Simon Russell Beale won the Best Actor Award for The Philanthropist. For her performance as Queen Elizabeth in Mary Stuart, Harriet Walter won Best Actress, and Michael Grandage bagged a brace of Best Director awards for his productions of Don Carlos and Grand Hotel, the latter of which was the third Donmar production to receive recognition at the 51st annual awards, which were hosted by Ned Sherrin.
Elton John's Billy Elliot beat Marry Poppins for the Best Musical award, and Brian Friel’s The Home Place won Best Play.
There was some compensation for the magical nanny, however, when Mary Poppins designer Bob Crowley scooped the Best Designer award. Writer Nell Leyshon received the Most Promising Playwright award for her rural family saga Comfort Me With Apples, which premiered at the Hampstead Theatre. Leyshon also received a £30,000 check.
The complete list of winners follows:
Best Play
Two Thousand Years by Mike Leigh
Bloody Sunday by Richard Norton-Taylor
Harvest by Richard Bean
*The Home Place by Brian Friel Best Actor
Brian Dennehy for Death of a Salesman
Derek Jacobi for Don Carlos
*Simon Russell Beale for The Philanthropist
Best Actress
Eve Best for Hedda Gabler
Clare Higgins for Death of a Salesman
Kristin Scott Thomas for As You Desire Me
*Harriet Walter for Mary Stuart
Best Director
Richard Eyre for Hedda Gabler and Mary Poppins
*Michael Grandage for Don Carlos and Grand Hotel
Jonathan Kent for As You Desire Me
Best Designer
Paul Brown for As You Desire Me
*Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins
Christopher Oram and Paule Constable for Don Carlos
Best Musical
The Big Life
*Billy Elliot
Mary Poppins
Outstanding Newcomer
Daniel Kramer, director, for Hair and Woyzeck at the Gate
*Menier Chocolate Factory, co-directors David Babani and Danielle Tarento
Ben Silverstone, actor, for Man and Boy
Charles Wintour Award for New Playwriting
Ryan Craig for What We Did to Weinstein
*Nell Leyshon for Comfort Me with Apples
Simon Mendes da Costa for Losing Louis