Royal Court dominates this year’s Evening Standard Theatre Awards

Published Monday 23 November 2009 at 15:09 by Lalayn Baluch

The Royal Court Theatre led the way at the 55th annual London Evening Standard Theatre Awards, picking up four gongs.

Jez Butterworth’s play Jerusalem, which ran at the venue earlier this year, was named Best Play, while cast member Mark Rylance won the award for Best Actor.

Rupert Goold received the prize for Best Director for his production of Enron, staged by Headlong and the Royal Court, and Alia Bano was named as the Most Promising Playwright for her piece Shades, which was presented at the London theatre as part of its Young Writer’s festival.

The winners of the awards were announced today during a presentation ceremony at the Royal Opera House, which was compered by broadcaster Kirsty Young.

Henry Hitchings, Evening Standard theatre critic and awards judge, said: “The number of awards for productions at the Royal Court is strikingly high, but it’s quite right, as under the artistic direction of Dominic Cooke great things are happening there. This is very much the court’s day.”

Meanwhile, the paper’s executive director Evgeny Lebedev presented a special award to Ian McKellen - who has previously won two Evening Standard Best Actor awards - for his “outstanding contribution to British theatre”.

Last week, McKellen was honoured for his contribution to showbusiness at the 57th annual Variety Club Showbiz Awards.

Rachel Weisz won the Best Actress category for her portrayal of Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire. The prize was renamed after actress Natasha Richardson, who died in a skiing accident earlier this year, and was presented by her mother Vanessa Redgrave.

Finally, Lenny Henry won the Outstanding Newcomer award for his theatrical debut in the title role of Othello, Regent’s Park Open Air theatre’s show Hello Dolly received the prize for Best Musical and Mamoru Iriguchi won Best Design for his work on Mincemeat at Cordy House in Shoreditch.

Hitchings added: “The bigger theme is the excellence of so much that’s going on outside the West End. The award for Mamoru Iriguchi’s design for Mincemeat at Cordy House is particularly satisfying, as it recognises the excitement that site-sensitive productions can deliver.

“Moreover, this promenade piece was put on by Cardboard Citizens, a company which provides more than 4,500 hours of paid employment per year to homeless people and those recently homeless. It’s good to pay tribute to their work.”

The London Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2009:

Best Play: Jerusalem - Jez Butterworth, Royal Court Theatre

Best Actor: Mark Rylance - Jerusalem, Royal Court Theatre

The Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress: Rachel Weisz - A Streetcar Named Desire, Donmar Warehouse

The Sydney Edwards Awards for Best Director: Rupert Goold - Enron, Headlong and Royal Court Theatre

The Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical: Hello Dolly, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Best Design: Mamoru Iriguchi - Mincemeat, Cardboard Citizens and Cordy House, Shoreditch

The Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright: Alia Bano - Shades, Royal Court Theatre

The Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer: Lenny Henry - Othello, Trafalgar Studios

Special Award: Ian McKellen for his contribution to British theatre