UK Theatre Awards 2018

Best New Play
THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES by Kendall Feaver, a Royal Exchange Theatre production

Best Musical Production
THE ASSASSINATION OF KATIE HOPKINS directed by James Grieve, a Theatr Clwyd production

Best Touring Production
THREE SISTERS, a RashDash and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production

Best Show for Children and Young People
THE LITTLE MERMAID directed by Emma Earle and Cameron Carver, a The Egg – Theatre Royal Bath and Pins and Needles co-production

Best Director
Sarah Frankcom for OUR TOWN, a Royal Exchange Theatre production

Best Design
Morgan Large for WONDERLAND, a Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company production

Best Performance in a Play
Denise Black for THE CHERRY ORCHARD, a Sherman Theatre production

Best Performance in a Musical
Ashley Zhangazha for GUYS AND DOLLS, a Royal Exchange Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company co-production

Best Supporting Performance
Gemma Dobson for RITA, SUE AND BOB TOO, a Royal Court, Out of Joint and Octagon Theatre, Bolton production

Achievement in Dance
Northern Ballet for its bold and varied programming, particularly THE LITTLE MERMAID and its Kenneth MacMillan tribute

Achievement in Opera
David Pountney and Tomáš Hanus for their artistic leadership of Welsh National Opera

The Renee Stepham Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre
Scottish Ballet

Theatre Employee of the Year sponsored by Integro in association with Chubb
Clare Lindsay – Watermill Theatre

Promotion of Diversity
Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Achievement in Marketing/Audience Development
The Old Vic

UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award

The Mill at Sonning won the award for the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre 2018, supported by Theatre Tokens.

Part of the annual UK Theatre Awards, Most Welcoming Theatre is an opportunity for audiences across the country to celebrate their local theatre. Following a public vote in which more than 56,000 people voted, the 12 regional and national winners of the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre award were announced on 28 September 2018.  The overall UK winner was announced at the UK Theatre Awards ceremony on 14 October 2018.

Clothworkers’ Theatre Award 
Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch        

From 2014 – 2018 The Clothworkers’ Company made an annual award of up to £150,000 to a regional producing theatre in England.  Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch won the 2018 Award for a project celebrating theatre made by working class artists and raising aspirations for emerging artists from Essex.

Find out more about the Clothworkers’ Theatre Award here.

Gielgud Award
Director Richard Eyre received the Gielgud Award for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts, presented by Ian McKellen. Accepting the Award, Richard Eyre said: 

I’m constantly bewildered by the fact that local authorities and government can’t see what an extraordinary, unique asset theatre is’. He also praised Ian McKellen, who presented the award, as ‘a wonderful actor and a very good friend and the natural artistic son of John Gielgud. 

Maxine Peake was honoured at the 2018 UK Theatre Awards for her Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre.      

Receiving the Award, Maxine Peake said:  ‘People keep saying to me, “you’ve given so much to regional theatre” – I haven’t given anything, it’s given it to me; it’s allowed me to do the work I want to do.’ 

The Bolton-born actor and writer received the award in recognition of her reputation as a champion of regional theatre and a trailblazer for female and working-class voices, as well as her contribution to the cultural life of her home region – especially through her long relationship with Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, where she is an Associate Artist.

The award was presented to Maxine by producer Conrad Lynch and the Artistic Director of Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre, Sarah Frankcom.

Ahead of accepting the award, Maxine Peake said: 

I feel very honoured to be recognised by the UK Theatre Awards. As a huge fanatic of regional theatre, especially in the North, I see this award as a great platform to make some noise about the value of British theatre in all its forms, especially outside of the capital, and the importance of keeping it alive and thriving. I wouldn’t be where I am today without early involvement in wonderful theatres like the Bolton Octagon, West Yorkshire Playhouse and obviously, the Royal Exchange Manchester. We need to make sure young people, wherever they reside in the UK, can still gain access to these theatres and the vital opportunities they provide.

Best New Play

• THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES by Kendall Feaver, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
• BLACK MEN WALKING by Testament, an Eclipse Theatre Company and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production
• GUT by Frances Poet, a Traverse Theatre Company in association with National Theatre of Scotland production
• HOME, I’M DARLING by Laura Wade, a Theatr Clwyd and National Theatre co-production

Best Musical Production

• THE ASSASSINATION OF KATIE HOPKINS directed by James Grieve, a Theatr Clwyd production
• MISS LITTLEWOOD directed by Erica Whyman, a Royal Shakespeare Company production
• PIECES OF STRING directed by Ryan McBryde, a Mercury Theatre Colchester and TBO co-production
• SUMMER HOLIDAY directed by Elizabeth Newman & Ben Occhipinti, an Octagon Theatre, Bolton production

Best Touring Production

• HOT BROWN HONEY directed by Lisa Fa’alafi and Busty Beatz, a Briefs Factory production
• THE LAST SHIP directed by Lorne Campbell, a Northern Stage, Karl Sydow and Kathryn Schenker production
• LOVE FROM A STRANGER directed by Lucy Bailey, a Fiery Angel in association with Royal & Derngate, Northampton production
• THREE SISTERS, a RashDash and Royal Exchange Theatre co-production

Best Show for Children and Young People

• THE LITTLE MERMAID directed by Emma Earle and Cameron Carver, a The Egg – Theatre Royal Bath and Pins and Needles co-production
• THE SECRET SEVEN directed by Alex Clifton, a Storyhouse production
• THE THREE MUSKETEERS directed by Sarah Punshon, a The Dukes production

Best Director

• Sarah Frankcom for OUR TOWN, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
• Emma Jordan for LOVERS: WINNERS AND LOSERS, a Lyric Theatre, Belfast production
• Kimberley Sykes for DIDO, QUEEN OF CARTHAGE, a Royal Shakespeare Company production

Best Design

• 59 Productions for THE SHADOW FACTORY, a Nuffield Southampton Theatres production
• Jess Curtis for A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, a Storyhouse production
• Morgan Large for WONDERLAND, a Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company production

Best Performance in a Play

• Denise Black for THE CHERRY ORCHARD, a Sherman Theatre production
• Jasper Britton for JERUSALEM, a Watermill Theatre production
• Norah Lopez Holden for THE ALMIGHTY SOMETIMES, a Royal Exchange Theatre production
• Golda Rosheuvel for OTHELLO, an Everyman Theatre production

Best Performance in a Musical

• Seiriol Davies for HOW TO WIN AGAINST HISTORY, an Áine Flanagan Productions, Seiriol Davies and Young Vic co-production
• Frances McNamee for THE LAST SHIP, a Northern Stage, Karl Sydow and Kathryn Schenker production
• Ashley Zhangazha for GUYS AND DOLLS, a Royal Exchange Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company co-production

Best Supporting Performance

• Jonathan Broadbent, Andrew Langtree and Max Parker for THE WIZARD OF OZ, a Sheffield Theatres production
• Gemma Dobson for RITA, SUE AND BOB TOO, a Royal Court, Out of Joint and Octagon Theatre, Bolton production
• Jean St Clair for THE MEETING, a Chichester Festival Theatre production

Achievement in Dance

• Ballet Black for Cathy Marston’s THE SUIT, perfectly paired with Arthur Pita’s A DREAM WITHIN A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
• National Dance Company Wales for Marcos Morau’s exceptionally artful TUNDRA
• Northern Ballet for its bold and varied programming, particularly THE LITTLE MERMAID and its Kenneth MacMillan tribute

Achievement in Opera

• Stephen Barlow for the Buxton International Festival at Buxton Opera House, in particular the production of ALZIRA
• David Pountney and Tomáš Hanus for their artistic leadership of Welsh National Opera
• Stuart Stratford for his adventurous programming at Scottish Opera

The Renee Stepham Award for Best Presentation of Touring Theatre

• Northern Ballet
• Nuffield Southampton Theatres, English Touring Theatre & Theatr Clwyd
• Scottish Ballet

Theatre Employee of the Year sponsored by Integro in Association with Chubb

• Angela Nandi – Vivacity Key Theatre
• Clare Lindsay – Watermill Theatre
• Louie Ingham – Northern Stage

Promotion of Diversity

• Birmingham Repertory Theatre
• National Theatre of Scotland
• Northern Ballet

Achievement in Marketing/Audience Development

• Nuffield Southampton Theatres
• The Old Vic
• Phoenix Dance Theatre

*The UK Theatre Awards are open to UK Theatre members working in both the commercial and subsidised sectors of the performing arts. For information on how the nominees were chosen, including panel information, please go here.