The Individuals
Best Actor (M)
In the running this year was last year’s winner, Christopher Price, for his performance in Two at the Gala, but this year he was pipped at the post by Brian Lonsdale for his performance in My Romantic History at Live Theatre, for Roderigo in ETT’s Othello at Northern Stage and for everyone, male and female except Gertrude Bell, in Hands On NE’s The Desert Queen on a short NE tour.
Best Actor (F)
Strangely enough, last year’s winner Jessica Johnson was also in the running for her performance in Two too. However Bryony Corrigan gets the accolade for two superb performances during the year, Amy (and Tom’s grandmother) in My Romantic History at Live and, also at Live, student nurse Ali in Clear White Light.
Best New Writer
This new category goes to a writer—of whatever age—who makes a major impression with his/her first full-length play. This year it goes to David Raynor who, although he has had short plays performed at Live in the Ten Minutes to… segment, has been able to develop his first full length piece, Trolley Boy, from a Ten Minutes to… production to a full length show over a period of three years with support from Alphabetti. And it's great fun!
Best Director
The new artistic director of Live Theatre, Joe Douglas, is definitely in the running for his first production at the venue, Clear White Light, and for his contribution to Christmas Crackers, Live’s panto alternative, as is Laura Lindow who did a superb job on don’t forget the birds. However the real major success of the year was Sting’s The Last Ship and for that book writer and director Lorne Campbell must take full credit and it is to him that this year’s Best Director accolade goes.
Best Design
The projections for The Last Ship were simply stunning, bringing a reality and a power to the different scenes and so 59 Productions must take the crown this year.