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It’s a Royal flush at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards
Louise Jury, Chief Arts Correspondent24.11.09
The Royal Court today turned cutting-edge drama into establishment success as it swept the board at the 55th London Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
With its two hit plays, Enron and Jerusalem, dominating major categories, the Sloane Square theatre stormed the glittering ceremony at the Royal Opera House to take four awards including best play, best actor and best director.
As the Donmar Warehouse, last year's out-and-out victor with a similar tally, handed on the powerhouse baton, it could take consolation in the best actress prize for Rachel Weisz's touching performance as Blanche DuBois in the Tennessee Williams classic A Streetcar Named Desire.
Gallery: Evening Standard Theatre Awards
And late starters everywhere can raise a glass to Lenny Henry who, at 51, was named outstanding newcomer over rising stars less than half his age for his assured stage debut in the title role of Shakespeare's Othello.
Henry said his mother, Winnie, who died in 1998, would have been "really chuffed". "I haven't done a play since nativity when I was six so I think it's a pretty good achievement. It's very encouraging to older artists. It feels like a massive stamp of approval."
The awards were announced at a ceremony compered by Kirsty Young, which was attended by past winners and this year's stage stars including Dominic West, Anna Friel, Samuel West, Neil Pearson, Alison Steadman, Simon Russell Beale, Tom Hollander, Hayley Atwell and Kerry Fox.
Performances in venues across the capital were in contention for prizes. But Henry Hitchings, the Standard's theatre critic, said the Royal Court's "strikingly high" number of honours was a reflection of the great things happening there. "This is very much the Court's day," he said.
Dominic Cooke, artistic director of the Royal Court, said: "You can never plan for success. It's a cumulative thing. I started three years ago and it takes a while for you to find your feet. But this is amazing."
Hitchings was joined on the judging panel by Susannah Clapp of the Observer, Matt Wolf of the International Herald Tribune, Georgina Brown of The Mail on Sunday and Charles Spencer of the Daily Telegraph, with Sarah Sands, the Standard's deputy editor, chairing.
Sir Ian McKellen, who received a special award presented by Evgeny Lebedev, executive director of the Standard, said: "It gives me enormous pleasure to receive this award and, considering its my 70th year, I'm considering it as a wonderful present. I got my first award from Equity for the best supporting performance for my first role on the West End 45 years ago. This one is a tremendous honour."
Mr Lebedev described Sir Ian as one of the greatest actors of all time. "This man's extraordinary career spans Shakespearean characters to Widow Twankey. He is a wizard in more ways than one and every time I see him on stage I am certainly under his spell."
Best director Rupert Goold, honoured for Enron, said it was fantastic that all four nominees in the category had directed new plays.
He was particularly pleased at the recognition for Enron. "It really hit its moment."
Vanessa Redgrave, who presented the best actress award, said she was "thrilled" that it had been named after her late daughter, Natasha Richardson. Redgrave said she could think of no other theatrical award named after an actress. "It is a unique honour," she said. Richardson died in March after a fall on a skiing trip.
And the winners are...
Best play
Jerusalem, Jez Butterworth (Royal Court)
Best actor
Mark Rylance in Jerusalem (Royal Court)
The Natasha Richardson award for best actress
Rachel Weisz in A Streetcar Named Desire (Donmar)
The Sydney Edwards award for best director
Rupert Goold, Enron (Headlong/Royal Court)
The Ned Sherrin award for best musical
Hello Dolly (Open Air, Regent's Park)
Best design
Mamoru Iriguchi, Mincemeat (Cardboard Citizens/Cordy House, Shoreditch)
The Charles Wintour award for most promising playwright
Alia Bano (Shades/Royal Court)
The Milton Shulman award for outstanding newcomer
Lenny Henry in Othello (Trafalgar Studios)
Special award
Sir Ian McKellen for his contribution to British theatre
Reader views (11)
Gillian Anderson was brilliant in A Doll's House, she should have been nominated
- Ada, Greece
The goatee beard suits Henry,but forget about acting ability or comic talent,this is all about he who whinges loudest gets the cake,it reminds me of when Mick Jagger kept moaning about not getting a knighthood,and then guess what?,he finally got one,luvvie prats,prats,thrice prats,if you include paul McCartney!!.
- Lord Lucan, The Old Vic, London.
Lenny & Dawn are such a lovely couple and both so incredibly talented - surely it is time their enormous contribution to entertaining our nation was recognised by an "Arise Sir Lenny and Lady Dawn"? Dawn obviously should be a Dame in her own right, though she might prefer being known as Lady Dawn French rather than Dame Dawn!
- Thomas, London
Well done Sir Lenforth of Henry.
- Squiz, Islington
Hope he stays at Travelodge tonight and celebrates.
- Fedupofuk, Mars
Did he get the award on talent? Coz I do not reckon him as an actor or a comic to be HONEST
- Tallulah, Brighton
So pleased to hear Jerusalem won best play and also Mark Rylance for best actor- it was absolutely amazing and an all star cast!! Great to see credit going where its due! hooray!
- Rachael, London
Not too enthusiastic about the critics' nominations, to begin with: the absence of Gillian Anderson is ridiculous and makes the list pretty laughable. It wouldn't hurt to show some love for "Priscilla", either. Was hoping "Enron" would win the best play. Congratulations for the charismatic Lenny Henry and Mark Rylance. Altogether, not a bad year for the British theatre.
- Puck, Deptford
Lenny Henry - deserved award. This guy has come a long way from his already impressive comic beginnings. He's earned this.
- Rogan, Irving
Gillian Anderson should be the best actress.. Is scandalous she wasnt even in the long list.
- Nick, Henley, UK
I hope Mr Henry gets as much credit for bringing a new audience to Shakespeare as did David Tennant!
- Gwaddilove, London..England
