Gossip

Four Horse Race in Oliviers Audience Award???

The shortlist for the publicly-voted prize for long-runners in this year’s Laurence Olivier Awards has been announced. Four musicals – Jersey Boys, Billy Elliot, We Will Rock You and Les Miserables – now battle it out for the top slot in newly renamed BBC Radio 2 Olivier Audience Award, run in conjunction with Elaine Paige’s musical programme on Radio 2. Theatregoers can vote online at www.olivierawards.com/vote/ until Wednesday 9 March, with the winner announced at the ceremony at the West End’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 13 March 2011. Last year’s winner, Wicked, was ineligible, but stars from the Oz-set musical – which won the Whatsonstage.com Award for Best West End Show for a second year running last week – will be on hand with Paige to present the gong to the 2011 Olivier winner at Drury Lane.