LONDON – Sarah Jessica Parker, Andrew Scott and Sarah Snook are among the stars battling for accolades Sunday at the Olivier Awards recognizing work on the London stage.
The Oliviers — Britain’s equivalent of Broadway’s Tony Awards — are celebrating a bumper year for new shows in the West End, which is finally bouncing back from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Ted Lasso” star Hannah Waddingham is due to host an exuberant ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
“Sex and the City” stalwart Parker is a best-actress nominee for her performance in Neil Simon’s romantic comedy “Plaza Suite,” in which she starred opposite husband Matthew Broderick. “Succession” star Snook is up for her solo show, “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” Best-actor contender Scott – “Fleabag”’s Hot Priest — is also nominated for a one-person show, the Anton Chekhov adaptation “Vanya.”
An acclaimed revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Hollywood noir “Sunset Boulevard” leads the field with 11 nominations, including best actress in a musical for Nicole Scherzinger, a former member of girl group the Pussycat Dolls, and best actor in a musical for Tom Francis. The Jamie Lloyd-directed production is due to transfer to Broadway later this year.
James Graham’s “Dear England” — a look at the country’s tormented relationship with its national soccer team — has nine nominations, including best new play and best actor for Joseph Fiennes, who plays England manager Gareth Southgate.
The other nominees for best new play are Jez Butterworth’s “The Hills of California,” Jack Thorne’s “The Motive and the Cue” and Beth Steel’s “Till the Stars Come Down.”
Lead actress contenders, in addition to Parker and Snook are Sophie Okonedo for “Medea,” Sheridan Smith for “Shirley Valentine” and Laura Donnelly for “The Hills of California.”
As well as Fiennes and Scott, the best actor nominees are Mark Gatiss for “The Motive and the Cue,” James Norton for “A Little Life” and David Tennant for “Macbeth.”
Musical performance contenders include Daniel Mays and Marisha Wallace for the Bridge Theater’s immersive “Guys and Dolls,” which is also nominated for best musical revival.
The best new musical contenders are “The Little Big Things,” “Next to Normal,” “Operation Mincemeat” and “A Strange Loop.”
The prizes, which recognize achievements in theater, opera and dance, were founded in 1976 and named for the late actor-director Laurence Olivier. Winners are chosen by voting groups of stage professionals and theatergoers.
Last year’s acting winners included Paul Mescal for “A Streetcar Named Desire” and Jodie Comer for “Prima Facie.”
Viewers can watch highlights of Sunday’s ceremony on ITV in the U.K. and BritBox in the U.S. and Canada. The ceremony will be streamed live on YouTube in the rest of the world from 1700GMT.
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