So last Sunday 15th April saw the 36th annual Olivier Awards... debatably the biggest night of the year in theatre land... and what a night it was! I have to say I loved it, apart from the dodgy technical issues with the red button coverage which I found very frustrating. So the event was opened with the cast of We Will Rock You with the legend that is Brian May! I thought the performance was great and loved the chemistry between Lauren Samuels and Noel Sullivan. However I didn't think Noel's voice was as strong, although I cannot really judge as I haven't seen him live.
When Sheridan Smith won best supporting role in a play I couldn't help but give her a little clap from my living room (how sad). She thoroughly deserved that award as her performance in Flare Path was incredible. When Crazy For You won Best Costume Designer I loved Peter McKintosh's face, it was hilarious!
Amazing performance from Sharon D Clarke sining 'I'm Outta Hear' from Ghost the Musical. It was great to hear her adding in a few extra rifts and enjoying herself so much. I also loved how the cameras kept showing her reactions throughout the event, she comes across as a genuinely nice, hilarious person.
The incredible performances just kept on coming, it was lovely to see all the Matilda's performing together. There confidence is just incredible, looks like they have been doing it for years! I am really eager to see the show now. It was also strange to see Betty Blue Eyes perform after it closed quite a while ago however I have to sat it was an incredible performance and made me want to see it! What a shame it's gone.
It was great to be able to watch the performances from the Covent Garden event during the interval. It was amazing to watch Rachel Tucker perform the Wizard And I, her betrayal is just so fresh! She truely is an incredible actress and definitely deserved to win our 'Best Performance Of A Song' poll last month. I liked watching her putting her all into the song as it is one she normally holds back on. Her 'melt' rift gave me goosebumps. It was great to catch a glimpse of Nicola Brazil performing with Jersey Boys and I think Ryan Collinson is the best Billy Elliot I have ever seen perform Electricity - and I have seen a lot! It was also the first time I have ever scene a person translating the performances in sign language at a live music event!
Les Miserables winning the the audience award was well deserved although I was slightly surprised as I did think Wicked would win as they have such a massive fan base! Seeing their performance has really made me want to see the show again, before the film is released and it is impossible to get tickets. Derren Brown was very humble to win best entertainment show, and it looked like he felt really out of place.
I loved Crazy For You's performance, they had such a massive cast who put on such a massive performance! I also loved Singing In The Rain's performance of 'Good Morning' which was the complete opposite! I love that old fashioned comedy style of musical theatre. Sophie Evans's performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow was completely perfect. I saw her play Dorothy while she was understudying the role and it is great she has now taken over full time.
South Pacific's performance was OK but was slightly ruined by the fact half the microphones weren't working. Will Young's story completely flopped when he presented an award. It was a shame Sharon D Clark, Sophie-Louise Dann AND Nigel Harmon couldn't all have won Best Performance In A Supporting Role In A Musical. I like how the category is both male and female. I also thought it was a shame some audience members could be seen rolling their eyes when Shrek won an Olivier, I bet they haven't even seen the show.
I also think it was ridiculous Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy weren't nominated in the best actor and actress in a musical categories. Matilda deserved every single one of it's awards and the Matilda's acceptance speech was so cute, not going to lie, my eyes did fill up with water.
I didn't like the performance of I Know Him So Well however Elaine Paige's performance of Don't Cry For Me Argentina was genuinely amazing. She acted and meant every single work she sung - simply incredible. The Olivier's was a massive success, and apart from Ghost not winning anything I thought all the winners well deserving.
