- Kenneth Cranham awarded Best Actor for “the role of a lifetime”
- Denise Gough awarded Best Actress only three years after winning Most Promising Newcomer
- Bend It Like Beckham wins Best Musical
- Robert Icke awarded Best Director for Oresteia
The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards 2015 were hosted today, Tuesday 26th January 2016, by the Critics’ Circle Drama Section Chairman (and My Theatre Mates co-founder) Mark Shenton, at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London.
Incredibly, four of the major Critics’ Circle Award-winning productions this year are still running – Hangmen and Bend It Like Beckham are in their final weeks in the West End, and The Father and People, Places and Things transfer into the West End for limited seasons soon – so be sure to snap up tickets while you can!
The Awards were presented in association with Nyman Libson Paul Chartered Accountants, leading entertainment industry specialists, and supported by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres and the Hilary and Stuart Williams Foundation for the Arts.
As ever, the ceremony was an informal gathering of award recipients, the drama critics, theatre practitioners and the media, convivially coming together to celebrate the critics’ personal choice of the best theatre from throughout the UK during the last calendar year. Comedian Arthur Smith introduced proceedings with his own inimitable style, as has become a well-loved tradition.
Since the Awards’ inception in 1989 the theatre critics, consisting entirely of respected and influential working journalists, have prided themselves on offering something unique on the packed theatre awards circuit: each member of the Drama Section independently casts their vote based on personal choice, free of any discussion or industry influence, ensuring a highly democratic voting process.
Full list of winners
Best New Play: Hangmen by Martin McDonagh
Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, London, followed by transfer to Wyndham’s Theatre, London
The Peter Hepple Award for Best Musical: Bend It Like Beckham
Phoenix Theatre, London
Best Actor: Kenneth Cranham in The Father
Bath Theatre Royal Ustinov Studio & Tricycle Theatre, London, followed by transfer to Wyndham’s Theatre, London and 2016 transfer to Duke of York’s Theatre, London and UK tour
Best Actress: Denise Gough in People, Places and Things
Dorfman Theatre at the National, London, followed by 2016 transfer to Wyndham’s Theatre, London
The Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance: Judi Dench in The Winter’s Tale
Garrick Theatre, London
Best Director: Robert Icke for Oresteia
Almeida Theatre, London, followed by transfer to Trafalgar Studios, London
Best Designer: Anna Fleischle for Hangmen
Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, London, followed by transfer to Wyndham’s Theatre, London
Most Promising Playwright: James Fritz for Four minutes twelve seconds
Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, London & Trafalgar Studios, London
The Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer [other than a playwright]: David Moorst in Violence and Son
Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, London
