WOS Photos: Spectator Critics Take Comedy Prize

In one of the most closely fought categories in this year’s Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards, journalists-turned-playwrights Lloyd Evans and Toby Young beat off competition from Owen McCafferty, Tom Stoppard, Peter Quilter and others to win the trophy for Best New Comedy with Who's the Daddy?.

The sex farce caused a media sensation when it premiered at the King’s Head Theatre in Islington last summer. The authors, who both serve as drama critics on The Spectator, based it around three extra-marital affairs that took place in their office and, in 2004, earned the political magazine the nickname of The Sextator.

The most high-profile of the affairs was that between publisher Kimberley Quinn and Home Secretary David Blunkett, which eventually led to the latter’s resignation. Both Evans and Young, however, managed to keep their jobs – even though their then-boss and editor Boris Johnson’s relationship with contributor Petronella Wyatt was also lampooned in Who's the Daddy?.

Accepting their award, Evans and Young told Whatsonstage.com: "It's a cause of great excitement for our names to be included on a list alongside Kevin Spacey, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ewan McGregor. They must be thrilled! In all seriousness, we're the ones who are thrilled.

“We were extremely lucky, not only with our director, Tamara Harvey, but with our producers, Nica Burns and Ian Osborne, and our cast, Sara Crowe, Jot Davies, Peter Hamilton-Dyer, Tim Hudson, Paul Prescott, Saul Reichlin, Michelle Ryan and Claudia Shear. Working with such a talented group of people, particularly at a great theatre like the King’s Head, made for one of the happiest experiences of our lives. Winning this award is the icing on the cake."

While Young has previously adapted his best-selling memoir, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People, for the stage – and even appeared in the one-man show in the West End – this is his first collaboration with Evans. The two are now working on a new sex farce about the Royal Family.

Lloyd Evans & Toby Young

To view the full list of winners & nominees as well as further
acceptance remarks & voting percentages, click here.

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