Olivier Awards 2007: Sunday In The Park With George triumphs
Story by Jack Foley
SUNDAY In The Park With George, a revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical, swept the board at the prestigious Laurence Olivier theatre awards on Sunday (February 18, 2007), winning five trophies.
The show, which played at The Wyndham’s Theatre in London’s West End last year, took best musical actor and actress for its stars Daniel Evans (pictured) and Jenna Russell, as well as prizes for outstanding musical production, lighting and set design.
Other major awards went to Rufus Sewell, who was named best drama actor for Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Tamsin Greig, who took best actress for Much Ado About Nothing.
Blackbird by David Harrower was named best new play, Patrick Barlow’s adaptation of John Buchan’s The 39 Steps won best new comedy, The Crucible was named best revival and a West End version of the Broadway hit Caroline, or Change collected best new musical.
Amazingly, there were no prizes for popular Monty Python musical Spamalot, which failed to convert any of its seven nominations.
The comedy, based on the 1975 Holy Grail film, was seen as the favourite having led the nominations going into the ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel.
There were, however, further prizes for Cabaret, which won awards for Sheila Hancock (best supporting role in a musical) and Javier De Frutos (for choreography).
Jim Norton took the prize for best supporting role in a play for The Seafarer, a Christmas tale of drinking buddies in Dublin.
And Dominic Cooke was named best director his revival of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible.
The Royal Ballet’s Chroma was best new dance production and The English National Opera’s Jenufa received two awards – for best new opera production plus an outstanding achievement award for soprano Amanda Roocroft.
Carlos Acosta was recognised with an achievement award for his work at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, while a special award was presented to opera singer Sir John Tomlinson, who was described as “internationally renowned for his definitive interpretations of a wide variety of roles”.