Don't Miss These Top Olivier Award-Nominated Shows
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Following the announcement of the 2017 Olivier Award Nominations London theatre is looking forward to a month of celebrations before the announcement of the awards on Sunday 9 April. Whilst Harry Potter and the Cursed Child broke the record of the most nominations awarded to a single play with eleven nominations, tickets for the production at the Palace Theatre remain sold out into 2018. With other nominated productions and performances now closed, there are still plenty of ways to get excited about award-nominated shows and see some of the best theatre that the West End has to offer.
Over the next month we'll be offering our critic's opinions on which shows will take home each award, but you too can join the conversation and see some of London's most talked about productions ahead of the Olivier Award ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall.
The Glass Menagerie - 7 award nominations
(Best Revival; Best Lighting Design; Best Set Design; Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Best Actress; Best Director)
The most celebrated play revival of the season is John Tiffany's gorgeously compelling production of a Tennessee Williams classic. With knock-out performances, beautiful set design and bold direction this is a unique chance to see one of the greatest plays ever written alive in the West End. We awarded the show 5 stars as well as our Editor's pick, and with all these nominations it's clear that the Olivier committee agree. Don't miss your chance to see this extraordinary production.
Jesus Christ Superstar - 6 award nominations
(Outstanding Achievement in Music; Best Theatre Choreographer; Best Musical Revival; Best Actor in a Musical; Best Lighting Design; Best Sound Design)
Composer, Producer and showman Andrew Lloyd Webber has the distinction of being nominated for three productions this year thanks to two revivals of his most celebrated shows along with a brand new hit musical. The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre are no stranger to winning Olivier Awards for their musical productions but Jesus Christ Superstar is their most celebrated production to date. For those who missed the show last summer you have a chance to catch it once again this year as it returns to the venue for a strictly limited season.
Dreamgirls - 5 award nominations
(Best Musical; Best Actress in a Musical; Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical; Outstanding Achievement in Music; Best Costume Design)
35 years after opening on Broadway the London premiere of Dreamgirls opened to rave reviews in the West End. With explosive choreography and direction by Casey Nicholaw and a visually stunning production it more than lived up to the hype and showcased why the show remains a firm favourite with musical theatre fans. Back in 1981 the show faced stiff competition at the Tony Awards with Tommy Tune's original production of Nine pipping it to the post to win Best Musical, but the show may get a second chance to win the UK equivalent of the top musical award. One thing's for sure - we can expect a knock-out performance on the evening from this exceptional cast.
Travesties - 5 award nominations
(Best Actor; Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Best Revival; Best Sound Design)
Tom Stoppard's tricky yet rewarding play was revived to great acclaim at the Menier Chocolate Factory and recently transferred to the Apollo Theatre in the West End. With a wonderful production and memorable performances this is an exciting chance to see a uniquely British play performed to perfection, and with award nominations across the boards it has been justly rewarded for its efforts. It would be a travesty to miss it.
Half a Sixpence - 3 award nominations
(Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical; Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical; Best Actor in a Musical)
This fantastic revival blew audiences away last summer at Chichester Festival Theatre and transferred to the West End to excellent reviews and audience feedback. A true feel-good production the elements of the original have been given a lick of paint by Stiles and Drewe along with a new book by Julian Fellowes. With lively choreography, a fantastic band and a unanimously strong cast this is the perfect pick-me-up production led by a stunning turn by lead man Charlie Stemp.
The Girls - 3 award nominations
(Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical; Best Actress in a Musical; Best New Musical)
Gary Barlow and Tim Firth's musical adaptation of Calendar Girls attracted strong notices after opening last month at the Phoenix Theatre. With a punchy modern score it features a collectively strong set of performances which has seen the group of girls nominated for the award for Best Actress together. Whilst this hasn't been done since the Matildas stormed the board, it's a nice way to reward a company performance of a bittersweet hit.
School of Rock the Musical - 3 award nominations
(Outstanding Achievement in Music; Best Actor in a Musical; Best New Musical)
After being a hit on Broadway and being nominated for the Best Musical Tony Award, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Julian Fellowes' rock musical opened to rave reviews last November and continues to delight audiences at the New London Theatre. Based on the film of the same name it features a wonderful central performance from David Fynn who is only upstaged by the talented group of youngsters who play their music live and 'rock out' on stage each night. An exciting and inspiring production that will have you rocking in the aisles. We can't wait for their performance at the ceremony which will no doubt blow the roof off the Royal Albert Hall.
Our Ladies Of Perpetual Succour - 2 award nominations
(Best Actress in a Supporting Role; Best Comedy)
After premiering at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and enjoying a UK Tour, this exciting production played a sell-out season at the National Theatre and is preparing to transfer to the West End this May. From the creator of Billy Elliot (Lee Hall) comes the uplifting and moving story of six Catholic school girls from Oban, let loose in Edinburgh for one night only. Funny, raucous and heartbreaking, it is adapted from Alan Warner's novel about six young friends on the cusp of change and features the songs of ELO.
Aladdin the Musical - 1 award nomination
(Best Set Design)
Disney's Aladdin made quite a splash when it opened last summer in the West End and has quite rightly been nominated for Best Set Design for Bob Crowley's technological achievements of bringing the fictional city of Agrabah to life, complete with magic flying carpet. Whilst the performances may have been overlooked there is no denying that Trevor Dion Nicholas steals the show as The Genie and lights up the stage each night delivering Casey Nicholaw's spectacular choreography.
David Baddiel - My Family: Not The Sitcom - 1 award nomination
(Best Entertainment)
After a critically-acclaimed West End run and sold out residency at the Menier Chocolate Factory, this "massively disrespectful celebration of the lives of David Baddiel's late mother, Sarah, and dementia-ridden father, Colin" is a show about memory, ageing, infidelity, dysfunctional relatives, moral policing on social media, and gay cats. One of Britain's most loved comics invites audiences to come and be offended in a new run at the Playhouse Theatre.
The Comedy About a Bank Robbery - 1 award nomination
(Best Comedy)
Mischief Theatre are preparing to open their first show on Broadway. This award nomination follows the previous two years for their productions of Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Play That Goes Wrong which went on to win this very same award. Undeniably hilarious this offers a fantastic night out for audiences of all ages and is guaranteed to make you smile and leave the theatre feeling elated.
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