Theatre News

My Neighbour Totoro, Prima Facie, Bonnie and Clyde and more win big at the WhatsOnStage Awards

Yes, this world will remember them!

Tom Millward

Tom Millward

| London |

12 February 2023

Jonathan Bailey and Joel Harper-Jackson in Cock / Jodie Comer in Prima Facie / Mei Mac and Ami Okumura Jones in My Neighbour Totoro / Jordan Luke Gage and Frances Mayli McCann in Bonnie and Clyde / Arthur Darvill and Anoushka Lucas in Oklahoma!
Jonathan Bailey and Joel Harper-Jackson in Cock / Jodie Comer in Prima Facie / Mei Mac and Ami Okumura Jones in My Neighbour Totoro / Jordan Luke Gage and Frances Mayli McCann in Bonnie and Clyde / Arthur Darvill and Anoushka Lucas in Oklahoma!
© Matt Crockett / Helen Murray / Manuel Harlan / The Other Richard / Marc Brenner

As the curtain falls at the 23rd Annual WhatsOnStage Awards Concert, the full list of winners has been revealed.

The Awards introduced gender-neutral performance categories for the first time this year, alongside the new and returning additions of Best Professional Debut, Best Takeover, Best Concert Event and Best Casting Direction.

The biggest winner of the night was the RSC's beloved stage adaptation of My Neighbour Totoro, which secured five awards, including Best Direction (for Phelim McDermott), Best Set Design (for Tom Pye and Basil Twist), Best Lighting Design (for Jessica Hung Han Yun), Best Sound Design (for Tony Gayle) and Best Musical Direction/Supervision (for Bruce O'Neil and Matt Smith).

It did not, however, take home the Best New Play trophy, which instead went to the highly acclaimed West End production of Prima Facie, with its lead Jodie Comer also triumphing in the Best Performer in a Play category.

Ahead of its return to the London stage next month, Bonnie and Clyde managed to see off its competition to be crowned Best New Musical on a night where its leading actors – Frances Mayli McCann and Jordan Luke Gage – also gave a performance as the titular outlaws.

In the revival categories, Marianne Elliott's celebrated staging of Cock and the mould-breaking reimagining of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic Oklahoma! at the Young Vic (also transferring to the West End later this week) triumphed as Best Play Revival and Best Musical Revival, respectively. The latter was also recognised for Joshua Thorson's video design.

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's revival of Legally Blonde cemented its popularity with Courtney Bowman – one of the trio of hosts for the night – and Lauren Drew each receiving the nod for Best Performer in a Musical and Best Supporting Performer in a Musical, respectively, while To Kill a Mockingbird's Gwyneth Keyworth (Best Supporting Performer in a Play), Wicked's Lucie Jones (Best Takeover Performance) and Heartstopper and The Trials favourite Joe Locke (Best Professional Debut) also went home as freshly crowned WhatsOnStage Award winners.

Other shows that didn't leave empty-handed this evening include Curve's Billy Elliot (Best Regional Production), But I'm A Cheerleader: The Musical (Best Off-West End Production), the soon-to-be-returning Grease (Best Choreography), the UK premiere tour of The Cher Show (Best Costume Design) and the star-studded staging of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends (Best Concert Event). The queens of Six will also continue their reign for a third consecutive year as Best West End Show.

The evening featured a variety of special performances include an exclusive appearance from Prima Facie composer SELF ESTEEM and We Will Rock You star Mazz Murray.

You can check out the full list of winners here

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Guide

The WhatsOnStage Awards

The WhatsOnStage Awards are the only major UK theatre awards decided by the theatregoers themselves. At the annual concert ceremonies, alongside seeing the winners crowned, audience members also enjoy a host of exclusive live performances from top theatrical talent.

24th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards

The WhatsOnStage Awards are considered one of the top highlights of the theatrical calendar, saluting the best of UK theatre. On the night, as well as seeing the winners crowned, attendees also enjoy a host of exclusive live performances from top theatre talent.

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