Shortlist announced for 2019 Ian Charleson Awards

Hammed Animashaun and Ronke Adekoluejo are among the actors nominated for this year’s Ian Charleson Awards.

The annual awards celebrate performances by actors under 30 in a classical role and are dedicated to Scottish actor Charleson, who died in 1990 aged 40.

Animashaun is nominated for his performance as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Bridge, while fellow cast members Isis Hainsworth, who played Hermia, and Kit Young, who played Lysander, also make the list.

Adekoluejo is one of two performers from the National Theatre’s Three Sisters – adapted by Inua Ellams – to be shortlisted, alongside Racheal Ofori.

Heledd Gwynn is nominated for the second year in a row, this time for the title role in Hedda Gabler at the Sherman Theatre, but also for her performance in Headlong’s Richard III.

The nominees were announced in the Sunday Times, and the awards are held in association with the National Theatre.

They celebrate performances in 2019, with winners to be announced soon.

Recent winners have included Bally Gill, Paapa Essiedu, Susannah Fielding and Jack Lowden.

The shortlist in full

Ronke Adekoluejo for Abosede in Three Sisters at the National Theatre

Hammed Animashaun for Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Bridge Theatre

Kitty Archer for Mariane in Tartuffe at the National Theatre

Eben Figueiredo for Christian in Cyrano de Bergerac at Jamie Lloyd Company at the Playhouse

Heledd Gwynn for Hedda in Hedda Gabler at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff and Hastings and Ratcliffe in Richard III for Headlong

Isis Hainsworth for Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Bridge Theatre

Ebony Jonelle for Rosalind in As You Like It for the National Theatre Public Acts/Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch

Ioanna Kimbook for Cariola in The Duchess of Malfi at the Almeida

Racheal Ofori for Udo in Three Sisters at the National Theatre

Billy Postlethwaite for Macbeth in Macbeth at the Watermill Theatre

Ekow Quartey for Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Shakespeare’s Globe

Kit Young for Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Bridge Theatre