Features

Tony Awards 2019: British shows that could win big

Ahead of this year’s Tony Awards nominations we look at some of the shows that have crossed the pond and are eligible for nominations

Alex Wood

| London |

29 April 2019

Eva Noblezada in Hadestown — Eva Noblezada in the National Theatre run of *Hadestown*
(© Helen Maybanks)

Last year's Tony Awards were an almighty British affair with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the National's production of Angels in America both garnering a collection of nominations (the latter even breaking records). Cursed Child also went on to triumph on the night with six awards. This year the British contingent is slightly less bulky, but we thought we'd round up which productions are in with a chance ahead of the Tony nomination announcements tomorrow. There are, of course, some other Brits in shows that could fare well, including Glenda Jackson and Ruth Wilson in King Lear.

1. Ink

Ink's director Rupert Goold, playwright James Graham and actor Bertie Carvel at the show's world premiere at the Almeida — *Ink*'s director Rupert Goold, playwright James Graham and actor Bertie Carvel at the show's world premiere at the Almeida
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage

James Graham's Ink, which ran first at the Almeida before transferring to the West End, saw Bertie Carvel recognised at the Oliviers in 2018, and the pressing and prescient play about the rise and scandals of The Sun newspaper has already extended twice on Broadway. Carvel returns for the New York production alongside Jonny Lee Miller, and from the sounds of it the play has been creating all the right kind of buzz.

Number of nominations: 6

2. The Ferryman

The lead cast of The Ferryman with writer Jez Butterworth and director Sam Mendes — The lead cast of *The Ferryman* with writer Jez Butterworth and director Sam Mendes
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage

Jez Butterworth's thrilling Irish drama The Ferryman received three Olivier Awards last year – Best Play, Best Director and Best Actress for star Laura Donnelly. With that sort of success it'll be one to watch at the Tony Awards – can Butterworth build on his 2011 success when Jerusalem was nominated for Best New Play and Mark Rylance won?

Number of nominations: 9

3. Network

The first of two National Theatre productions aiming to repeat Angels in America's success is the Bryan Cranston-led Network, directed by Ivo van Hove. Cranston won the Olivier Award for Best Actor for his performance in the flash newsroom drama in London, so it'll be odd if he isn't a frontrunner here.

Number of nominations: 5

4. Hadestown

While Hadestown initially had a long life over in the US, the current Broadway production has a firmly British origin, with the show and its current principal cast first debuting in the musical at the National Theatre last autumn. It felt like an odd omission at this year's Olivier Awards, but will the Greek epic get a lot of love at the Tonys? It might very well do judging by its performances in other awards – having won big at the Outer Critics Circle and the Drama Desk nominations.

Number of nominations: 14