A broad variety of shows were celebrated at this year’s Olivier Awards 2019 with Mastercard, with Come From Away, Company and The Inheritance taking home four awards each.
Come From Away won the esteemed prize of Mastercard Best New Musical, as well as Outstanding Achievement in Music, Best Theatre Choreographer (Kelly Devine) and the Royal Albert Hall Award For Best Sound Design (Gareth Owen).
The show was nominated in five of the same categories as Company, including Best Actor in a Supporting Role. This was won by Jonathan Bailey, who picked up his first ever Olivier Award for his portrayal of Jamie in Company, beating co-star Richard Fleeshman, as well as Clive Carter and Robert Hands from Come From Away.
Company also won Magic Radio Best Musical Revival, the Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design (Bunny Christie) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Patti LuPone. Patti had previously been nominated three times for an Olivier Award, with this being her second win.
Matthew Lopez’s play The Inheritance was another big winner on the night, also taking home four awards, including American Airlines Best New Play. First-time nominee Kyle Soller won Best Actor for his role, beating off fierce competition from Ian McKellen, David Suchet, Arinzé Kene, and a joint nomination for Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles.
The Inheritance also won the White Light Award for Best Lighting Design (Jon Clark) and the Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director (Stephen Daldry).
Eight of the winners were first-time nominees, including Best Actress winner Patsy Ferran, who won for her incredible performance in Summer And Smoke (which also claimed the award for Cunard Best Revival).
Other first-time nominee winners included Chris Walley, who won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for The Lieutenant Of Inishmore, and Kobna-Holdbrook Smith, who won Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Ike in Tina – The Tina Turner Musical.
An actress who also picked up her first ever Olivier Award was Monica Dolan, who won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in All About Eve.
Many of the winning shows had transferred to the West End following a successful run at other venues. This included Home, I’m Darling, which won Best New Comedy, and the Best Actress in a Musical category which was won by Sharon D. Clarke for Caroline, Or Change.
The Best Entertainment and Family category was won by A Monster Calls at The Old Vic, beating off competition from The London Palladium’s Christmas panto, Snow White, as well as Songs For Nobodies and The Wider Earth.
In the opera categories, Best New Opera Production went to Katya Kabanova at the Royal Opera House, while Outstanding Achievement in Opera went to the ensemble of Porgy And Bess at the London Coliseum.
Other winners included Flesh And Bone in the Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre category; Blkdog by Botis Seva in Best New Dance Production, Best Costume Design went to Catherine Zuber for The King And I, while Akram Khan picked up an Olivier for Outstanding Achievement in Dance for his performance in Xenos at Sadler’s Wells.
Matthew Bourne was the recipient of the Society of London Theatre Special Award, which was presented to him by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.
Hosted by Jason Manford, and broadcast on ITV, performances on the night included a show-stopping opening from Disney’s The Lion King for their 20th anniversary. There were also performances from all the musical nominees: Caroline, Or Change; Come From Away; Company; Fun Home; The King And I; Six; and Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. Acclaimed West End star Beverley Knight performed during the In Memoriam section of the show, paying tribute to those in the theatre industry who have passed away over the last year.
Presenters included Zawe Ashton, Joanne Clifton, Kevin Clifton, Charlie Cox, Arthur Darvill, Danny Dyer, Gloria Estefan, Sally Field, Kelsey Grammer, Tom Hiddleston, Judy Kuhn, Jack McBrayer, Katharine McPhee, Bill Pullman, Shane Richie, Layton Williams, ‘Donna and the Dynamos’ from Mamma Mia (Sara Poyzer, Ricky Butt and Kate Graham), Darcy Bussell and Richard. E Grant.
The full list of winners is:
OLIVIER AWARDS 2019 WITH MASTERCARD – WINNERS
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Jonathan Bailey for Company at Gielgud Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Patti LuPone for Company at Gielgud 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
BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
Blkdog by Botis Seva at Sadler’s Wells
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Akram Khan for his performance in Xenos at Sadler’s Wells
BEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY
A Monster Calls at The Old Vic
BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Kelly Devine for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
MAGIC RADIO BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
Company at Gielgud Theatre
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith for Tina – The Tina Turner Musical at Aldwych Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Sharon D. Clarke for Caroline, Or Change at Playhouse Theatre
CUNARD BEST REVIVAL
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
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AFFILIATE THEATRE
Flesh And Bone at Soho Theatre
WHITE LIGHT AWARD FOR BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Jon Clark for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
ROYAL ALBERT HALL AWARD FOR BEST SOUND DESIGN
Gareth Owen for Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
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
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Chris Walley for The Lieutenant Of Inishmore at Noël Coward Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Monica Dolan for All About Eve at Noël Coward Theatre
BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
Katya Kabanova at Royal Opera House
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
The ensemble of Porgy And Bess at London Coliseum
BEST ACTOR
Kyle Soller for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
BEST ACTRESS
Patsy Ferran for Summer And Smoke at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
SIR PETER HALL AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
Stephen Daldry for The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
AMERICAN AIRLINES BEST NEW PLAY
The Inheritance at Young Vic and Noël Coward Theatre
MASTERCARD BEST NEW MUSICAL
Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
SOCIETY OF LONDON THEATRE SPECIAL AWARD
Sir Matthew Bourne