“Cabaret” was the big winner at the annual Olivier Awards on Sunday with seven wins, with “Life of Pi” following with five.
“Cabaret,” a revival of the 1966 Kander and Ebb musical which has transformed the West End’s Playhouse Theatre into the ‘Kit Kat Club,’ won seven of the 11 categories it was nominated in. Eddie Redmayne won best actor in a musical for his performance as the Emcee and Jessie Buckley as Sally Bowles won best actress in a musical, with Liza Sadovy and Elliot Levey awarded in the supporting categories for their roles as Fraulein Schneider and Herr Schultz. Rebecca Frecknall won best director.
Wins for “Life Of Pi,” Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation of the bestselling novel, included Hiran Abeysekera as best actor for his performance as Pi, and — in a first for the Olivier Awards — the seven performers who play Richard Parker, the puppet tiger, Fred Davis, Daisy Franks, Romina Hytten, Tom Larkin, Habib Nasib Nader, Tom Stacy and Scarlet Wilderink, were collectively awarded best Actor in a supporting Role.
Sheila Atim won best actress for her role in Nick Payne’s “Constellations,” while the best new musical award was given to “Back To The Future – The Musical,” a stage adaptation of the hit 1985 sci-fi film.
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The ceremony took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London, hosted by Jason Manford, and featured performances from all nine nominated musicals; “Anything Goes,” “Back To The Future – The Musical,” “Cabaret,” “The Drifters Girl,” “Frozen,” “Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical,” “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” and “Spring Awakening” – plus a performance from “Life Of Pi.”
The show culminated in a musical tribute to legendary theater composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim, who died last year aged 91.
Olivier Awards 2022 with Mastercard Winners:
Cunard Best Revival
“Constellations” – Donmar Warehouse at Vaudeville Theatre
Noël Coward/Geoffrey Johnson Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play
“Pride And Prejudice* (*sort of)” at Criterion Theatre
Magic Radio Best Musical Revival
“Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club” at the Playhouse Theatre
Best Costume Design
Catherine Zuber for “Moulin Rouge! The Musical” at Piccadilly Theatre
d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design
Nick Lidster for “Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club” at the Playhouse Theatre
Best Original Score or New Orchestrations
“Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical” – Orchestrator: Simon Hale at Lyric Theatre
Best Theatre Choreographer
Kathleen Marshall for “Anything Goes” at Barbican Theatre
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Fred Davis, Daisy Franks, Romina Hytten, Tom Larkin, Habib Nasib Nader, Tom Stacy and Scarlet Wilderink – the seven actors who play the Tiger for “Life Of Pi” at Wyndham’s Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Liz Carr for “The Normal Heart” at National Theatre – Olivier
Blue-I Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Tim Hatley for Design and Nick Barnes & Finn Caldwell for Puppets for “Life Of Pi” at Wyndham’s Theatre
White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Tim Lutkin and Andrzej Goulding for “Life Of Pi” at Wyndham’s Theatre
Best Actress In A Supporting Role In A Musical
Liza Sadovy for “Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club” at the Playhouse Theatre
Best Actor In A Supporting Role In A Musical
Elliot Levey for “Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club” at the Playhouse Theatre
Outstanding Achievement In Opera
Peter Whelan and the Irish Baroque Orchestra for “Bajazet” at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Best New Opera Production
“Jenůfa” by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Best Actor In A Musical
Eddie Redmayne for “Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club” at the Playhouse Theatre
Best Actress In A Musical
Jessie Buckley for “Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club” at the Playhouse Theatre
Outstanding Achievement In Dance
Arielle Smith for her choreography of ‘Jolly Folly’ in “Reunion” by English National Ballet at Sadler’s Wells
Best New Dance Production
“Revisor” by Crystal Pite and Jonathon Young / Kidd Pivot at Sadler’s Wells
Best Actress
Sheila Atim for “Constellations” – Donmar Warehouse at Vaudeville Theatre
Best Actor
Hiran Abeysekera for “Life Of Pi” at Wyndham’s Theatre
Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director
Rebecca Frecknall for “Cabaret at The Kit Kat Club” at the Playhouse Theatre
Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
Old Bridge at Bush Theatre
Best Family Show
“Wolf Witch Giant Fairy” at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Best New Play
“Life Of Pi” at Wyndham’s Theatre
Mastercard Best New Musical
“Back To The Future – The Musical” at Adelphi Theatre
