Occasionally, just occasionally, I have to wonder - in that semi-affectionate way we have on the West End board, not the über-bitchy way we have on the Broadway board - what on earth is wrong with you. As far as I can tell, without having seen it or even having paid that much attention to it,
Hello, Dolly! was INCREDIBLY well-received, and - according to most - deservedly so.
I did a blog entry back when the shortlist was announced. Lemme copy-paste my opening paragraph, then comment on the winners:
"First up, the Evening Standard Theatre Awards are completely bogus. They pitch new shows against revivals, plays against musicals, and completely ignore the wonder that is performers in supporting roles. In fact, if it weren't for the Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical, musicals would almost certainly be dissed all together. I complain about the Olivier awards not differentiating between male and female supporting performers, but at least they acknowledge there's more to a play than the stars, and at least they have one category for plays and one for musicals! So I really don't think much of the Evening Standard Theatre Awards AT ALL."
TOTALLY called
Jerusalem getting Best Play, Rylance getting Best Actor (although I hoped Stott would triumph), Weisz getting Best Actress, Goold getting Best Director,
Hello, Dolly! getting Best Musical, and Lenny Henry getting Best Newcomer (I couldn't say if he legitimately *was* the best, but he's an awesome dude and his enthusiasm for the production, particularly after being so well-publicised a newcomer to Shakespeare, was freakin' adorable). I didn't really call Best Design or Most Promising Playwright, but if I had, I'd've got 'em wrong.
So are the Evening Standard Theatre Awards an easily predictable joke, or are they rewarding the right people despite being a joke? Answers on a postcard, and roll on the WOS Theatre-goers' Choice shortlists!
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