UK Theatre Awards 2018 winners announced
© Pamela Raith
This year's UK Theatre Awards have been announced, with the Royal Exchange, Manchester winning four awards including Best Play for The Almighty Sometimes.
The Royal Exchange also won Best Director, for artistic director Sarah Frankcom and her production of Our Town, Best Touring Show for Three Sisters, a co-production with RashDash, and Best Performance in a Musical for Ashley Zhangazha in Guys and Dolls – a co-production with Talawa.
Clwyd Theatre's recent hit The Assassination of Katie Hopkins won Best Musical Production, while Best Performance in a Play went to Denise Black for The Cherry Orchard, a Sherman Theatre production.
Gemma Dobson won Best Supporting Performance for her role in Rita Sue, and Bob Too, a co-production between Out of Joint, the Royal Court and Bolton Octagon.
Maxine Peake was awarded Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre, while Richard Eyre was given the Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts, which was presented by Ian McKellen.
Peake said: "People keep saying to me, 'you've given so much to regional theatre' – I haven't given anything, it's given it to me; it's allowed me to do the work I want to do, and that is mainly down to Sarah Frankcom and her bravery and her belief in me".
On picking up his award, Eyre said: "I'm constantly bewildered by the fact that local authorities and government can't see what an extraordinary, unique asset theatre is."
The awards took place in a ceremony in London on Sunday, hosted by Tyrone Huntley.
Full list of winners
Best New Play
THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES by Kendall Feaver, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
Best Musical Production
THE ASSASSINATION OF KATIE HOPKINS directed by James Grieve, a Theatr Clwyd production
Best Touring Production
THREE SISTERS, a RashDash and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production
Best Show for Children and Young People
THE LITTLE MERMAID directed by Emma Earle and Cameron Carver, a The Egg – Theatre Royal Bath and Pins and Needles co-production
Best Director
Sarah Frankcom for OUR TOWN, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
Best Design
Morgan Large for WONDERLAND, a Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company production
Best Performance in a Play
Denise Black for THE CHERRY ORCHARD, a Sherman Theatre production
Best Performance in a Musical
Ashley Zhangazha for GUYS AND DOLLS, a Royal Exchange Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company co-production
Best Supporting Performance
Gemma Dobson for RITA, SUE AND BOB TOO, a Royal Court, Out of Joint and Octagon Theatre, Bolton production
Achievement in Dance
Northern Ballet for its bold and varied programming, particularly THE LITTLE MERMAID and its Kenneth MacMillan tribute
Clothworkers' Theatre Award
Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch
Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre
Maxine Peake
Achievement in Opera
David Pountney and Tomáš Hanus for their artistic leadership of Welsh National Opera
The Renee Stepham Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre
Scottish Ballet
Theatre Employee of the Year sponsored by Integro in Association with Chubb
Clare Lindsay – The Watermill Theatre
Promotion of Diversity
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Achievement in Marketing/Audience Development
The Old Vic
UK's Most Welcoming Theatre
The Mill at Sonning
Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts
Richard Eyre
