Nominations for 2018 Evening Standard Theatre Awards announced

Bryan Cranston, Ian McKellen, Laura Linney and Carey Mulligan are among the nominees for this year's Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

The awards, which were established in 1955 to recognise outstanding theatre in London, celebrate theatremakers for writing, direction, design and performances, as well as promising playwrights and exciting talent in the capital's theatre scene.

Cranston (Network) and McKellen (King Lear) are joined in the best actor category by Ralph Fiennes (Antony and Cleopatra), Colin Morgan (Translations) and Kyle Soller (The Inheritance), while best actress nominees include Linney (My Name is Lucy Barton), Mulligan (Girls and Boys), Cecilia Noble (Nine Night), Sophie Okonedo (Antony and Cleopatra) and Lia Williams (The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie).

Three plays from the National Theatre - Home, I'm Darling, The Lehman Trilogy and John - are nominated for best play along with The Inheritance and The Writer, while the contenders for best musical are Caroline, Or Change, Company, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, Hamilton and Fun Home.

There are three nominees for most promising playwright: Francis Turnly for his North Korea play The Great Wave, Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm for Br'er Cotton at Theatre503, and Natasha Gordon, who is set to become the first black British female playwright to have a play in the West End when Nine Night transfers from the National Theatre.

Read the full list of nominees below. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on 18^th November.

Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2018 - nominations in full

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston, Network (National Theatre, Lyttelton)
Ralph Fiennes, Antony and Cleopatra (National Theatre, Olivier)
Ian McKellen, King Lear (Minerva Chichester & Duke of York's Theatre)
Colin Morgan, Translations (National Theatre, Olivier)
Kyle Soller, The Inheritance (Young Vic & Noël Coward Theatre)

Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress

Laura Linney, My Name Is Lucy Barton (Bridge Theatre)
Carey Mulligan, Girls and Boys (Royal Court)
Cecilia Noble, Nine Night (National Theatre, Dorfman)
Sophie Okonedo, Antony and Cleopatra (National Theatre, Olivier)
Lia Williams, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Donmar Warehouse)

Best Play

Home, I'm Darling by Laura Wade (National Theatre, Dorfman)
The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez (Young Vic & Noël Coward Theatre)
John by Annie Baker (National Theatre, Dorfman)
The Lehman Trilogy by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power (National Theatre, Lyttelton)
The Writer by Ella Hickson (Almeida Theatre)

Milton Shulman Award for Best Director

Stephen Daldry, The Inheritance (Young Vic & Noël Coward Theatre)
Marianne Elliott, Company (Gielgud Theatre )
Robert Hastie, The York Realist (Donmar Warehouse)
Phyllida Lloyd, Tina the Musical (Aldwych Theatre)
Ian Rickson, Translations (National Theatre, Olivier)

Best Musical

Caroline, or Change (Minerva Chichester & Hampstead Theatre)
Company (Gielgud Theatre)
Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Apollo Theatre)
Fun Home (Young Vic)
Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre)

Best Musical Performance

Sharon D Clarke, Caroline, or Change (Minerva Chichester & Hampstead Theatre)
Rosalie Craig, Company (Gielgud Theatre)
Arinzé Kene, Misty (Bush & Trafalgar Studios)
Kelli O'Hara, The King and I (London Palladium)
Adrienne Warren, Tina the Musical (Aldwych Theatre)

Best Design

Miriam Buether, The Jungle (Young Vic & Playhouse Theatre)
Bunny Christie, Company (Gielgud Theatre)
Es Devlin, Girls and Boys (Royal Court)
Rae Smith, Translations (National Theatre, Olivier)
Jan Versweyveld, Network (National Theatre, Lyttelton)

Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright

Tearrance Arvelle Chisholm, Br'er Cotton (Theatre503)
Natasha Gordon, Nine Night (National Theatre, Dorfman)
Francis Turnly, The Great Wave (National Theatre, Dorfman)

Emerging Talent Award

Rona Morison, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Donmar Warehouse)
Debris Stevenson, Poet in da Corner (Royal Court)
Chris Walley, The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Noël Coward Theatre)
Roy Alexander Weise (director), Nine Night (National Theatre, Dorfman), Br'er Cotton (Theatre503)
Jamael Westman, Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre)