Theatre News

2018 Wales Theatre Awards nominations announced

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Newport on 27 January

Sion Daniel Young
Sion Daniel Young
© Mark Douet

The nominees have been announced for the 2018 Wales Theatre Awards, which celebrate productions created and performed in Wales in the past year.

Theatr Clwyd and Sherman Theatre bosses Tamara Harvey and Rachel O’Riordan will battle it out in the Best Director category for their productions of Uncle Vanya and Killology respectively. They are joined by Simon Harris (Little Wolf), Marc Reed and Caroline Finn (P.A.R.A.D.E.), and Chris Durnall (Nether).

Uncle Vanya receives another six nominations including for Jamie Ballard and Rosie Sheehy in their respective acting categories, whereas the Royal Court and Sherman Theatre co-production Killology is nominated in a further two categories, Best Playwright for Gary Owen and Best Male Performance for Sion Daniel Young.

Wales Millenium Centre's Tiger Bay gets a nod in the Best Ensemble category alongside Jack Thorne's Junkyard – a co-production between Theatr Clwyd, Headlong, Bristol Old Vic and Rose Theatre Kingston.

The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Newport on 27 January.

A selection of the shortlist is below, click here for the full list of nominees.


Best Production In The English Language
Seanmhair, The Other Room
Scarlett, Theatr Clwyd & Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
Sugar Baby, Dirty Protest
Black Mountain, Theatr Clwyd, Paines Plough & Orange Tree Theatre

Best Playwright In The English Language
Alan Harris, How My Light Is Spent, Royal Exchange Theatre, Theatre By The Lake And Sherman Theatre
Gary Owen, Killology, Sherman Theatre & Royal Court Theatre
Meredydd Barker, Nye & Jennie, Theatr Na Nóg & Aneurin Leisure
Owen Sheers, Pink Mist, Bristol Old Vic
Simon Harris, Little Wolf, Lucid Theatre

Best Female Performance In The English Language
Lynn Hunter, Scarlett, Theatr Clwyd & Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
Hannah Mcpake, Seanmhair, The Other Room
Lucy Rivers, Sinners Club, Gagglebabble, Theatr Clwyd & The Other Room
Rosie Sheehy, Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
Kate Ashfield, Scarlett, Theatr Clwyd & Hampstead Theatre Downstairs

Best Male Performance In The English Language
Jamie Ballard, Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
Rhodri Meilir, How My Light Is Spent, Royal Exchange Theatre, Theatre By The Lake & Sherman Theatre
Sion Daniel Young, Killology, Sherman Theatre & Royal Court Theatre
Steffan Donnelly, My Body Welsh, Cwmni Theatr Invertigo Theatre Company, The Conker Group & Pontio
James Scannell, Granton Street, Fluellen Theatre Company

Best Production In The Welsh Language
Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Wythnos Yng Nghymru Fydd, Bangor University, Pontio, Ensemble Cymru & Young Films
Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws
Y Tŵr, Music Theatre Wales & Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru

Best Playwright In The Welsh Language
Manon Steffan Ros, Mwgsi, Cwmni’r Frân Wen
Manon Wyn Williams, Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Siôn Eirian, Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws
Hefin Robinson, Estron, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Gwyn Thomas, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru

Best Performance In The Welsh Language – Female
Ffion Dafis, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Siw Hughes, Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Caryl Hughes, Y Tŵr, Music Theatre Wales & Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Lisa Jên Brown, Gair O Gariad, Theatr Bara Caws, Fuel & Uninvited Guests
Caryl Morgan, Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws

Best Performance In The Welsh Language – Male
Rhodri Miles, Sieiloc
Richard Lynch, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Siôn Pritchard, Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Gareth John Bale, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Rhodri Evan, Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws

Best Ensemble
Tiger Bay, Wales Millennium Centre
Granton Street, Fluellen Theatre Company
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Torch Theatre Company
Junkyard, Theatr Clwyd, Headlong, Bristol Old Vic & Rose Theatre Kingston
The Sea King’s Feast, Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Best Director
Rachel O’Riordan, Killology, Sherman Theatre & Royal Court Theatre
Simon Harris, Little Wolf, Lucid Theatre
Chris Durnall, Nether, Company Of Sirens
Tamara Harvey, Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
Marc Rees & Caroline Finn, P.A.R.A.D.E., National Dance Company Wales

Best Choreographer
Gwyn Emberton, Raft, Gwyn Emberton Dance, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Marc Rees & Caroline Finn, P.A.R.A.D.E., National Dance Company Wales
Marcos Morau, Tundra, National Dance Company Wales
Tim Podesta, Shadow Aspect, Ballet Cymru
Lisa Spaull, The Flying Bedroom, Little Light, Venue Cymru & Firefly Press