Mark Shenton, in his capacity as Chairman of The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards, hosted a traditionally informal event at London's Prince of Wales Theatre on 15 January for the organisation's annual award ceremony.
A free vote by the members of a group of working journalists decided the winners which this year saw a fourth Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Simon Russell Beale for his performance in Timon of Athens, three Best awards—Actress, Director and Designer—were won across three different productions at The Young Vic, with Red Velvet winning husband and wife Adrian Lester and Lolita Chakrabarti Best Actor and Most Promising Playwright respectively.
The full list of winners is:
Best New Play - The Effect by Lucy Prebble at the Cottesloe Theatre at the National, London, in a co-production with Headlong
The Peter Hepple Award for Best Musical (new or revival) - Merrily We Roll Along at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London
Best Actor - Adrian Lester in Red Velvet at the Tricycle Theatre, London
Best Actress - Hattie Morahan in A Doll’s House at the Young Vic Theatre, London
The John and Wendy Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance - Simon Russell Beale in Timon of Athens at the Olivier Theatre at the National, London
Best Director - Benedict Andrews for Three Sisters at the Young Vic Theatre, London
Best Designer - Miriam Buether for Wild Swans at the Young Vic Theatre, London, in a co-production with American Repertory Theater & Actors Touring Company
Most Promising Playwright - Lolita Chakrabarti for Red Velvet at the Tricycle Theatre, London
The Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer (other than a playwright) - Denise Gough for Desire Under the Elms at the Lyric Hammersmith, London
Special Award - Shakespeare’s Globe for Globe to Globe