The recipients of this years Barclays Theatre Awards have been announced. Presented by the Theatrical Management Association, they are as follows:

Best Designer:
Laura Hopkins for Mister Heracles

Best New Play:
Splendour by Abi Morgan, Paines Plough in association with the Peter Wolff Theatre Trust on tour

The Equity Award for Best Show for Children and Young People:
The Unicorn Theatre's Tom's Midnight Garden by David Wood, adapted from a book by Phillipa Pearce, incidental music Stephen McNeff (currently being performed in New York) Outstanding Achievement in Opera:
Richard Jones, Vladimir Jurowski and the Company for Welsh National Opera's production of The Queen of Spades

Outstanding Achievement in Dance:
Rambert Dance Company for their performance of Mats Ek's She Was Black

The Barclays Awards For Best Touring Production:
The Far Side of the Moon written, directed and performed by Robert Lepage, script consultant Adam Nashman, artistic collaborator and project originator Peder Bjurman, original music composed and recorded by Laurie Anderson, produced by Ex Machina in co-production with Cultural Industry, Northern Stage at Newcastle Playhouse, The Royal National theatre, Tramway Dark Lights, Glasgow.

Best Director:
Vicky Featherstone for Splendour, Paines Plough in association with the Peter Wolff Theatre Trust on tour

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:
Freddie Annobil for Yerma co-produced by The Theatre, Chipping Norton and Fifth Amendment on tour

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:
Ann Louise Ross for The Winter's Tale at Dundee Rep

The Barclays Award for Theatre of the Year:
The Crucible, Sheffield

The Barclays Award for Most Welcoming Theatre:
Cambridge Arts Theatre

Best Musical:
The Gondoliers by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, adapted by John Doyle at The Watermill, West Berkshire Playhouse

Best Actress:
Kate O'Toole for Three Tall Women, Prime Cut Productions at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast

Best Actor:
Paterson Joseph for the Royal Exchange Theatre Company's Les Blancs

Special Achievement in Regional Theatre:
Wales Association for Performing Arts

Next year there will be a new Barclays award for cultural diversity.

There was a special thank-you to Dewynters for design and print and also a thank-you to Charlotte Somers for advice and assistance.

—by Paul Webb Theatrenow