Theatre News

Full List: 2012 Whatsonstage.com Award winners

The UK’s leading theatre website today reveals the winners of the 2012 Whatsonstage.com Awards, the only major prize-giving event for the theatre industry voted for purely by the ticket-buying public.

At a star-studded awards concert held this evening (19 February) at the West End’s Prince of Wales Theatre, winners including James Corden, Richard Fleeshman, Hannah Waddingham, Nigel Harman, Kerry Ellis and Tim Minchin were on hand to collect their trophies (click here for photos and further coverage).

Among the shows celebrating tonight are Matilda the Musical (four awards), One Man, Two Guvnors, Ghost the Musical (three awards apiece), The Wizard of Oz and Shrek the Musical (two apiece).

Over 70,000 people took part in the voting process – a major new record representing a 55% increase on last year’s turnout.

The awards – hosted by Sheridan Smith, Alan Davies and Jenny Eclair – were staged in association with Time Out London in aid of this year’s adopted charity Stage One.


Best Actress in a Play

  • Eve BestMuch Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe
  • Kristin Scott ThomasBetrayal at the Comedy
  • Ruth WilsonAnna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Samantha SpiroChicken Soup with Barley at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • Tamsin GreigJumpy at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • Vanessa RedgraveDriving Miss Daisy at Wyndham’s
  • Best Actor in a Play

  • Benedict CumberbatchFrankenstein at the National, Olivier
  • Jude LawAnna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Kevin SpaceyRichard III at the Old Vic
  • David TennantMuch Ado About Nothing at Wyndham’s
  • James Earl JonesDriving Miss Daisy at Wyndham’s
  • James CordenOne Man, Two Guvnors at the National, Lyttelton & Adelphi
  • Best Supporting Actress in a Play

  • Bryony HannahThe Children’s Hour at the Comedy
  • Catherine TateSeason’s Greetings at the National, Lyttelton
  • Doon MackichanJumpy at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • Jemima RooperOne Man, Two Guvnors at the National, Lyttelton & Adelphi
  • Niamh CusackPlayboy of the Western World at the Old Vic
  • Sheridan SmithFlare Path at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
  • Best Supporting Actor in a Play

  • Arthur DarvillDr Faustus at Shakespeare’s Globe
  • Charles EdwardsTwelfth Night at the National, Cottesloe
  • David HaymanAnna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Harry Hadden-PatonFlare Path at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
  • Mark GatissSeason’s Greetings at the National, Lyttelton
  • Oliver ChrisOne Man, Two Guvnors at the National, Lyttelton & Adelphi
  • The BABY GRAND Best Actress in a Musical

  • Amanda HoldenShrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
  • Caissie LevyGhost the Musical at the Piccadilly
  • Clare FosterCrazy for You at the Open Air & Novello
  • Emma WilliamsLove Story at the Duchess
  • Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram Eleanor Worthington Cox & Sophia Kiely – Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
  • Sarah LancashireBetty Blue Eyes at the Novello
  • The THEATRE TOKENS Best Actor in a Musical

  • Bertie CarvelMatilda the Musical at the Cambridge
  • Nigel LindsayShrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
  • Oliver TompsettRock of Ages at the Shaftesbury
  • Reece ShearsmithBetty Blue Eyes at the Novello
  • Richard FleeshmanGhost the Musical at the Piccadilly
  • Sean PalmerCrazy for You at the Open Air & Novello
  • Best Supporting Actress in a Musical

  • Ann EmeryBetty Blue Eyes at the Novello
  • Hannah WaddinghamThe Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
  • Harriet ThorpeCrazy for You at the Open Air & Novello
  • Lauren WardMatilda the Musical at the Cambridge
  • Meow MeowThe Umbrellas of Cherbourg at the Gielgud
  • Sharon D ClarkeGhost the Musical at the Piccadilly
  • Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

  • Andrew LangtreeGhost the Musical at the Piccadilly
  • Ben GoddardMillion Dollar Quartet at the Noël Coward
  • David BurtCrazy for You at the Open Air & Novello
  • Nigel HarmanShrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
  • Paul KayeMatilda the Musical at the Cambridge
  • Simon LipkinRock of Ages at the Shaftesbury
  • The LES MISÈRABLES Best Ensemble Performance

  • Backbeat – at the Duke of York’s
  • London Road – at the National, Cottesloe
  • Richard III & The Comedy of Errors – Propeller at Hampstead
  • Some Like It Hip Hop – Sadler’s Wells at the Peacock
  • The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Top Girls – at Trafalgar Studios 1
  • The JO HUTCHISON INTERNATIONAL Best Solo Performance

  • Daniel KitsonIt’s Always Right Now Until It’s Later at the National, Lyttelton
  • John LeguziamoGhetto Klown at Charing Cross
  • Kerry EllisAnthems at the Royal Albert Hall
  • Ruby WaxLosing It at the Menier Chocolate Factory & Duchess
  • Simon CallowBeing Shakespeare at Trafalgar Studios 1
  • Stephanie StreetThe Nightwatchman at the National, Paintframe
  • The SEATLIVE Best Takeover in a Role

  • Alex GaumondWe Will Rock You at the Dominion
  • Alfie BoeLes Misèrables at the Queen’s
  • Kimberley WalshShrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
  • Matt LucasLes Misèrables at the Queen’s
  • Susan McFaddenLegally Blonde at the Savoy
  • Tara FitzgeraldBroken Glass at the Vaudeville
  • The NICK HERN BOOKS Best New Play

  • Belongings by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm – at Hampstead & Trafalgar Studios 2
  • Collaborators by John Hodge – at the National, Cottesloe
  • Grief by Mike Leigh – at the National, Cottesloe
  • Mogadishu by Vivienne Franzmann – at the Lyric Hammersmith
  • The Heretic by Richard Bean – at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • Three Days in May by Ben Brown – at Trafalgar Studios 1
  • The EMG Best New Comedy

  • Get Santa! by Anthony Neilson, music by Nick Powell – at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • Jumpy by April de Angelis – at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • No Naughty Bits by Steve Thompson – at Hampstead
  • One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean – at the National, Lyttelton & Adelphi
  • Potted Panto by Daniel Clarkson, Jefferson Turner & Richard Hurst – at the Vaudeville
  • The Village Bike by Penelope Skinner – at the Royal Court Upstairs
  • The SEE TICKETS Best New Musical

  • Betty Blue Eyes by George Stiles, Antony Drewe, Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman – at the Novello
  • Ghost the Musical by Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard & Bruce Joel Rubin – at the Piccadilly
  • London Road by Adam Cork & Alecky Blythe – at the National, Cottesloe
  • Matilda the Musical by Tim Minchin & Dennis Kelly – at the Cambridge
  • Rock of Ages by Chris D’Arienzo – at the Shaftesbury
  • Shrek the Musical by Jeanine Tesori & David Lindsay-Abaire – at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
  • The SAMUEL FRENCH Best Play Revival

  • Anna Christie – at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Chicken Soup with Barley – at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • Driving Miss Daisy – at Wyndham’s
  • Ecstasy – at Hampstead & the Duchess
  • Flare Path – at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
  • Saved – at the Lyric Hammersmith
  • The RADISSON EDWARDIAN Best Musical Revival

  • Crazy for You – at the Open Air & Novello
  • Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be – at the Union
  • Parade – at Southwark Playhouse
  • Ragtime – at the Landor
  • South Pacific – at the Barbican
  • The Wizard of Oz – at the London Palladium
  • Best Shakespearean Production

  • Hamlet – at the Young Vic
  • King Lear – at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Much Ado About Nothing – at Shakespeare’s Globe
  • Much Ado About Nothing – at Wyndham’s
  • Richard III – at the Old Vic
  • The Tempest – at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
  • The OAKLEY CAPITAL Best Director

  • Danny BoyleFrankenstein at the National, Olivier
  • Josie RourkeMuch Ado About Nothing at Wyndham’s
  • Matthew WarchusGhost the Musical at the Piccadilly & Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
  • Michael GrandageKing Lear & Luise Miller at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Nicholas HytnerOne Man, Two Guvnors at the National, Lyttelton & Adelphi
  • Trevor NunnFlare Path & Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
  • Best Set Designer

  • Mark TildesleyFrankenstein at the National, Olivier
  • Jon BausorLord of the Flies at the Open Air
  • Miriam BuetherDecade at St Katharine’s Docks
  • Paul WillsAnna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Rob HowellGhost the Musical at the Piccadilly & Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
  • Robert JonesThe Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
  • The WHITE LIGHT Best Lighting Designer

  • Bruno PoetFrankenstein at the National, Olivier
  • Hugh VanstoneGhost the Musical at the Piccadilly
  • Mark HendersonThe Kitchen & 13 at the National, Olivier & The Emperor & Galilean at the National, Olivier
  • Neil AustinBetty Blue Eyes at the Novello
  • Oliver FenwickMy City at the Almeida
  • Paule ConstableLuise Miller at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Best Choreographer

  • Aline DavidThe Kitchen at the National, Olivier
  • Ashley WallenGhost the Musical at the Piccadilly
  • Kate PrinceSome Like It Hip Hop at the Peacock
  • Kelly DevineRock of Ages at the Shaftesbury
  • Peter DarlingMatilda the Musical at the Cambridge
  • Stephen MearCrazy for You at the Open Air & Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello
  • The DEWYNTERS London Newcomer of the Year

  • Danielle HopeThe Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
  • Johnny FlynnThe Heretic at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • Kara TointonPygmalion at the Garrick
  • Kyle SollerThe Glass Menagerie & Government Inspector at the Young Vic & The Faith Machine at the Royal Court Downstairs
  • Shayne WardRock of Ages at the Shaftesbury
  • Tim MinchinMatilda at the Cambridge
  • The TIME OUT Best Off-West End Production

  • Accolade – at the Finborough
  • Realism – at Soho
  • The Animals & Children Took to the Streets – at Battersea Arts Centre
  • The Belle’s Stratagem – at Southwark Playhouse
  • The Riots – at the Tricycle
  • Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story – at the Tristan Bates & Charing Cross
  • The LUCKINGS Best Regional Production

  • 20th Century Boy – at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
  • Love Love Love – at the Drum Theatre, Plymouth & on tour
  • Macbeth – at Liverpool Everyman
  • Othello – at Sheffield Crucible
  • Sweeney Todd – at Chichester Festival
  • The Go Between – at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Derby Live & the Royal & Derngate, Northampton
  • The EQUITY Best West End Show

  • Jersey Boys – at the Prince Edward
  • Les Misérables – at the Queen’s
  • The Phantom of the Opera – at Her Majesty’s
  • War Horse – at the New London
  • We Will Rock You – at the Dominion
  • Wicked – at the Apollo Victoria
  • The AKA Theatre Event of the Year

  • David Tennant & Catherine Tate reuniting on stage in Much Ado About Nothing
  • Headlong’s commemoration of 9/11 with Decade, written by 18 authors & staged in a disused office block at St Katharine’s Dock
  • Michael Sheen & Bill Mitchell‘s National Theatre of Wales staging of The Passion on the streets of Port Talbot
  • The Bush Theatre’s 24-hour cycle of 66 Books, in response to the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, to open its new Shepherd’s Bush Library home
  • The Phantom of the Opera’s 25th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall & screened to cinemas worldwide
  • The Royal Shakespeare Company’s 50th anniversary season & reopening of the Royal Shakespeare & Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon
  • Danny Boyle’s return to the stage with Frankenstein and his alternate casting of Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller in the leads
  • Duckie’s Lullaby, the Barbican’s first-ever sleepover show
  • The National’s opening of its Paintframe as a one-off performance space
  • Benefit concert to rescue Dress Circle


  • THANKS TO ALL OUR SPONSORS: