64th Evening Standard Awards Will Take Place 18 November

The Evening Standard today announces the 2018 Theatre Awards are to take place on Sunday, 18th November at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London.

The annual awards are hosted by the newspaper's owner Evgeny Lebedev who has invited Dame Anna Wintour, American Vogue Editor-in-Chief and Artistic Director of Conde Nast, to join him again as co-host, along with British acting talents Claire Foy and Idris Elba.

Claire Foy joins the cast of co-hosts after her Golden Globe, SAG and Emmy award-winning portrayal as Queen Elizabeth in Netflix's The Crown. Foy's acting career includes stage roles at the Royal Court and the National Theatre, and she is soon to be seen in cinemas in Damien Chazelle's anticipated First Man and The Girl in the Spider's Web, the next installment in The Dragon Tattoo series

Golden Globe and SAG winning actor, Idris Elba, who is following up his directorial feature film debut Yardie with a starring role in the Fast & Furious spin-off Hobbs and Shaw, takes time out from shooting to help the Evening Standard celebrate the best of the year on the London stage.

Writer and actress Phoebe Waller-Bridge returns for the second year to present the ceremony. The creator of Fleabag is currently filming a second series of the TV hit that she adapted from her one- woman theatrical hit of the same name. She is writer and show runner of the hit drama series Killing Eve, just released on BBC1/BBC3. This year she was also seen in Solo: A Star Wars Story, playing the droid L3-37.

This year's awards include:
Best Actor
Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress, in partnership with Christian Louboutin
Best Play
Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright
Emerging Talent Award, in partnership with Access Entertainment
Milton Shulman Award for Best Director
Best Design
Best Musical
Best Musical Performance

Evgeny Lebedev said "The Evening Standard Theatre awards have recognised London's best theatre talent since 1955. London is unique in the range, vibrancy and global reach of its theatre. Every playwright, director and actor should be proud to contribute to such a proud heritage. This year, it is with great pleasure that I shall be co-hosting the event with Dame Anna Wintour, Claire Foy and Idris Elba."

Co-host Dame Anna Wintour adds "As a proud theatre goer and an even prouder daughter, I look forward every year to celebrating the extraordinary talent that keeps the London stage so vital. I'm particularly thrilled to be joined by two new co-hosts, the brilliantly talented Idris Elba and Claire Foy."

The shortlist for the 64th Evening Standard Theatre Awards will be announced in October.

Supporters of this year's Theatre Awards include the official Platinum Partner Michael Kors, Christian Louboutin and Access Entertainment.

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