The Offies, the main awards programme for OffWestEnd, celebrated the work of fringe, alternative and independent theatres and artists and named the award winners across a host of categories for work seen during 2020.
As part of the programme, which was streamed free on Scenesaver, messages of support came from revered industry professionals including Brian Blessed, Sharon D Clarke, Dame Judi Dench, Sonia Friedman, Stephen Fry and Michelle Terry.
In response to the theatre material made available online during the extended period of theatre closures, the Offies expanded to include the OnComm, a new award for online shows.
Geoffrey Brown, director of OffWestEnd, said, "what a wonderful night! So exciting to be able to celebrate all that has been happening in 2020, from live theatre through to innovative and imaginative new work online and to recognise the outstanding work of 2020. I am also thrilled that so many individuals from the theatre sector were willing to give their time to send messages of support and congratulations—it just shows the importance of independent, alternative & fringe theatre, whether it is live or online."
The winners are:
ONCOMM
Recorded shows – pre lockdown / minimum edits: The House Of Bernarda Alba, Graeae / Royal Exchange Theatre
Recorded shows – pre lockdown / significant edits: The Encounter, Complicité
Recorded shows – post lockdown / minimum edits: Breathe, Bread & Roses Theatre
Recorded shows – post lockdown / significant edits: Rose, Ginger Quiff Media / Hope Mill Theatre / Julian Stoneman MPSI
Live Streaming: The Poltergeist, Tramp / Southwark Playhouse / Jack Silver
Audio Production: Rockets and Blue Lights, Royal Exchange / BBC Lockdown Theatre Festival
Series: 15 Heroines: The Desert / The Labyrinth / The War, Jermyn Street Theatre
Platform Based: Alice, A Virtual Theme Park, Creation Theatre / Big Telly Theatre
Immersive/Interactive: Viper Squad, Sid Phoenix / CtrlAltRepeat
Innovative:
- What A Carve Up!, Lawrence Batley Theatre / New Wolsey Theatre / The Barn Theatre
- Young People 12+: I, Cinna (the poet), Tim Crouch / Unicorn Theatre
- Children: The Twits, Unicorn Theatre
- Families: The Legend of Moby Dick Whittington, Sleeping Trees
OffFEST for the Voila Europe Festival: Farewell Concert, K2 Theater / supported by Hungarian Cultural Centre
OneOFFS:
- Wait for Me, Sam Cassidy & Ainsley Ricketts
- DreamCatcher, Blue Moon Zoom
- Traverse 3, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh
- Scenesaver
OFFIES
Design
Lighting: Tom White, Macbeth, Wiltons Music Hall
Set: Patrick Connellan, The Incident Room, New Diorama / Greenwich Theatre
Sound: Yaiza Varona, The Incident Room, New Diorama / Greenwich Theatre
Musicals
Musical Director
- Joe Bunker, Rags, Park Theatre
- Jonathan O’Boyle, The Last 5 Years, Southwark Playhouse
Supporting Performance: Dave Willetts, Rags, Park Theatre
Lead Performance: Frances Barber, Musik, Leicester Square Theatre
Production: The Last 5 Years, Aria Entertainment, Southwark Playhouse
Ensemble: Performance: The Canary and The Crow, Arcola
IDEA
Performance: (I Could Go on Singing) Over the Rainbow, Southbank Centre
Production: Sound Cistem, Plaster Cast Theatre / Vault Festival
Plays
New Play (joint winners):
- Athena Stevens, Scrounger, Finborough
- Sergio Blanco, The Rage of Narcissus, Pleasance
Performance Piece: Daniel Ward, The Canary and The Crow, Arcola
Supporting Performance: Leigh Quinn, Scrounger, Finborough
Lead Performance: Jessica Rhodes, The Sugar Syndrome, Orange Tree Theatre
Director: Phoebe Barran, Tryst, Chiswick Playhouse