A subtle whisper of the name Richard Armitage, quieter than a gentle spring breeze through a blossom-filled tree, can bring the world to a standstill and fans to their knees. I’ve seen it happen.
So letting the star of Spooks and The Hobbit, who is nominated in the Best Actor category at this year’s Olivier Awards with MasterCard for his performance in The Crucible, loose on the Olivier Awards’ Twitter channel, keen to answer any questions theatre fans might have, ran the risk of breaking the internet Kim Kardashian style.
We did it anyway! We’re happy to run that risk to bring you closer to the stars.
Frankly the questioning of Twitter’s massed ranks could well put us out of our jobs, so strong were your questions that forced Armitage to delve into his character, the show, his process and the Oliviers.
Check out the highlights below, including a special question from Armitage’s The Crucible director Yaël Farber.
You can find out if Armitage wins the Best Actor Olivier Award on Sunday, when the winners are announced at a ceremony at the Royal Opera House. You can follow all the action as it happens between 18:30 and 21:30 on Official London Theatre’s Twitter, or follow Olivier Awards on Twitter and Instagram. You can also watch highlights of the ceremony on ITV at 22:15 or on ITV Player the following day.