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Dateline: 19th October, 2003 Shakespeare and Scotland dominate the TMAs The Theatrical Management Association Awards 2003 were presented at a glitzy ceremony at Hampstead Theatre tonight. These awards have been presented since 1990 to celebrate outstanding achievement in theatre, opera and dance across the UK. Currently, there are over 175 theatres that take part in the scheme. The 2003 event welcomed many stars of stage and screen and amongst those who presented awards were Sian Phillips, Richard Wilson, Glynis Barber, Anita Dobson, Sian Thomas and artistic director for the home team, Anthony Clark. The nice thing about the TMAs is that not only do they reward the big names as the Evening Standard and Olivier Awards do but they also recognise the achievements of the lesser known. Perhaps the most worthy award was won by the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich. The Eclipse award is presented by the Arts Council to recognise an organisation that has done most to achieve better representation of Black and Asian communities. This year's ceremony was presented by the witty and very dry Sandi Toksvig. A good measure of the most popular of the awards is the level of applause that they received and the winners on the clappometer were Andy (Lord of the Rings) Serkis who won best supporting actor for his Iago at the Royal Exchange Manchester, and the Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, which got the friendliest theatre award to loud cheers. These awards also help people to realise that there is theatre far beyond London. Only a handful of the productions are nominated had been presented in Central London and the biggest winner of all, the Bristol Old Vic production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by best director David Farr and starring best supporting actress Lyndsey Marshal, has so far not followed another winner, Edward Hall's Propeller Company's version of the same play to town. The other surprise in a major awards ceremony is that the average age of the best actor and actress could politely be described as adequate for a senior citizen's rail pass. Timothy West's Lear was undoubtedly an outstanding achievement while Eileen McCallum helped the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company in Edinburgh to pick up another award as Best Actress. Peter Arnott helped them to win the Best New Play Award too, for The Breathing House. A pleasant and lively evening was enhanced by performances from the New Wolsey Theatre's production of The Good Companions, and two musicals, Slam Dunk and Everyone Loves Me. The winners were
Reporter: Philip Fisher Please note that all three Archive indices are very long and will therefore take some time to download.
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