Designer of the Year
Winner: William Dudley for The Mysteries at the National Theatre Cottesloe and The Critic at the National Theatre Olivier
Nominees:
- Alison Chitty for Martine and She Stoops To Conquer at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Bob Crowley for Henry V, Love’s Labours Lost and The Winter’s Tale, RSC at the Barbican
- William Dudley for The Mysteries at the National Theatre Cottesloe and The Critic at the National Theatre Olivier
- Philip Prowse for The Duchess Of Malfi at the National Theatre Lyttelton and Phedra, RSC at the Barbican
Director of the Year
Winner: Bill Bryden for The Mysteries at the National Theatre Cottesloe
Nominees:
- Bill Alexander for Richard III, RSC at the Barbican
- Bill Bryden for The Mysteries at the National Theatre Cottesloe
- Garry Hines for The Playboy Of The Western World at the Donmar Warehouse
- Barry Kyle for Golden Girls, RSC at The Pit and Love’s Labours Lost, RSC at the Barbican
Actor of the Year
Winner: Antony Sher for Richard III, RSC at the Barbican and Torch Song Trilogy at the Albery
Nominees:
- Alun Armstrong for The Crucible and The Winter’s Tale, at Christ Church, Spitalfields
- Kenneth Branagh for Henry V, RSC at the Barbican
- Anthony Hopkins for Pravda at the National Theatre Olivier
- Antony Sher for Richard III, RSC at the Barbican and Torch Song Trilogy at the Albery
Actress of the Year
Winner: Yvonne Bryceland for The Road To Mecca at the National Theatre Lyttelton
Nominees:
- Yvonne Bryceland for The Road To Mecca at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Wendy Morgan for Martine, at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Harriet Walter for The Castle, RSC at The Pit
- Joanne Whalley for Saved at the Royal Court
Comedy Performance of the Year
Winner: Michael Gambon for A Chorus Of Disapproval at the National Theatre Olivier
Nominees:
- Michael Gambon for A Chorus of Disapproval at the National Theatre Olivier
- Roger Rees for Love’s Labours Lost, RSC at the Barbican
- Griff Rhys Jones for Trumpets And Raspberries at the Phoenix
- Maggie Smith for The Way Of The World at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Outstanding Performance of the Year in a Supporting Role
Winner: Imelda Staunton for A Chorus Of Disapproval at the National Theatre Olivier and The Corn Is Green at the Old Vic
Nominees:
- Maria Aitken for Waste, RSC at The Pit
- Patricia Routledge for Richard III, RSC at the Barbican
- Imelda Staunton for A Chorus Of Disapproval at the National Theatre Oivier and The Corn Is Green at the Old Vic
- Zoe Wanamaker for Mother Courage, RSC at the Barbican
Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a Musical
Winner: Robert Lindsay for Me And My Girl, at the Adelphi
Nominees:
- Alun Armstrong for Les Miserables, RSC at the Barbican
- Robert Lindsay for Me And My Girl at the Adelphi
- Mark McGann for Lennon at the Astoria
- Colm Wilkinson for Les Miserables, RSC at the Barbican
Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical
Winner: Patti Lupone for The Cradle Will Rock at the Old Vic and Les Miserables, RSC at the Barbican
Nominees:
- Betsy Brantley for Guys And Dolls at the Prince of Wales
- Patti Lupone for The Cradle Will Rock at the Old Vic and Les Miserables, RSC at the Barbican
- Carol Sloman for Lennon at the Astoria
- Elisabeth Welch for Kern Goes To Hollywood at the Donmar Warehouse
Most Promising Newcomer of the Year in Theatre
Winner: Cheek By Jowl for Andromache, Pericles and Vanity Fair at the Donmar Warehouse
Nominees:
- Frances Barber for Camille at the Comedy
- Cheek By Jowl for Andromache, Pericles and Vanity Fair at the Donmar Warehouse
- Druid Theatre Company for The Playboy Of The Western World at the Donmar Warehouse
- Clive Mantle for Of Mice And Men at the Mermaid
Outstanding Individual Performance of the Year in a New Opera Production
Winner: Kathleen Battle for The Royal Opera’s Ariadne Auf Naxos at the Royal Opera House
Nominees:
- Kathleen Battle for The Royal Opera’s Ariadne Auf Naxos at the Royal Opera House
- Helen Field for The English National Opera’s Faust at the London Coliseum
- Kenneth Riegel for The Royal Opera’s The Birthday Of The Infanta at the Royal Opera House
- Marcus Stockhausen for The Royal Opera’s Donnerstag Aus Licht at the Royal Opera House
Outstanding New Opera Production of the Year
Winner: Xerxes, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Nominees:
- Akhnaten, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
- Donnerstag Aus Licht, The Royal Opera at the London Coliseum
- Faust, English National Opera, at the London Coliseum
- Xerxes, English National Opera, at the London Coliseum
Outstanding New Dance Production of the Year
Winner: Pictures, Merce Cunningham at Sadler’s Wells
Nominees:
- Pictures, Merce Cunningham at Sadler’s Wells
- Romeo And Juliet, London Festival Ballet at the London Coliseum
- The Sons Of Horus, The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House
- The Wand Of Youth, Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet at Sadler’s Wells
Outstanding Individual Performance of the Year in a New Dance Production
Winner: Yoko Morishita for the Matsuyama Ballet Company’s Giselle at the London Coliseum
Nominees:
- Stephen Jeffries for The Royal Ballet’s The Sons Of Horus at the Royal Opera House
- Yoko Morishita for the Matsuyama Ballet Company’s Giselle at the London Coliseum
- Roland Price for Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet’s Sleeping Beauty at the Royal Opera House
- Bryony Brind for the Royal Ballet’s Young Apollo at the Royal Opera House
Comedy of the Year
Winner: A Chorus Of Disapproval by Alan Ayckbourn at the National Theatre Olivier
Nominees:
- Bouncers by John Godber at the Donmar Warehouse
- A Chorus Of Disapproval by Alan Ayckbourn at the National Theatre Olivier
- Love’s Labours Lost by William Shakespeare, RSC at the Barbican
- Pravda by Howard Brenton and David Hare at the National Theatre Olivier
Musical of the Year
Winner: Me And My Girl, book and lyrics by L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber, music by Noel Gay
Nominees:
- Les Miserables by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Herbert Tretzmer, music by Claude-Michael Schanberg
- Me And My Girl, book and lyrics by L. Arthur Rose and Douglas Furber, music by Noel Gay
Play of the Year
Winner: Red Noses by Peter Barnes, RSC at the Barbican
Nominees:
- Doomsday by Tony Harrison at the National Theatre Cottesloe
- Red Noses by Peter Barnes, RSC at the Barbican
- The Road To Mecca by Athol Fugard at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Torch Song Trilogy by Harvey Fierstein at the Albery
The Observer Award for Outstanding Achievement
Winner: Anthony Hopkins for Pravda at the National Theatre Olivier
Nominees:
- The Almeida Theatre
- Anthony Hopkins for Pravda at the National Theatre Olivier
- Royal Court Theatre’s Edward Bond Season
- RSC Tour of The Winter’s Tale and The Crucible
The Society’s Special Award
Sir John Gielgud