OLIVIERS 2011: Our Writer's Predictions For Tonight's Award-Winners!

Exclusive - Mike Shaw's tips for the winners

It's the Olivier Awards tonight!

They are being billed as the biggest Oliviers ever, and with a major sponsor, a tie-in with the BBC and a return to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the increased excitement this year is understandable.

As ever there is a battle between subsidised and commercial theatre, and various pundits are tipping their favourites. Chief among them this year are Love Never Dies and the National Theatre.

BWW:UK editor Carrie Dunn will be tweeting and blogging this evening's glittering event live, but until then let's have a closer look at the major theatre awards and make some
educated guesses about who will be going home with the shiny little statue of Sir Larry.

Best New Play

- Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
- End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter at the Trafalgar Studios 1
- Sucker Punch by Roy Williams at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
- The Little Dog Laughed by Douglas Carter Beane at the Garrick
- Tribes by Nina Raine at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court

Personally, I'd like End of the Rainbow to win this, but it's almost certainly going to Clybourne Park, which has already won top awards from the likes of the Critics' Circle.

Best New Musical

- Fela! at the Olivier
- Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Savoy
- Love Never Dies at the Adelphi
- Love Story at the Duchess

Well, OBVIOUSLY this needs to go to Legally Blonde. The Phans are talking a good game, but Love Never Dies deserves Best New Musical as much as I deserve the award of Most Promising Trainee Vet (Under 10s).

Best Revival

- All My Sons at the Apollo
- After the Dance at the Lyttelton
- King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse
- When We Are Married at the Garrick

Miller + celebrities = awards. All My Sons is walking away with Best Revival, which is probably the right decision.

Best Musical Revival

- Into the Woods at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
- Passion at the Donmar Warehouse
- Sweet Charity at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Passion, Passion, a thousand times Passion. Into the Woods looked fantastic, but Passion won rave reviews across the board, and with Sondheim himself at tonight's ceremony, it's a sure thing.

Best Actress

- Tracie Bennett for End of the Rainbow at the Trafalgar Studios 1
- Nancy Carroll for After the Dance at the Lyttelton
- Tamsin Greig for The Little Dog Laughed at the Garrick Theatre at the Garrick
- SopHie Thompson for Clybourne Park at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court

Best Actress is a tough call. Nancy Carroll and Tracie Bennett are equally deserving, but with a gun against my head, I'd pick Bennett for her incredible portrayal of a very familiar story.

Best Actor

- Roger Allam for Henry IV Part 1 & Part 2 at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre
- Derek Jacobi for King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse
- Rory Kinnear for Hamlet at the Olivier
- Mark Rylance for La Bête at the Comedy
- David Suchet for All My Sons at the Apollo

While some are screaming for this award to go to Kinnear for his intelligent portrayal of the Prince, the smart money is on Derek Jacobi. If his sterling work as Igglepiggle is taken into consideration, Jacobi is a lock.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

- Sarah Goldberg for Clybourne Park at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
- Anastasia Hille for The Master Builder at the Almeida
- Gina McKee for King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse
- Rachael Stirling for An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville
- Michelle Terry for Tribes at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court

There are arguments for each, but the most deserving recipient would be Michelle Terry for her astonishing performance in Tribes.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

- James Laurenson for Hamlet at the Olivier
- Hilton McRae for End of the Rainbow at the Trafalgar Studios 1
- Lee Ross for Birdsong at the Comedy
- Adrian Scarborough for After the Dance at the Lyttelton

I'd love to see Hilton McRae win, but my gut says Lee Ross for Birdsong.

Best Actress in a Musical

- Sierra Boggess for Love Never Dies at the Adelphi
- Elena Roger for Passion at the Donmar Warehouse
- Sheridan Smith for Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Savoy
- Emma Williams for Love Story at the Duchess

Sheridan. There, that was easy.

Best Actor in a Musical

- Alex Gaumond for Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Savoy
- Ramin Karimloo for Love Never Dies at the Adelphi
- Sahr Ngaujah for Fela! at the Olivier
- David Thaxton for Passion at the Donmar Warehouse
- Michael Xavier for Love Story at the Duchess

Sahr Ngaujah is being widely-tipped, but I think this category boils down to David Thaxton or Michael Xavier. My Magic 8-Ball says Thaxton. Either way, it's a weak year in terms of roles for our leading men.

Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical

- Josefina Gabrielle for Sweet Charity at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket
- Jill Halfpenny for Legally Blonde: The Musical at the Savoy
- Summer Strallen for Love Never Dies at the Adelphi
- Michael Xavier for Into the Woods at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Regardless of how you feel about Love Never Dies, Summer Strallen is the best thing in it and should get it. However, if Thaxton gets Best Actor in a Musical, Xavier will pick this one up.

Best Director

- Dominic Cooke for Clybourne Park at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
- Howard Davies for The White Guard at the Lyttelton
- Michael Grandage for King Lear at the Donmar Warehouse
- Thea Sharrock for After the Dance at the Lyttelton

It's very tight in this category and while I'd like Dominic Cooke to win Best Director, I have a feeling it will go to Howard Davies.

So, what do you think? Comment below. And remember that you can follow the ceremony from 6pm right here with Carrie.

Mike Shaw is a freelance writer and editor. You can read more from him on his website, and follow him on Twitter @mikeshaw101.

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