Evening Standard announced the shortlist for its annual theatre awards today or the BAFTA's to the Olivier's Oscars as I like to think of it. Here's my pick of winners and which I think will win – I've omitted anything musical/production related and those categories where I've only seen one out of the three shortlisted plays.
BEST PLAY
- Constellations by Nick Payne (Royal Court Upstairs)
- Love and Information by Caryl Churchill (Royal Court Downstairs)
- This House by James Graham (National’s Cottesloe)
Stan's choice: Love and Information is my least favourite of the three – it gave me a headache. This House was very good but I think Constellations was clever and moving.
And the winner: Probably be Love and Information just because it Caryl Churchill and it was so different and clever (but it still gave me a headache)
BEST DIRECTOR
- Carrie Cracknell for A Doll’s House (Young Vic)
- Nicholas Hytner for Timon of Athens (National’s Olivier)
- James Macdonald for Love and Information (Royal Court Downstairs)
- Ian Rickson for Hamlet (Young Vic)
Stan's choice: Even though it isn't my favourite I think James Macdonald should win just for the sheer logistics of directing a play of that scope and variety.
And the winner: Love and Information. For reasons I've mentioned above. I think Hamlet and A Doll's House were quite devisive and therefore that will count them out and although Timon was fab not sure it was Hytner's best and award winning work.
BEST ACTOR
- Simon Russell Beale, Collaborators (National’s Cottesloe)
- Charles Edwards, The King’s Speech (Wyndham’s) and This House (National’s Cottesloe)
- Adrian Lester, Red Velvet (Tricycle Theatre)
- Luke Treadaway, The Curious Incident of the Dog in theNight-time, (National Theatre’s Cottesloe)
Stan's choice: Have only seen SRB, Treadaway and Edwards in This House, in this category. I've heard good things about Lester but as I haven't seen Red Velvet I have to eliminate him from my choice. It's down to SRB and Treadaway. I loved both performances very much and both plays, saw them twice in fact but I think if push came to shove then Treadaway but just by a hair.
And the winner: I have a feeling that Lester will be in with a good chance but he'll be up against Treadaway. It'll definitely be one of those two.
NATASHA RICHARDSON AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
- Eileen Atkins, All That Fall (Jermyn Street)
- Cate Blanchett, Big and Small (Sydney Theatre Company for Barbican)
- Laurie Metcalf, Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Apollo)
- Hattie Morahan, A Doll’s House (Young Vic)
Stan's choice: Haven't seen Blanchett of that bunch and of the remaining three the performance that sticks most in my mind is Metcalf's. It was a breathtaking productional all round and deserves to win something.
And the winner: Call me a cynic but I reckon Blanchett because she is a big name and therefore will make headlines. Whether she will deserve it is for others who saw her to say.
Winners will be announced on Sunday 25 November.
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