WhatsOnStage Awards 2012

The 2012 WhatsOnStage Awards took place last night at the Prince of Wales Theatre in the heart of the West End. In a star studded ceremony hosted by Alan Davis and Sheridan Smith, the theatre community came together to celebrate and support shows which have opened over the past year. These awards are the only awards of its kind to be voted for by members of the theatre going public rather than a select team or board, and so represent what is popular with theatregoers throughout the year.

The ceremony was streamed live via the internet and featured performances from a number of leading musicals to keep the audience entertained. Alan Davis’ hosting style left a little to be desired, with Smith proving she is more than a (legally) blonde as she sported a brand new red hair do. Matilda the Musical took home the most awards with four, followed closely by the National Theatre’s One Man Two Guvnors and Ghost who each took away three. The down side to the awards being voted for by the public means that it ultimately favours shows that have been seen by the most people. Unlike the Olivier Awards voters are casting their opinion after maybe not seeing every nominee in each category, which does ultimately affect the results. Smaller productions such as Parade at the Southwalk Playhouse or Ragtime at the Landor (which would both be equally deserving of the Best Musical Revival Award) face competition from big budget shows such as The Wizard of Oz which took home the award, despite not having heart, brains or courage.

A summary of award winners appears below. Many of these productions are still running, and you can buy tickets to see them and judge for yourself!

Best Actress in a Play
• WINNER: Vanessa Redgrave – Driving Miss Daisy at Wyndham’s
Eve Best – Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe
• Kristin Scott Thomas – Betrayal at the Comedy
• Ruth Wilson – Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
• Samantha Spiro – Chicken Soup with Barley at the Royal Court Downstairs
• Tamsin Greig – Jumpy at the Royal Court Downstairs

Best Actor in a Play
• WINNER: James Corden – One Man, Two Guvnors at the National & Adelphi
Benedict Cumberbatch – Frankenstein at the National, Olivier
• Jude Law – Anna Christie at the Donmar Warehouse
• Kevin Spacey – Richard III at the Old Vic
• David Tennant – Much Ado About Nothing at Wyndham’s
• James Earl Jones – Driving Miss Daisy at Wyndham’s

The BABY GRAND Best Actress in a Musical
• WINNER: Amanda Holden – Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Caissie Levy – Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly
• Clare Foster – Crazy for You at the Open Air & Novello
• Emma Williams – Love Story at the Duchess
• Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram Eleanor Worthington Cox & Sophia Kiely – Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
• Sarah Lancashire – Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello
The THEATRE TOKENS Best Actor in a Musical
• WINNER: Richard Fleeshman – Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly
Bertie Carvel – Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
• Nigel Lindsay – Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• Oliver Tompsett – Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury
• Reece Shearsmith – Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello
• Sean Palmer – Crazy for You at the Open Air & Novello
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
• WINNER: Hannah Waddingham – The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium
Ann Emery – Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello
• Harriet Thorpe – Crazy for You at the Open Air & Novello
• Lauren Ward – Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
• Meow Meow – The Umbrellas of Cherbourg at the Gielgud
• Sharon D Clarke – Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
• WINNER: Nigel Harman – Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Andrew Langtree – Ghost the Musical at the Piccadilly
• Ben Goddard – Million Dollar Quartet at the Noël Coward
• David Burt – Crazy for You at the Open Air & Novello
• Paul Kaye – Matilda the Musical at the Cambridge
• Simon Lipkin – Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury
The SEE TICKETS Best New Musical
• WINNER: Matilda the Musical by Tim Minchin & Dennis Kelly – at the Cambridge
Betty Blue Eyes by George Stiles, Antony Drewe, Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman – at the Novello
• Ghost the Musical by Dave Stewart, Glen Ballard & Bruce Joel Rubin – at the Piccadilly
• London Road by Adam Cork & Alecky Blythe – at the National, Cottesloe
• Rock of Ages by Chris D’Arienzo – at the Shaftesbury
• Shrek the Musical by Jeanine Tesori & David Lindsay-Abaire – at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
The RADISSON EDWARDIAN Best Musical Revival
• WINNER: The Wizard of Oz – at the London Palladium
Crazy for You – at the Open Air & Novello
• Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be – at the Union
• Parade – at Southwark Playhouse
• Ragtime – at the Landor
• South Pacific – at the Barbican

The EQUITY Best West End Show
• WINNER: War Horse – at the New London
• Les Misérables – at the Queen’s
• The Phantom of the Opera – at Her Majesty’s
• We Will Rock You – at the Dominion
• Wicked – at the Apollo Victoria