The beginning of March means the Oliviers are once again upon us! The awards dedicated to theatre, musical and operatic productions have arrived, and 2023 looks set to be a good year for our steel city!
Sheffield Theatres’ production Standing at the Sky’s Edge has been nominated for a huge eight awards, including best set design, best original score, best actress, and best supporting actress in a musical (for Faith Omole and Maimuna Memon). After a revival at the Crucible for just over a month, the production has moved to the National Theatre in London for a limited run until 25th March, and has opened to good reviews. It was beaten by only one other production by number of nominations, My Neighbour Totoro.
Running at London’s Barbican from October to January, the adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s 1988 film My Neighbour Totoro swept through this year’s Oliviers, holding nominations in nine categories from best entertainment or comedy play, to best choreography and best lighting design. The adaptation was popular with critics and the public, with many hoping to see a return in the near future.
Another heavyweight this year is Prima Facie, Jodie Comer’s one-woman play at the Harold Pinter theatre. While the production prepares to head to Broadway, it’s been nominated in five categories, including the coveted best actress category for Comer, as well as best lighting, best sound, best new play and best director for Justin Martin.
Many people were also overjoyed to see that Rob Madge’s powerful My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) has been nominated for best entertainment or comedy play. It has been nominated for only the one category, but the production at the Ambassadors Theatre has become renowned for its unapologetically queer representation and powerful storyline.
However, with every set of triumphs come some upsets, which all Awards have. The 2023 Oliviers are no different. Many were surprised to see Bonnie & Clyde, the musical currently playing at the Garrick Theatre, snubbed, with not a single nomination despite its great reviews since opening. The production may have the last laugh however, proving lucrative and popular with the public.
Another relative snub was Disney’s Newsies, playing at the Troubadour Theatre Wembley Park. Despite being nominated for best theatre choreographer, the nominations end there, with none for the main cast, or for their creative set pieces and immersive performances. It has suffered mixed reviews, and being located in Wembley Park makes it a trek from the city centre.
There was also no love for the touring pantomime Mother Goose, starring Sir Ian McKellen and Oscar Conlon-Morrey, which visited Sheffield’s Lyceum in February. The traditional nomination spot in the best entertainment or comedy play saved for a pantomime was given to Jack And The Beanstalk at the London Palladium. This comes despite it facing criticism for feeling like a do-over of previous London Christmas Pantos.
Tune into the Olivier Awards on ITV on 2nd April, and view all nominations here – https://officiallondontheatre.com/olivier-awards/year/olivier-awards-2023/
Read Forge Press’ review of Standing At The Sky’s Edge – https://forgepress.org/2022/12/22/standing-at-the-skys-edge-a-wonderful-ode-to-sheffield/
