Nominations for Wales Theatre Awards 2018

Published: 16 January 2018
Reporter: Othniel Smith

Richard Lynch and Ffion Dafis in "Macbeth" (Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru) Credit: Mark Douet

The nominations for the 2018 Wales Theatre Awards were revealed on 15 January, during an informal event which took place at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

Representatives of several nominated companies were in attendance, as were a number of former winners, including the 2015 award-winner for Best Male Performance in the English Language, Daniel Llewelyn-Williams, who kicked off the evening with a recitation of Rhyfel / War by tragic World War I poet Hedd Wynn, to mark the centenary of the final year of the conflict.

The shortlisting was done by 40 critics from a wide variety of print and online publications (including the British Theatre Guide), the final lists drawn from 563 individual nominations made for 141 shows and 239 individual artists.

Prominent nominees include Theatr Clwyd’s Uncle Vanya, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru’s Welsh-language Macbeth and the new opera based on Gwenlyn Parry’s classic play Y Tŵr.

There will be new awards for Best Touring Productions in both Welsh and English, and as well as the categories listed below, there will be a new Wales And The World award for an artist or company who has represented Wales beyond our borders. There will also be a Special Recognition Award.

The awards ceremony will take place on Saturday 27 January at The Riverfront, Newport.

The shortlists are as follows:

Best Design And / Or Costume

  • Buddug James Jones & Anneliese Mowbray, Gwledd Gwyddno / The Sea King’s Feast, Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
  • Lucy Osborne, Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
  • Simon Banham, The Golden Dragon, Music Theatre Wales
  • Mark Bailey, Escape the Scaffold, The Other Room, Mongrel Thumb & Theatre 503
  • Lois Prys, Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws

Best Director

  • Rachel O'Riordan, Killology, Sherman Theatre & Royal Court Theatre
  • Simon Harris, Little Wolf, Lucid Theatre
  • Chris Durnall, Nether, Company of Sirens, good cop bad cop & Chapter
  • Tamara Harvey, Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
  • Marc Rees & Caroline Finn, P.A.R.A.D.E., National Dance Company Wales & Marc Rees with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Rubicon Dance & Dawns i Bawb

Best Lighting

  • Katy Morison, Sinners Club, Gagglebabble, Theatr Clwyd & The Other Room
  • Jane Lalljee, Little Wolf, Lucid Theatre
  • Joe Fletcher, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Cadw and with support from Chapter
  • Ric Mountjoy, Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
  • Chris Illingsworth, Shadow Aspect, Ballet Cymru

Best Sound

  • John Tyrrell, From the House of the Dead, Welsh National Opera
  • Daf James, Tiger Bay, Wales Millennium Centre in association with Cape Town Opera
  • Gareth Glyn, Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd, Opra Cymru, Bangor University, Pontio, Ensemble Cymru & Young Films
  • Lucy Rivers, Sinners Club, Gagglebabble, Theatr Clwyd & The Other Room
  • Catrin Finch, The Light Princess, Ballet Cymru, Catrin Finch & The Riverfront

Best Ensemble

  • Tiger Bay, Wales Millennium Centre in association with Cape Town Opera
  • Granton Street, Fluellen Theatre Company
  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Torch Theatre Company
  • Junkyard, Theatr Clwyd, Headlong, Bristol Old Vic & Rose Theatre Kingston
  • Gwledd Gwyddno / The Sea King’s Feast, Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch

Best Choreographer

  • Gwyn Emberton, Raft, Gwyn Emberton Dance, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
  • Marc Rees & Caroline Finn, P.A.R.A.D.E., National Dance Company Wales & Marc Rees with BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Rubicon Dance & Dawns i Bawb
  • Marcos Morau, Tundra, National Dance Company Wales
  • Tim Podesta, Shadow Aspect, Ballet Cymru
  • Lisa Spaull, The Flying Bedroom, Little Light, Venue Cymru & Firefly Press

Best Female Dance Artist

  • Anna Pujol, The Light Princess, Ballet Cymru, Catrin Finch & The Riverfront
  • Elena Thomas, Profundis, National Dance Company Wales
  • Jo Fong, Ways of Being Together, Jo Fong supported by Chapter
  • Mara Galeazzi, Shadow Aspect, Ballet Cymru
  • Camille Giraudeau, The Green House, National Dance Company Wales

Best Male Dance Artist

  • Andrea Maria Battaggia, The Light Princess, Ballet Cymru, Catrin Finch & The Riverfront
  • Ed Myhill, Animatorium, National Dance Company Wales
  • Matteo Marfoglia, Raft, Gwyn Emberton Dance, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
  • Robbie Moorcroft, Shadow Aspect, Ballet Cymru
  • Gwyn Emberton, Babulus, ICoDaCo, Gwyn Emberton & ilDance

Best Dance Production

  • Raft, Gwyn Emberton Dance, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
  • Shadow Aspect, Ballet Cymru
  • The Light Princess, Ballet Cymru, Catrin Finch & The Riverfront
  • Tundra, National Dance Company Wales
  • The Green House, National Dance Company Wales

Best Production In The Welsh Language

  • Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Cadw and with support from Chapter
  • Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd, Opra Cymru, Bangor University, Pontio, Ensemble Cymru & Young Films
  • Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws
  • Y Tŵr, Music Theatre Wales & Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
  • Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru

Best Performance In The Welsh Language – Male

  • Rhodri Miles, Sieiloc, Rhodri Miles
  • Richard Lynch, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Cadw and with support from Chapter
  • Siôn Pritchard, Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
  • Gareth John Bale, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Cadw and with support from Chapter
  • Rhodri Evan, Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws

Best Performance In The Welsh Language - Female

  • Ffion Dafis, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Cadw and with support from Chapter
  • Siw Hughes, Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
  • Caryl Hughes, Y Tŵr, Music Theatre Wales & Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
  • Lisa Jên Brown, Gair o Gariad, Theatr Bara Caws, Fuel & Uninvited Guests
  • Caryl Morgan, Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws

Best Male In An Opera Production

  • Brindley Sharratt, Der Rosenkavalier, Welsh National Opera & Theater Magdeburg
  • Simon Bailey, From the House of the Dead, Welsh National Opera
  • Tom Randle, Le Vin herbé, Welsh National Opera
  • Robyn Lyn Evans, Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd, Opra Cymru, Bangor University, Pontio, Ensemble Cymru & Young Films
  • Alan Oke, From the House of the Dead, Welsh National Opera

Best Opera Production

  • Der Rosenkavalier, Welsh National Opera & Theater Magdeburg
  • Le Vin herbé, Welsh National Opera / Opera Cenedlaethol Cymru
  • Y Tŵr, Music Theatre Wales & Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
  • The Golden Dragon, Music Theatre Wales
  • The World’s Wife, Welsh National Opera, Taliesin Arts Centre, Echo Forest, The Mavron Quartet

Best Female In An Opera Production

  • Caitlin Hulcup, Le Vin herbé, Welsh National Opera
  • Natalya Romaniw, Eugene Onegin, Welsh National Opera
  • Rebecca Evans, Der Rosenkavalier, Welsh National Opera & Theater Magdeburg
  • Amanda Forbes, The World’s Wife, Welsh National Opera, Taliesin Arts Centre, Echo Forest, The Mavron Quartet
  • Caryl Hughes, Y Tŵr, Music Theatre Wales & Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru

Best Production In The English Language

  • Seanmhair, The Other Room
  • Scarlett, Theatr Clwyd & Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
  • Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
  • Sugar Baby, Dirty Protest supported by Chapter
  • Black Mountain, Theatre Clwyd, Paines Plough & Orange Tree Theatre

Best Female Performance In The English Language

  • Eria-Lynn Hunter, Scarlett, Theatr Clwyd & Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
  • Hannah McPake, Seanmhair, The Other Room
  • Lucy Rivers, Sinners Club, Gagglebabble, Theatr Clwyd & The Other Room
  • Rosie Sheehy, Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
  • Kate Ashfield, Scarlett, Theatr Clwyd & Hampstead Theatre Downstairs

Best Male Performance In The English Language

  • Jamie Ballard, Uncle Vanya, Theatr Clwyd & Sheffield Theatres
  • Rhodri Meilir, How My Light is Spent, Royal Exchange Theatre, Theatre by the Lake & Sherman Theatre
  • Sion Daniel Young, Killology, Sherman Theatre & Royal Court Theatre
  • Steffan Donnelly, My Body Welsh, Cwmni Theatr Invertigo Theatre Company, The Conker Group & Pontio
  • James Scannell, Granton Street, Fluellen Theatre Company / Cwmni Theatr Fluellen

Best Playwright In The English Language

  • Alan Harris, How My Light is Spent, Royal Exchange Theatre, Theatre by the Lake and Sherman Theatre
  • Gary Owen, Killology, Sherman Theatre & Royal Court Theatre
  • Meredydd Barker, Nye & Jennie, Theatr na nÓg & Aneurin Leisure
  • Owen Sheers, Pink Mist, Bristol Old Vic
  • Simon Harris, Little Wolf, Lucid Theatre

Best Playwright In The Welsh Language

  • Manon Steffan Ros, Mwgsi, Cwmni’r Frân Wen
  • Manon Wyn Williams, Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
  • Siôn Eirian, Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws
  • Hefin Robinson, Estron, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with the National Eisteddfod of Wales
  • Gwyn Thomas, Macbeth, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Cadw and with support from Chapter

Best Touring Production (Welsh)

  • Sieiloc, Rhodri Miles
  • Hollti, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
  • Y Tŵr, Music Theatre Wales & Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
  • Wythnos yng Nghymru Fydd, Opra Cymru, Bangor University, Pontio, Ensemble Cymru & Young Films
  • Yfory, Theatr Bara Caws

Best Touring Production (English)

  • Little Wolf, Lucid Theatre
  • Granton Street, Fluellen Theatre Company
  • How To Win Against History, Àine Flanagan Productions, Seiriol Davies & the Young Vic, Wales tour supported by Pontio
  • The Bear, Mid Wales Opera
  • My Body Welsh, Cwmni Theatr Invertigo Theatre Company, The Conker Group & Pontio

Best Show For Children And Young People (Welsh)

  • Mwgsi, Cwmni’r Frân Wen
  • Nid Fi / Not Me, Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
  • Deffro’r Gwanwyn, Canolfan Berfformio Cymru, University of Wales Trinity St David
  • Culhwch ac Olwen, Cwmni Mega
  • Hedd Wyn - Pam ein bod ni'n cofio / Hedd Wyn - Why we must never forget, Mewn Cymeriad / In Character

Best Show For Children And Young People (English)

  • You’ve Got Dragons, Taking Flight Theatre Company with Creu Cymru & Abertillery Met
  • Eye of the Storm, Theatr na nÓg in association with Taliesin Arts Centre
  • Twenty16, Theatr Iolo & The Welfare Ystradgynlais
  • The Wind in the Willows, Sherman Theatre
  • The Flying Bedroom, Little Light, Venue Cymru & Firefly Press

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