, Anne-Marie Duff, Ray Fearon, Alistair McGowan, Sheridan Smith, Laura Michelle Kelly, Tony Hadley and Lorna Luft.

Highlighting the unprecedented number of musicals that arrived in the West End in 2006, the evening’s entertainment comprised performances from many of this year’s musical nominees and/or nominated productions: the cast of Avenue Q (singing “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist”), Lesley Garrett from The Sound of Music (“Climb Every Mountain”), Elena Roger from Evita (“You Must Love Me”), Tonya Pinkins from Caroline, Or Change (“Lot’s Wife”), Hannah Waddingham from Spamalot (“The Diva’s Lament”), Nicola Hughes and Clarke Peters from the Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess (“Bess, You Is My Woman Now”), and Jenna Russell and Daniel Evans from Sunday in the Park with George (“Move On”) – who, after their performance, went on to pick up the awards for Best Actor in a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical.

Film by kind permission of The Society of London Theatre. Created by TheatreVision. Copyright Society of London Theatre/TheatreVision 2007. For full extended film coverage of the 2007 Laurence Olivier Awards, visit www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk

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