Matilda, One Man Two Guvnors, Sheridan Smith Among Winners of Evening Standard Theatre Awards

By Mark Shenton
20 Nov 2011

Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller in Frankenstein.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller in Frankenstein.
Photo by Catherine Ashmore

Two productions opening this week in London were honored with Evening Standard Theatre Awards, presented at the Savoy Theatre Nov. 20.

Matilda - the Musical, which is now in previews prior to an official opening Nov. 24 at the West End's Cambridge Theatre, was named Best Musical, and Richard Bean's One Man Two Guvnors, officially opening at the West End's Adelphi Theatre Nov. 21 en route to Broadway in April, was named Best Play, sharing the award withThe Heretic, also written by Bean, that was seen at the Royal Court.

The Best Actor prize was also shared between Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch, who alternated in the the title roles of Frankenstein and the Creature in the National Theatre production. Sheridan Smith was named Best Actress for her performance in Terence Rattigan's Flare Path at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket.

Other awards went to Mike Leigh (named Best Director for directing his own play Grief at the National Theatre), Adam Cork (winning the Best Design Award for his sound design for Anna Christie and King Lear, both at the Donmar Warehouse), Penelope Skinner (winning the Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright for her Royal Court play The Village Bike) and Kyle Soller (winning the Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performances in The Glass Menagerie at the Young Vic and The Faith Machine at the Royal Court).

An additional Editor's Award was made to departing Donmar Warehouse artistic director Michael Grandage, "for making the Donmar Warehouse a star," and a Beyond Theatre Award made to the Pet Shop Boys and Javier de Frutos for their Sadler's Wells collaboration on The Most Incredible Thing. The Lebedev Special Award was made to Kristin Scott Thomas for her contribution to theatre, and the Moscow Art Theatre's Golden Seagull was presented to Tom Stoppard for his contribution to Russian theatre and the international stage.