London rolled out the red carpet in style on Sunday 13 April as many of the biggest faces in entertaiment headed to the Olivier Awards 2015 ceremony. But who was crowned champion?
The Sunny Afternoon crew: Four times Olivier Award winners
It’s one of the most prestigious dates on the showbiz calendar. Each year the most glamorous names of those involved in West End shows and other leading theatres in London, flock to the capital to celebrate the annual Laurence Olivier Awards.
And 2015 was no exception. This star-studded event saw Nicole Scherzinger, Gemma Arterton, Angela Lansbury and Gillian Anderson, amongst many more, head to the Royal Opera House on Sunday 13 April 2015, to celebrate one of the most exclusive award events in theatre.
Take a look at some of the winners in the 2015 Olivier Awards.
Sunny Afternoons wins four Olivier Awards
Picking up four awards, the hit British musical Sunny Afternoon was the best performing show at this year’s Awards.
The sensational show that is based on the music of The Kinks, won Best New Musical, John Dagleish won Best Actor in a Musical, George Maguire won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical, and The Kinks’ very own Ray Davies won an award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.
Katie Brayben is Best Actress in a Musical
Fighting off competition from Made In Dagenham’s Gemma Arterton, Beverley Knight as the star in Memphis the Musical, and previous Olivier Award winner Tamsin Greig in Woman On A Verge of A Nervous Breakdown the Musical, Katie Brayben picked up the highly-anticipated award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in Beautiful – The Carole King Musical.
Brayben stepped into the role of Carole King for the West End premier of the musical in February this year.
Penelope Wilton wins Best Actress
Penelope Wilton won the Best Actress Award for her role in Mark Hayhurst’s Taken at Midnight. After she won the award, Wilton noted that there was currently a “vitality in straight drama in the West End.”
Mark Strong is crowned Best Actor
In one of the most intensely-contested categories of the night, Mark Strong was awarded Best Actor at the Olivier Awards for his incredible performance in View From The Bridge, triumphing over fellow nominees James McAvoy, Richard Artimage and Tim Pigott-Smith.
Wicked wins Audience Award
The spellbinding musical Wicked won the desirable This Morning Audience Award, the only Olivier Award that is voted for by the public.
King Charles III awarded Best New Play
Mike Bartlett’s compelling future history play King Charles III took home the ultra-prestigious Best New Play Award, marking Bartlett’s third Olivier Award-winning creation.
There were many other winners at this year’s starry event, including Angela Lansbury as Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Blithe, The Play That Goes Wrong as Best New Comedy and A View From the Bridge as Best Revival.
Whilst there were many winners, no show it seems could come close to Sunny Afternoon, four time winners at one of the biggest annual events in London theatre.
Sunny Afternoon is currently booking at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 24 October 2015.
