The National Theatre’s hit production of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time has triumphed once again, scooping a pair of awards at The Mousetraps, the annual theatre awards voted for by young people.
Voted for by hundreds of theatregoers aged between 15 and 23-years-old, the awards – which are organised by Mousetrap Theatre Projects, a charity that helps make theatre accessible to young people – took place on 23 February at the Soho theatre.
Playwright Simon Stephens, who adapted Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel for the stage, and the show’s star Luke Treadaway collected the awards for Best Play and Best Male Performer respectively at the ceremony that otherwise saw musicals take centre stage.
There was no need for hit musical Wicked to turn green with envy at the Southbank venue’s success, as it, too, picked up a pair of accolades, winning the awards for Show That I Would Recommend To A Friend and Best Design.
After sweeping the board at last year’s Olivier Awards with MasterCard, Matilda The Musical added to its awards success, with the show’s miniature leading ladies sharing the prize for Best Female Performer, while fellow 2012 Olivier Award winner and musical of the moment Les Misérables won the Soundtrack I Am Most Likely To Download award, which will be presented to the show’s cast on stage at the Queen’s theatre tomorrow evening.
Other West End musicals that were recognised at the ceremony were Mamma Mia!, which won the Guilty Pleasure award, and former long-runner Blood Brothers, which collected the award for Show That Shouldn’t Have Closed, while current home of Rock Of Ages, the Garrick theatre, was voted Most Welcoming Venue.
Talking at the ceremony, Stephens, whose acclaimed adaptation of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time transfers to the Apollo theatre this weekend and was recently awarded Best New Play at the Whatsonstage.com Awards, said: “This is, by a distance, the most enjoyable awards ceremony I have ever been to. This award means more to me than any award I’ve ever won.”
Mousetrap Theatre Projects was founded in 1997 and has since taken more than 100,000 young people to the theatre. Through 18 schemes, which include in-school education, workshops, talks and masterclasses, it offers a London theatre experience to young people who might otherwise not have the opportunity.
Talking about Mousetrap Theatre Projects, which is sponsored by D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust and the organisation behind this website, the Society of London Theatre, Wicked producer Michael McCabe said: “This is a charity that we really, really love. I know it’s inspiring young people but it’s inspiring quite a lot of late 40-year-olds as well.”
Winners of The Mousetraps will now be looking ahead to the next – and most prestigious – event in the theatre awards calendar, the Olivier Awards with MasterCard, which will take place on 28 April at the Royal Opera House. Theatregoers of all ages have until 18 March to have their say as to which long-running West End show they would like to see take home the coveted BBC Radio 2 Audience Award by voting here.