The performing arts community of Wales came together once more to celebrate the best in theatre, opera and dance at Sherman Cymru Theatre on the evening of 30 January 2016.
Under the aegis of Mike Smith of the Arts Scene in Wales web site, 34 critics submitted almost 600 individual nominations for performances which took place in the twelve months leading up to 1 December 2015.
The ceremony was sponsored by The Principality Building Society and the winners received both an engraved slate trophy and, courtesy of the Royal Mint, a commemorative edition of coins marking the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare.
The Other Room, a company which had yet to stage its first performance at the time of last year's ceremony, came away with four awards, emphasising the powerful impact it has made on the theatrical landscape in Cardiff (it has also received The Stage Award for fringe venue of the year). The dominance and excellence of Welsh National Opera similarly resulted in their winning in four categories.
Sherman Cymru also did well, on the weekend upon which their production of Gary Owen’s Iphigenia In Splott was opening at the Royal National Theatre in London; thus, Sophie Melville was unavailable to collect her award for Best Female English Language performance. Owen was beaten to the English-Language writer’s award, however, by Alun Saunders for his bilingual drama A Good Clean Heart.
In the Welsh-language categories, the mental health-themed Difa came away with two awards. In Dance, both Eddie Ladd and Gwyn Emberton were rewarded for their work in subtly politically-inflected pieces.
Highlights from the acceptance speeches included Beth House of Taking Flight, whose work incorporates performers with disabilities, “doing an Idris” and suggesting that other companies might be more adventurous in their casting choices, Yuri director Mathilde reading award-winner Carys Eleri’s acceptance speech in French-accented Welsh and Christian Patterson managing to be amusing while dedicating his award to his late son, the inspiration for his charity, Harry’s Fund.
The Audience Award, voted for by members of the public, was won by Grav, the biographical drama based on the life of rugby legend Ray Gravell, a piece which, as the company remarked, attracted many people to the theatre for the first time.
The Special Recognition Award went to the founders of Earthfall, winners of Best Dance Production. The irony of their Arts Council of Wales funding having recently been drastically cut was noted by all present. Indeed, the cash-strapped conditions under which the bulk of the companies operate were mentioned more than once.
As in 2015, the event was genially co-hosted by Welsh broadcasting luminaries Nicola Heywood-Thomas and Arfon Haines-Davies, who ably rode the enthusiasm of the capacity audience.
Further entertainment was provided by cast members of nominated dance production, I Loved You and I Loved You, soprano Angharad Morgan who performed Musetta’s Waltz from Puccini’s La Bohème and students of the MA opera course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama who rounded off the evening in ebullient fashion with the fugue from Verdi’s Falstaff.
Best Show For Children And Young People
Winner: Arabian Nights, Sherman Cymru
Also nominated:
- Real Human Being, Taking Flight Theatre Company in partnership with Disability Arts Cymru
- Oes Rhaid I Mi Ddeffro? Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
- Mimosa, Theatr Clwyd – Theatre For Young People
Best Sound
Winner: Lothar Koenigs, Pelléas et Mélisande, Welsh National Opera
Also nominated:
- Branwen Munn, Yuri, August O12, co-production with Chapter
- Y Pencadlys, Dawns Ysbrydion, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Galeri Caernarfon
- Lucy Rivers, The Forsythe Sisters, Gagglebabble
Best Lighting
Winner: Terry Hands, Hamlet, Theatr Clwyd
Also nominated:
- Ceri James, Beneath the Streets: Lost and Found, Hijnx & Punchdrunk Enrichment
- Katy Morison & Zakk Hein, A Good Clean Heart, The Other Room
- Kevin Treacy, A Doll’s House, Sherman Cymru
Best Design And/Or Costume
Winner: Holly McCarthy, The Royal Bed, Theatr Pena, co-production with The Riverfront in association with Torch Theatre
Also nominated:
- Ruth Hall & Max Jones, Y Fenyw Ddaeth o’r Môr, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
- Camilla Clarke, Yuri, August O12, co-production with Chapter
- Mark Bailey, The Herbal Bed, Theatr Clwyd
Best Male In An Opera Production
Winner: Christopher Purves, Pelléas et Mélisande, Welsh National Opera
Also nominated:
- Barry Banks, I Puritani, Welsh National Opera / Danish National Opera
- Iestyn Morris, Peter Pan, Welsh National Opera / Komische Oper
- Jacques Imbrailo, Pelléas et Mélisande, Welsh National Opera
Best Female In An Opera Production
Winner: Rosa Feola, I Puritani, Welsh National Opera / Danish National Opera
Also nominated:
- Rebecca Evans, Orlando, Welsh National Opera / Scottish Opera
- Jurgita Adomonyté, Pelléas et Mélisande, Welsh National Opera
- Janis Kelly, Sweeney Todd, Welsh National Opera / Wales Millennium Centre / West Yorkshire Playhouse / Royal Exchange Theatre
Best Opera Production
Winner: Pelléas et Mélisande, Welsh National Opera
Also nominated:
- Orlando, Welsh National Opera / Scottish Opera
- I Puritani, Welsh National Opera / Danish National Opera
- Hansel & Gretel, Welsh National Opera / Lyric Opera of Chicago
Best Ensemble
Winner: The Winter’s Tale, Taking Flight Theatre, supported by Chapter
Also nominated:
- playing ‘the maids’, The Llanarth Group in collaboration with Gaitkrash (Ireland), Theatr P’yut (Korea), and 2 independent artists (Singapore / UK-Ireland)
- Legally Blonde, Aberystywth Arts Centre
- The Harri-Parris: The Big Day, Mai Oh Mai in association with Chapter and Torch Theatre
Best Playwright In The Welsh Language
Winner: Llŷr Titus, Drych, Cwmni’r Frân Wen in association with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
Also nominated:
- Angharad Price, Nansi, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
- Dewi Wyn Williams, Difa, Theatr Bara Caws
- Dyfan Roberts, Pum Cynnig i Gymro, Theatr Bara Caws
Best Playwright In The English Language
Winner: Alun Saunders, A Good Clean Heart, The Other Room
Also nominated:
- Gary Owen, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Cymru
- Catrin Fflur Huws, To Kill a Machine, Scriptography Productions / Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
- Owen Thomas, Grav, Torch Theatre Company
Best Dance Production
Winner: Stories from a Crowded Room, Earthfall in partnership with Chapter
Also nominated:
- Dawns Ysbrydion, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Galeri Caernarfon
- Blood on the Snow, Caroline Sabin, co-production with Chapter
- I Loved You and I Loved You, Sweetshop Revolution, produced by Coreo Cymru and Chapter
Best Female Dance Artist (Performer And/Or Choreographer)
Winner: Eddie Ladd, Dawns Ysbrydion, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru in partnership with Galeri Caernarfon
Also nominated:
- Joanna Young, Don’t Think About a Purple Daisy
- Gemma Prangle, Dances I Made on my Bathroom Floor
- Caroline Sabin, Blood on the Snow, co-production with Chapter
Best Male Dance Artist (Performer And/Or Choreographer)
Winner: Gwyn Emberton, TRIPTYCH III, De Oscuro in association with Wales Millennium Centre and Chapter
Also nominated:
- Daisuke Miura, Tir, Ballet Cymru
- Alex Marshall Parsons, Stories from a Crowded Room, Earthfall in partnership with Chapter
- Alexander Ekman, Tuplet, National Dance Company Wales
Best Female Performance In The English Language
Winner: Sophie Melville, Iphigenia in Splott, Sherman Cymru
Also nominated:
- Eiry Thomas, The Royal Bed, Theatr Pena, co-production with The Riverfront in association with Torch Theatre
- Seren Vickers, Dark Vanilla Jungle, Company of Sirens in association with Chapter
- Sian Howard, All My Sons, Theatr Clwyd
Best Male Performance In The English Language
Winner: Christian Patterson, Blasted, The Other Room
Also nominated:
- Lee Haven-Jones, Hamlet, Theatr Clwyd
- Gwydion Rhys, To Kill A Machine, Scriptography Productions, co-production with Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
- Gareth John Bale, Grav, Torch Theatre Company
Best Female Performance In The Welsh Language
Winner: Carys Eleri, Yuri, August O12, co-production with Chapter
Also nominated:
- Melangell Dolma, Nansi, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
- Gwenno Elis Hodgkins, Drych, Cwmni’r Frân Wen in association with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
- Catherine Ayers, Y Tŵr, Invertigo Theatre Company
Best Male Performance In The Welsh Language
Winner: Rhodri Evan, Difa, Theatr Bara Caws
Also nominated:
- Dyfan Roberts, Pum Cynnig i Gymro, Theatr Bara Caws
- Bryn Fôn, Drych, Cwmni’r Frân Wen in association with Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru
- Steffan Donnelly, Y Tŵr, Invertigo Theatre Company
Best Production In The Welsh Language
Winner: Difa, Theatr Bara Caws
Also nominated:
- Y Tŵr, Invertigo Theatre Company
- Yuri, August O12, co-production with Chapter Arts Centre
- {150}, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and National Theatre Wales in association with S4C
Best Production In The English Language
Winner: The Dying of Today, The Other Room
Also nominated:
- Grav, Torch Theatre Company
- Hamlet, Theatr Clwyd
- To Kill a Machine, Scriptography Productions, co-production with Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
Best Director
Winner: Kate Wasserberg, Blasted, The Other Room
Also nominated:
- Angharad Lee, To Kill a Machine, Scriptography Productions, co-production with Cwmni Theatr Arad Goch
- Peter Doran, Grav, Torch Theatre Company
- Mared Swain, A Good Clean Heart, The Other Room
Audience Award
Grav, Torch Theatre Company
Special Achievement
Jessica Cohen and Jim Ennis, Earthfall