Finborough & Landor win big at 2012 Off-West End Awards

Accolade, which was revived at the Finborough early last year, picked up three awards, as did the Landor’s production of Ragtime (both these productions are also nominated in the 2012 Whatsonstage.com Awards, which are announced on 19 February).

The Offies were launched in 2010 to” recognise and celebrate the excellence, innovation and ingenuity of independent theatres across London”.

The long list of nominees is proposed by 40 Off West End Assessors over the calendar year who see over 300 shows in independent theatres across London. All productions taking place at over 100 theatres listed on OffWestEnd.com are eligible for nomination (with a minimum requirement of a 3 week run).

The shortlist of finalists and subsequent winners was chosen by a panel including Mark Shenton (Sunday Express, The Stage), Ian Shuttleworth (Financial Times), Matt Wolf (International Herald Tribune), Daisy Bowie-Sell (The Telegraph), Andrzej Lukowski (Time Out), Paul Vale (The Stage) and Roger Foss (LBC).

This year’s winners are:

Best Female Performance: Vinette Robinson for Tender Napalm at Southwark Playhouse

Best Male Performance: Aden Gillett in Accolade at the Finborough

Best New Play: Knot of The Heart by David Eldridge at the Almeida

Most Promising New Playwright: Dawn King for Foxfinder at the Finborough

Best Director: Blanche McIntyre for Accolade at the Finborough

Best Lighting Designer: Howard Hudson for Burlesque at Jermyn Street, Ragtime and Hired Man at the Landor

Best Set Designer: Ruth Sutcliffe for Kingdom of Earth at The Print Room

Best Sound Designer: Neil Alexander for Snake in The Grass at The Print Room

Best Costume Designer: Martin Thomas for Ragtime at the Landor

Best Movement: Joe Darke for Bound at the Southwark Playhouse

Best Ensemble: Ragtime at the Landor

Best Production: Accolade at the Finborough

Best Production for Young People: The Tin Soldier by Tangere Arts at the Unicorn

Best Entertainment: This is Where We Got To When You Came In at the Bush

Best New Musical: Burlesque at Jermyn Street Theatre

Best Musical Production: The Hired Man at the Landor

Best Producer: Danielle Tarento

Best Artistic Director: Neil McPherson at the Finborough

Special Achievement Award: Sam Walters at the Orange Tree Theatre