The 9/11-related musical “Come From Away” and a revamped version of Stephen Sondheim’s “Company” lead London’s Olivier Award nominations, which were announced Tuesday. The two musicals garnered nine nods apiece.
“The Inheritance,” by American playwright Matthew Lopez, received eight nominations. The two-part gay-themed work runs about seven hours and is loosely patterned after E.M. Forster’s classic novel “Howards End.”
Gillian Anderson and Ian McKellen were among those nominated in the acting categories, for their performances in “All About Eve” and “King Lear,” respectively.
Canadian musical “Come From Away,” which originally opened on Broadway in 2017, landed nominations for best new musical, best director, and best sound design. There were nominations in the supporting categories for ensemble cast members Rachel Tucker, Clive Carter and Robert Hands.
Marianne Elliott’s gender-switched production of “Company” received nods in categories including best director, best set design, and best choreographer. Its star, Rosalie Craig, who plays lead character Bobbi (originally written as Bobby, a man) received an acting nomination. Patti LuPone, Jonathan Bailey and Richard Fleeshman also got nods.
“The Inheritance’s” eight nominations included ones for best new play, best director, and best actor for Kyle Soller and best supporting actress for Vanessa Redgrave, the only female member of the cast.
The Lincoln Center Theater production of the classic Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The King and I” scored six noms, and the National Theatre production of “The Lehman Trilogy” five.
In the Best Actor category, McKellen received his 11th Olivier nomination for Shakespeare’s “King Lear.” He was named alongside Arinzé Kene for “Misty,” David Suchet for “The Price,” and Adam Godley, Ben Miles and Simon Russell Beale, who are nominated collectively for “The Lehman Trilogy.”
In the Best Actress category, Anderson is nominated for “All About Eve,” Eileen Atkins for “The Height of the Storm,” Patsy Ferran for “Summer and Smoke,” Sophie Okonedo for “Antony and Cleopatra,” and Katherine Parkinson for “Home, I’m Darling.”
Julian Bird, chief executive of Society of London Theatre and executive producer of the Olivier Awards, said: “This year’s nominations really highlight the sheer breadth and diversity of the modern British theater landscape, with an exciting mix of well-established and new voices.”
The Oliviers are the West End’s equivalent of the Tonys. The awards are named after acting legend Laurence Olivier and will be handed out April 7.
The nominations in full:
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Jonathan Bailey for Company at Gielgud Theatre
Clive Carter for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
Richard Fleeshman for Company at Gielgud Theatre
Robert Hands for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Patti LuPone for Company at Gielgud Theatre
Ruthie Ann Miles for The King And I at The London Palladium
“The Queens” – Aimie Atkinson, Alexia McIntosh, Millie O’Connell, Natalie Paris, Maiya Quansah-Breed and Jarneia Richard-Noel – for Six at Arts Theatre
Rachel Tucker for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC
Come From Away – Book, Music and Lyrics: David Hein and Irene Sankoff; Music Supervisor, Arrangements: Ian Eisendrath; Orchestrations: August Eriksmoen; Musical Director/UK Music Supervisor: Alan Berry; and the band of Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
Fun Home – Composer: Jeanine Tesori; Lyricist/Bookwriter: Lisa Kron at Young Vic
The Inheritance – Composer: Paul Englishby at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
A Monster Calls – Original music composed by Benji Bower and performed live by Benji with Will Bower (The Bower Brothers) at The Old Vic
Six – Original score, orchestrations and vocal arrangements: Toby Marlow, Lucy Moss, Tom Curran and Joe Beighton at Arts Theatre
BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
16 + A Room/Solo Echo/Bill by Ballet British Columbia at Sadler’s Wells
Blkdog by Botis Seva at Sadler’s Wells
Playlist (Track 1, 2) by William Forsythe for English National Ballet at Sadler’s Wells
The Unknown Soldier by Alastair Marriott for The Royal Ballet at Royal Opera House
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Akram Khan for his performance in Xenos at Sadler’s Wells
John Macfarlane for his design of Swan Lake at Royal Opera House
Dimitris Papaioannou for his choreography of The Great Tamer at Sadler’s Wells
BEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY
A Monster Calls at The Old Vic
Snow White at The London Palladium
Songs For Nobodies at Ambassadors Theatre
The Wider Earth at Jerwood Gallery, Natural History Museum
BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Kelly Devine for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
Christopher Gattelli based on original choreography by Jerome Robbins for The King And I at The London Palladium
Carrie-Anne Ingrouille for Six at Arts Theatre
Liam Steel for Company at Gielgud Theatre
MAGIC RADIO BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
Caroline, Or Change at Playhouse Theatre
Company at Gielgud Theatre
The King And I at The London Palladium
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Marc Antolin for Little Shop Of Horrors at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith for Tina – The Tina Turner Musical at Aldwych Theatre
Zubin Varla for Fun Home at Young Vic
Ken Watanabe for The King And I at The London Palladium
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Sharon D. Clarke for Caroline, Or Change at Playhouse Theatre
Rosalie Craig for Company at Gielgud Theatre
Kelli O’Hara for The King And I at The London Palladium
Adrienne Warren for Tina – The Tina Turner Musical at Aldwych Theatre
CUNARD BEST REVIVAL
King Lear at Duke of York’s Theatre
The Lieutenant Of Inishmore at Noël Coward Theatre
The Price at Wyndham’s Theatre
Summer And Smoke at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
BEST NEW COMEDY
Home, I’m Darling at National Theatre – Dorfman and Duke of York’s Theatre
Nine Night at National Theatre – Dorfman and Trafalgar Studios 1
Quiz at Noël Coward Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AFFILIATE THEATRE
Moe Bar-El for his performance in Every Day I Make Greatness Happen at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
Flesh And Bone at Soho Theatre
Jonathan Hyde for his performance in Gently Down The Stream at Park Theatre
The Phlebotomist at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
Athena Stevens for Schism at Park Theatre
WHITE LIGHT AWARD FOR BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Neil Austin for Company at Gielgud Theatre
Howell Binkley for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
Jon Clark for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
Lee Curran for Summer And Smoke at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
ROYAL ALBERT HALL AWARD FOR BEST SOUND DESIGN
Paul Arditti and Christopher Reid for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
Mike Beer for A Monster Calls at The Old Vic
Carolyn Downing for Summer And Smoke at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
Gareth Owen for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
Nick Powell for The Lehman Trilogy at National Theatre – Lyttelton
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Fly Davis for Caroline, Or Change at Playhouse Theatre
Anna Fleischle for Home, I’m Darling at National Theatre – Dorfman and Duke of York’s Theatre
Gabriella Slade for Six at Arts Theatre
Catherine Zuber for The King And I at The London Palladium
BLUE-I THEATRE TECHNOLOGY AWARD FOR BEST SET DESIGN
Bunny Christie for Company at Gielgud Theatre
Bob Crowley for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
Es Devlin for The Lehman Trilogy at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Anna Fleischle for Home, I’m Darling at National Theatre – Dorfman and Duke of York’s Theatre
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Keir Charles for Quiz at Noël Coward Theatre
Adam Gillen for Killer Joe at Trafalgar Studios 1
Adrian Lukis for The Price at Wyndham’s Theatre
Malcolm Sinclair for Pressure at Ambassadors Theatre
Chris Walley for The Lieutenant Of Inishmore at Noël Coward Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Susan Brown for Home, I’m Darling at National Theatre – Dorfman and Duke of York’s Theatre
Monica Dolan for All About Eve at Noël Coward Theatre
Cecilia Noble for Nine Night at National Theatre – Dorfman and Trafalgar Studios 1
Vanessa Redgrave for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
Katya Kabanova at Royal Opera House
Lessons In Love And Violence at Royal Opera House
The Turn Of The Screw at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
David Butt Philip and Roderick Williams for their performances in War Requiem at London Coliseum
The English National Opera chorus for Paul Bunyan at Wilton’s Music Hall
Andris Nelsons for his conducting of Lohengrin at Royal Opera House
The ensemble of Porgy And Bess at London Coliseum
BEST ACTOR
Adam Godley, Ben Miles and Simon Russell Beale for The Lehman Trilogy at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Arinzé Kene for Misty at Trafalgar Studios 1
Ian McKellen for King Lear at Duke of York’s Theatre
Kyle Soller for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
David Suchet for The Price at Wyndham’s Theatre
BEST ACTRESS
Gillian Anderson for All About Eve at Noël Coward Theatre
Eileen Atkins for The Height Of The Storm at Wyndham’s Theatre
Patsy Ferran for Summer And Smoke at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
Sophie Okonedo for Antony And Cleopatra at National Theatre – Olivier
Katherine Parkinson for Home, I’m Darling at National Theatre – Dorfman and Duke of York’s Theatre
SIR PETER HALL AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
Christopher Ashley for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
Stephen Daldry for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
Marianne Elliott for Company at Gielgud Theatre
Rebecca Frecknall for Summer And Smoke at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
Sam Mendes for The Lehman Trilogy at National Theatre – Lyttelton
AMERICAN AIRLINES BEST NEW PLAY
The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
The Lehman Trilogy at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Misty at Trafalgar Studios 1
Sweat at Donmar Warehouse
MASTERCARD BEST NEW MUSICAL
Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
Fun Home at Young Vic
Six at Arts Theatre
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical at Aldwych Theatre
