Best Comedy
Winner: Art by Yasmina Reza at the Wyndham’s
Nominees:
- Art by Yasmina Reza at the Wyndham’s
- The Complete Works Of William Shakespeare (abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield at the Criterion
- Laughter On The 23rd Floor by Neil Simon at the Queen’s
Best Actress
Winner: Janet McTeer for A Doll’s House at the Playhouse
Nominees:
- Eileen Atkins for John Gabriel Borkman at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Janet McTeer for A Doll’s House at the Playhouse
- Vanessa Redgrave for John Gabriel Borkman at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Diana Rigg for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at the Aldwych
Best Actor
Winner: Antony Sher for Stanley at the National Theatre Cottesloe
Nominees:
- Paul Scofield for John Gabriel Borkman at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Antony Sher for Stanley at the National Theatre Cottesloe
- Ken Stott for Art at the Wyndham’s
- David Suchet for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at the Aldwych
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner: Deborah Findlay for Stanley at the National Theatre Cottesloe
Nominees:
- Frances Barber for Uncle Vanya at the Albery
- Claire Holman for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at the Aldwych
- Anna Chancellor for Stanley at the National Theatre Cottesloe
- Deborah Findlay for Stanley at the National Theatre Cottesloe
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner: Trevor Eve for Uncle Vanya at the Albery
Nominees:
- Stephen Boxer for The Herbal Bed, RSC at the Barbican Pit
- Trevor Eve for Uncle Vanya at the Albery
- Tony Haygarth for Twelve Angry Men at the Comedy
- Owen Teale for A Doll’s House at the Playhouse
Best Director
Winner: Des McAnuff for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
Nominees:
- Richard Eyre for John Gabriel Borkman at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Des McAnuff for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
- Anthony Page for A Doll’s House at the Playhouse
- Matthew Warchus for Art at the Wyndham’s
Best Set Designer
Winner: Tim Hatley for Stanley at the National Theatre Cottesloe
Nominees:
- John Arnone for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
- Paul Farnsworth for Passion at the Queen’s
- Tim Hatley for Stanley at the National Theatre Cottesloe
- Mark Thompson for Art at the Wyndham’s
Best Lighting Designer
Winner: Chris Parry for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
Nominees:
- Mark Henderson for John Gabriel Borkman at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- David Hersey for Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward
- Chris Parry for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
- Hugh Vanstone for Art at the Wyndham’s
Best Costume Designer
Winner: Tim Goodchild for The Relapse, RSC at the Barbican Pit
Nominees:
- Louise Belson for By Jeeves at the Duke of York’s and the Lyric
- William Dudley for Mary Stuart at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Tim Goodchild for The Relapse, RSC at the Barbican Pit
- David C Woolard for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
Best Theatre Choreographer
Winner: Bob Avian for Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward
Nominees:
- Bob Avian for Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward
- Wayne Cilento for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
Best New Opera Production
Winner: English National Opera’s Tristan And Isolde at the London Coliseum
Nominees:
- Welsh National Opera’s Cavelleria Rusticana and I Pagliacci at the Royal Opera House
- English National Opera’s Fidelio at the London Coliseum
- English National Opera’s Tristan And Isolde at the London Coliseum
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Winner: Elgar Howarth for conducting English National Opera’s Die Soldaten and The Prince Of Homburg at the London Coliseum
Nominees:
- Wolfgang Gobbel for lighting design of The Royal Opera’s The Midsummer Marriage at the Royal Opera House and English National Opera’s Tristan And Isolde at the London Coliseum
- Elgar Howarth for conducting English National Opera’s Die Soldaten and The Prince Of Homburg at the London Coliseum
- Karita Mattila for her performance in The Royal Opera’s Don Carlos at the Royal Opera House
Best New Dance Production
Winner: English National Ballet’s Cinderella at the London Coliseum
Nominees:
- English National Ballet’s Alice In Wonderland at the London Coliseum
- Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Carmina Burana at the Royal Opera House
- English National Ballet’s Cinderella at the London Coliseum
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Winner: The dancers of Rambert Dance Company for their season at the London Coliseum
Nominees:
- Sue Blane for her design of English National Ballet’s Alice In Wonderland at the London Coliseum
- Viviana Durante for performances in The Royal Ballet’s Anastasia… Now Langourous, Now Wild… at the Royal Opera House
- Thomas Edur for performances in English National Ballet’s Alice in Wonderland and Giselle at the London Coliseum
- The dancers of Rambert Dance Company for their season at the London Coliseum
Best Actor in a Musical
Winner: Robert Lindsay for Oliver! at the London Palladium
Nominees:
- Iain Glen for Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward
- Robert Lindsay for Oliver! at the London Palladium
- Paul Keating for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
- Stephen Pacey for By Jeeves at the Duke of York’s and the Lyric
Best Actress in a Musical
Winner: Maria Friedman for Passion at the Queen’s
Nominees:
- B J Crosby for Smokey Joe’s Café: The Songs Of Lieber And Stoller at the Prince of Wales
- Maria Friedman for Passion at the Queen’s
- Joanna Riding for Guys And Dolls at the National Theatre Olivier
- Imelda Staunton for Guys And Dolls at the National Theatre Olivier
Best Supporting Performance in a Musical
Winner: Clive Rowe for Guys And Dolls at the National Theatre Olivier
Nominees:
- James Gillan for Tommy at the Shaftesbury
- Hugh Ross for Passion at the Queen’s
- Clive Rowe for Guys And Dolls at the National Theatre Olivier
- Tony Selby for Paint Your Wagon at the Open Air
The American Express Award for Best New Musical
Winner: Martin Guerre, book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, music by Claude-Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Edward Handy and Stephen Clark, original text by Alain Boublil, additional lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boubil, at the Prince Edward
Nominees:
- Martin Guerre, book by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, music by Claude
- Michel Schonberg, lyrics by Edward Handy and Stephen Clark, original text by Alain Boublil, additional lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boubil, at the Prince Edward
- Nine, book by Arthur Kopit, music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, adapted from the Italian by Mario Fratti, at the Donmar Warehouse
- Passion, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine, at the Queen’s
Outstanding Musical Production
Winner: Tommy, music and lyrics by Pete Townshend, book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, at the Shaftesbury
Nominees:
- By Jeeves, lyrics by Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd Webber, musical stories, based on the Jeeves And Wooster stories by P G Wodehouse, at the Duke of York’s
- Jesus Christ Superstar, lyrics by Tim Rice, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, at the Lyceum
- Smokey Joe’s Café: The Song Of Lieber and Stoller, words and music by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, at the Prince of Wales
- Tommy, music and lyrics by Pete Townshend, book by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff, at the Shaftesbury
BBC Award for the Play of the Year
Winner: Stanley by Pam Gems at the National Theatre Cottesloe
Nominees:
- The Beauty Queen Of Leenane by Martin McDonagh at the Royal Court
- Blinded By The Sun by Stephen Poliakoff at the National Theatre Cottesloe
- The Herbal Bed by Peter Whelan, RSC at the Barbican Pit
- Stanley by Pam Gems at the National Theatre Cottesloe
The Society’s Special Award
Margaret Harris