The Stage

Finborough and Landor lead Off West End Theatre Awards

Published Sunday 5 February 2012 at 20:09 by Alistair Smith

Accolade at the Finborough and the Landor’s production of Ragtime were the big winners at this year’s Off West End Theatre Awards, presented in partnership with The Stage.

Both shows were successful in three categories, with Ragtime winning best ensemble, sponsored by The Stage, as well as best lighting designer and best costume designer. Accolade, meanwhile, won best male performance for Aden Gillett, best director for Blanche McIntrye and best production.

The Finborough Theatre in Earl’s Court was also the evening’s most successful venue, with Neil McPherson recognised as best artistic director and Dawn King winning most promising new playwright for Foxfinder.

Meanwhile, Sam Walters, long-serving artistic director of The Orange Tree in Richmond was presented with a special achievement award.

Winners were announced at an event held on Sunday February 5 at Theatre Royal Stratford East. The awards’ judging panel included The Stage critics Mark Shenton and Paul Vale, as well as Ian Shuttleworth of the Financial Times, Matt Wolf from the International Herald Tribune, Daisy Bowie-Sell from The Daily Telegraph, Andrzej Lukowski from Time Out and Roger Foss from LBC.

The winners in full were:

Best female performance: Vinette Robinson for Tender Napalm at Southwark Playhouse

Best male performance: Aden Gillett in Accolade at the Finborough

Best new play: Knot of The Heart by David Eldridge at the Almeida

Most promising new playwright: Dawn King for Foxfinder at the Finborough

Best director: Blanche McIntyre for Accolade at the Finborough

Best lighting designer: Howard Hudson for Burlesque at Jermyn Street, Ragtime and Hired Man at the Landor

Best set designer: Ruth Sutcliffe for Kingdom of Earth at The Print Room

Best sound designer: Neil Alexander for Snake in The Grass at The Print Room

Best costume designer: Martin Thomas for Ragtime at the Landor

Best movement: Joe Darke for Bound at the Southwark Playhouse

Best ensemble: Ragtime at the Landor

Best production: Accolade at the Finborough

Best production for young people: The Tin Soldier by Tangere Arts at the Unicorn

Best entertainment: This is Where We Got To When You Came In at the Bush

Best new musical: Burlesque at Jermyn Street Theatre

Best musical production: The Hired Man at the Landor

Best producer: Danielle Tarento

Best artistic director: Neil McPherson at the Finborough

Special achievement award: Sam Walters at the Orange Tree Theatre