OLIVIERS 2012: West End Stars Make Their Predictions - Part One!
By: Carrie Dunn Apr. 11, 2012
The 2012 Olivier Awards take place on Sunday - and so as always we asked some of our favourite theatre types for their tips to win!
Lucy Trodd (Showstopper! The Improvised Musical)
"What with a toddler, and a husband in Mamma Mia eight shows a week, as well as preparing to take my own show (www.troddenbratt.com) to Edinburgh, my list this year should be 'I wish I'd seen...'
"Best Actress - I LOVED Marcia Warren in The Ladykillers -would love to see her win that - her bow/curtsy at the end is enough to wipe the stage with anyone!
"James Corden in One Man Two Guvnors had me standing and whooping despite myself - has to be one of my all time favourite shows ever.
"And I finally saw Matilda on Sunday, and if those girls don't win I will cry again like I did uncontrollably after the show."
Scott Garnham (BWW:UK 2011 Award Winner; Les Miserables)
"For Best Actress, I'd vote for Sarah Lancashire for Betty Blue Eyes. I thought she was fantastic! Then Matilda for Best New Musical, and One Man Two Guvnors for Best New Play."
Peter Huntley (producer, Floyd Collins)
"Best New Play: One Man, Two Guvnors - Richard Bean. I'm absolutely delighted that comedy has now been integrated into the play award - I always thought it felt really condescending to comedies to separate the categories. One Man, Two Guvnors is simply one of the most entertaining shows I've seen in years. It thoroughly deserves this award.
"Best Revival: Much Ado About Nothing. I admit to being partial, I was Production Associate on this show. But I genuinely loved its inventiveness, design, score and cast. Big, bold, popular Shakespeare. A delight.
"Best Actor: James Corden. I think David Tennant should have been nominated here, but James Corden's performance in One Man, Two Guvnors was endlessly inventive.
"Best Actress: Kristin Scott Thomas. Absolutely heartbreaking, brittle and beautiful in Betrayal.
"Best New Musical: Matilda. It is wonderful to have so many great musicals in one year. I adored Betty Blue Eyes and found London Road ground-breaking and astonishing, but for sheer heart this has to go to Matilda which will, I think, be a show which is produced as often as Oliver! in years to come. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if the residents of a street in Ipswich triumph on the night.
"Best Actor in a Musical: Bertie Carvel. A brilliant man and a brilliant performance. He never goes for the easy choice, his Trunchbull is entirely believable, quite chilling, but wonderfully funny.
"Best Actress in a Musical: The Matildas. They are forces of nature.
"Best Musical Revival: Crazy for You. I thought this got even stronger in town and was sad it didn't attract the audience it so thoroughly deserved. For me Crazy for You is one of the great musical comedies.
"Best Director: Matthew Warchus. This is a really hard category, but I think Matilda should win. Warchus's work felt, to me, at times like it recalled Michael Bennett in its absolute fusion of all the elements of a musical. For the same reason I feel like it should be Peter Darling's year.
"Best Set Design: The Ladykillers. I love theatrical trickery and this set had that in abundance. Again, all of the nominees are very well deserved. I also thought Rob Jones' design for Much Ado was gorgeous as was his move from sepia to colour in The Wizard of Oz."
Niamh Perry (Love Never Dies, Mamma Mia!)
"Best New Play- One Man, Two Guvnors - because it is a wonderful piece and my good friend Jodie Prenger is currently starring in it.
"Best New Musical - Shrek the Musical - it is a great, feel-good fun show and I had a lovely evening there with my family. I've also never seen a show that has so many of my great friends both on and off stage.
"Best Revival Noises Off, Best Actress Marcia Warren, Best Actor Benedict Cumberbatch (I am a huge fan of his), Best Actress in a Musical Scarlett Strallen, and Best Actor in a Musical Paulo Szot- he was truly wonderful in South Pacific."
Tiffany Graves (Wonderful Town, We Will Rock You, Sweet Charity)
"I shall be rooting for the marvellous Andrew Wright for best choreography. All the others in the category have won before, it's his time now, he's brilliant and deserves to win."
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