Billy Elliot leads Olivier nominations (2006)
Story by Jack Foley
BILLY Elliot, the musical, leads the nominations for this year’s Laurence Olivier Awards, which honour the best of the London stage.
The show has received nine nominations in total, including best actor in a musical – shared between James Lomas, George Maguire and Liam Mower.
But the talented young trio face tough competition from the likes of Ewan McGregor and Douglas Hodge, from Guys and Dolls, which has eight nominations.
Other productions to perform well in the shortlist include Don Carlos, Hedda Gabler and Mary Stuart, which boast six nominations each.
Other nominations for Billy Elliot include best new musical and best director, for Stephen Daldry.
He will be up against Richard Eyre for Hedda Gabler, Michael Grandage for Don Carlos, Phyllida Lloyd for Mary Stuart, and Melly Still for Coram Boy at the Olivier.
Acting categories
The acting nominations demonstrate the wealth of talent the West End has attracted this past year – from Hollywood veterans to promising young child stars.
Aside from the Billy Elliot boys and Ewan McGregor, Sir Derek Jacobi makes the best actor shortlist for his part in Don Carlos at the Gielgud Theatre, while Richard Griffiths is up for Heroes at Wyndham’s Theatre.
Hollywood veteran Brian Dennehy gets a nod for his acclaimed performance in Death of a Salesman at the Lyric, as does Con O’Neill for Telstar at the New Ambassadors, and David Threlfall for Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me.
Best actress nods went to Janet McTeer and Harriet Walter, who were both shortlisted for the Donmar Warehouse production of Mary Stuart.
They are joined by Helen McCrory, from As You Like It, Clare Higgins for Death of a Salesman and Eve Best for Hedda Gabler at the Almeida and Duke of York’s theatres.
The awards also seek to recognise achievements in opera and on this year’s shortlist are the English National Opera’s productions of Billy Budd, La Clemenza Di Tito, Madam Butterfly and On The Town, which will all compete for the best new opera production prize.
Commenting on this year’s nominations, Rosemary Squire, president of the Society of London Theatre, which hands out the awards, said the list ‘demonstrates what an array of theatrical talent we have in London Theatre’.
What’s more, ‘it reinforces London’s position as the theatre capital of the world’.
The awards, now in their 30th year, will be presented by the actor Richard Wilson at the London Hilton hotel on February 26, 2006.