Nicole Kidman, James McAvoy and Imelda Staunton were among the performers to triumph at last night’s Evening Standard Theatre Awards, taking home the top acting prizes for their recent London stage outings.
Following her final performance on Saturday, Kidman walked away with the Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress for her performance in Photograph 51, while McAvoy, who starred in Jamie Lloyd’s production of The Ruling Class back in the spring, fought off stiff competition to be crowned winner in the Best Actor category.
Staunton followed October’s UK Theatre Award win by taking home the Best Musical Performance accolade for her current portrayal of Momma Rose in Gypsy, while Gemma Arterton came top in the newly introduced Newcomer in a Musical category for her performance in 2014’s Made In Dagenham.
Completing the musical award recipients was Kinky Boots, which triumphed over fellow musical hits Assassins, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, Bend It Like Beckham The Musical and Gypsy to be crowned winner of the public-voted Evening Standard Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical.
The Royal Court took home the most prizes on the night, winning in the Best Design, (Anna Fleischle for Hangmen), Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright (Molly Davies for God Bless The Child) and Emerging Talent Award in partnership with Burberry (David Moorst for Violence And Son) categories.
Robert Icke was named Best Director for his work on Almeida Theatre hit Oresteia, while Stephen Adly Guirgis’ The Motherf**ker With The Hat triumphed in the Best Play category.
Other prizes awarded on the night went to stage veteran Vanessa Redgrave, who was presented the Editor’s Award by her daughter Joely Richardson and nominee Ralph Fiennes, and musical legend Stephen Sondheim, who received the Lebedev Award from co-hosts Judi Dench and Ian McKellen.
Last night’s ceremony, the 61st in the awards’ history, took place at The Old Vic where a star-studded line-up of guests including Gillian Anderson, Lindsay Lohan, Zoë Wanamaker, Dominic West and Anna Wintour gathered to see the winners accept their prizes.
Full list of winners:
Best Actor
James McAvoy for The Ruling Class, Trafalgar Studios
Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress
Nicole Kidman for Photograph 51, Noël Coward Theatre
Best Play
The Motherf**ker With The Hat (Stephen Adly Guirgis), National Theatre
Milton Shulman Award for Best Director
Robert Icke for Oresteia, Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar Studios
Best Design
Anna Fleischle, Hangmen, Royal Court
Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright
Molly Davies for God Bless The Child, Royal Court
Emerging Talent Award in Partnership with Burberry
David Moorst for Violence And Son, Royal Court
Best Musical Performance
Imelda Staunton for Gypsy, Savoy Theatre
Newcomer in a Musical
Gemma Arterton for Made In Dagenham, Adelphi Theatre
Evening Standard Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical
Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre
Beyond Theatre
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
Editor’s Award
Vanessa Redgrave
Lebedev Award
Stephen Sondheim