Union Theatre leads the pack in Off West End Awards nominations

The shortlists for this year’s 'Offies' have been announced, with the Union Theatre receiving the most nods including Michael Strassen as best director for Billy.

Competing alongside Strassen is Jamie Glover for The Dumb Waiter at the Print Room and Max Pappenheim for Nothing is the End of the World at the Finborough Theatre.

Among its other nominations the Union has dominated the best choreographer category – picking up all three nominations.

Soho Theatre is not far behind with eight nominations including a nod for Phoebe Waller-Bridge, recognised for her solo performance in Fleabag.

Joining Waller-Bridge is Leanne Best for The Match Box at the Tricycle Theatre, Lucy Ellinson for Grounded at the Gate Theatre and Vicki Lee Taylor for "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" at the Union Theatre.

Winners of the awards, which highlight the best of London's independent theatre, will be announced on 2 March at a ceremony held at the Unicorn Theatre.

The nominations in full are:

Best female

Leanne Best for The Match Box at the Tricycle Theatre
Lucy Ellinson for Grounded at the Gate Theatre
Vicki Lee Taylor for On a Clear Day You Can See Forever at the Union Theatre
Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at the Soho Theatre

Best male

Joe Armstrong for The Dumb Waiter at the Print Room
James Cooney for Bottleneck at the Soho Theatre
Michael Pennington for Dances of Death at the Gate Theatre
Jamie Samuel for Jumpers for Goalposts at the Bush Theatre

Best new play

Bottleneck by Luke Barnes at the Soho Theatre
Jumpers for Goalposts by Tom Wells at the Bush Theatre
The Match Box by Frank McGuinness at the Tricycle Theatre

Most promising new playwright

Thomas Eccleshare for Pastoral at the Soho Theatre
Sam Potter for Mucky Kid at Theatre 503
Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at the Soho Theatre

Best director

Jamie Glover for The Dumb Waiter at the Print Room
Max Pappenheim for Nothing Is the End of the World at the Finborough Theatre
Michael Strassen for Billy at the Union Theatre

Best choreographer

Cressida Carre for Titanic at the Union Theatre
Lizzie Gee for HMS Pinafore at the Union Theatre
Christopher Howell and Steven Harris for Chess at the Union Theatre

Best ensemble

Simply8 for Moby Dick and The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (both at the Arcola Theatre)

Best producer

Sasha Regan at the Union Theatre

Best artistic director

David Byrne at the New Diorama Theatre
Sasha Regan at the Union Theatre
Paul Robinson at Theatre 503

Best lighting designer

Dan Herd for The Life and Sort of Death of Eric Argyle at the Soho Theatre
Howard Hudson for Titanic (Southwark Playhouse) and Lizzie Siddal (Arcola Theatre)
Matt Leventhall for Fishskin Trousers at the Finborough Theatre

Best sound designer

Ben and Max Ringham for Ring at Battersea Arts Centre
Simon Slater for The Life of Stuff at Theatre 503
Fergus Waldron for Casualties at Park Theatre

Best set designer

Oliver Townsend for Grounded at the Gate Theatre
Jamie Vartan for The Last Yankee at the Print Room
Michael Vale for Pastoral at the Soho Theatre

Best costume designer

Amedine Bello for Little Soldiers at the Cockpit
Elle-Rose Hughes for Darling of the Day at the Union Theatre
David Woodhead for Lizzie Siddal at the Arcola Theatre and Titanic at Southwark Playhouse

Best production

Grounded at the Gate Theatre
Jumpers for Goalposts at the Bush Theatre
Land of Our Fathers at Theatre 503

Best musical production

Billy at the Union Theatre
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever at the Union Theatre
Titanic at Southwark Playhouse

Best new musical

Another Way at the Cockpit
Glasgow Girls at Theatre Royal Stratford East
Streets at the Cockpit

Best opera production

L’Orfeo Monteverdi by Silent Opera at Trinity Buoy Wharf
Mansfield Park by Hampstead Garden Opera at Upstairs at the Gatehouse
Puppet Opera Triple Bill by Third Hand at the Rosemary Branch

Best production for young people

Cinderella at the Unicorn Theatre, co-produced with Travelling Light and the Tobacco Factory
Egg by Cahoots NI at Polka Theatre
Henry V at the Unicorn Theatre

Best TBC production (recognising productions that defy all other categories)

Bryony Kimmings: Credible Likeable Superstar Role Model at the Soho Theatre
Tomorrow’s Parties by Forced Entertainment at Battersea Arts Centre
Wuthering Heights by Peter McMaster at Battersea Arts Centre