Winners announced of 30th Ian Charleson awards

The winners of the 30th Ian Charleson Awards, which were delayed from last year, have been announced.

Hosted today by the National Theatre, the awards recognise actors under 30 performing classical roles (defined as written before 1918).

Today's digital ceremony was introduced by Rufus Norris and included a speech
from Oliver Ford Davies remembering Ian Charleson, who died in 1990.

Previous recipients of the awards including Emma Fielding, Jodie Whittaker, Paapa Essiedu and Anne-Marie Duff also took part.

First prize was awarded to Heledd Gwynn for performances as Hastings/Ratcliffe in Richard III (Headlong) and Hedda in Hedda Gabler at the Sherman Theatre.

Second prize was awarded to Hammed Animashaun for Bottom in A Midsummer
Night's Dream (Bridge Theatre), and third prize went to Ronke Adekoluejo for Abosede in Three Sisters (National Theatre).

Special commendations were awarded to:

• Billy Postlethwaite, for Macbeth in Macbeth, The Watermill Theatre
• Eben Figueiredo, for Christian in Cyrano de Bergerac, Jamie Lloyd Company
• Ebony Jonelle, for Rosalind in As You Like It, NT Public Acts and Queens Theatre
Hornchurch
• Ekow Quartey, for Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare's Globe
• Ioanna Kimbook, for Cariola in The Duchess of Malfi, The Almeida Theatre
• Isis Hainsworth, for Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Bridge Theatre
• Kit Young, for Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Bridge Theatre
• Kitty Archer, for Mariane in Tartuffe, National Theatre
• Racheal Ofori, for Udo in Three Sisters, National Theatre