After many years of following the Oliviers online or on television, this year I was lucky enough to get to cover the red carpet for BroadwayWorldUK!
It's no secret that I am a huge fan of Kinky Boots and producer
Daryl Roth even told me that she loved my enthusiasm for the show! Roth and fellow producer
Hal Luftig said they were thrilled with how the show has been received in the UK, especially since it was a British story to begin with.
Killian Donnelly was nominated for Best Actor in a musical but insisted he wanted co-star
Matt Henry to win the Olivier as "he squeezes himself into heels and a corset every night and all I do is put on a jumper".
Matt Henry swore there was no rivalry between the two and when he later won the award, dedicated it to his "brother" Donnelly. Not a dry eye in the house! I was thrilled that
Gregg Barnes won Best Costume design and
Jerry Mitchell said before the show that the award that would mean the most to them was Best Musical. I was delighted when Kinky Boots did win Best Musical because it was so deserved.
My biggest "jaw drop" moment was the arrival of
Amber Riley on the red carpet. I am a huge fan of Glee and I am so looking forward to seeing her in Dreamgirls when it opens at The Savoy in November! Riley said that the buzz of the evening made her even more excited for her West End debut.
The general consensus on the red carpet was that Best Actress in a musical belonged to
Imelda Staunton for Gypsy with
Julia McKenzie remarking that there would be a riot if she didn't win! Beverley Knight who was presenting the award also agreed that Staunton had to win, and in the male category she was backing her Memphis co-star
Killian Donnelly.
As for the performances of the evening, there was huge buzz for Kinky Boots and Bend It Like Beckham. Wicked's
Savannah Stevenson was especially excited for the performance from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and both Stevenson and
Emma Hatton were looking forward to seeing
Cyndi Lauper. Although I've read that some people don't think
Cyndi Lauper's True Colours duet with
Michael Ball was necessary, in my eyes Lauper can do no wrong and I loved her performance!
Unfortunately, Bend It Like Beckham went home empty handed. I really liked the show when I saw it last year and I loved the enthusiasm that the cast had for the production. Both Natalie Dew and Lauren Samuels had said that the award that would have meant the most to them would be Outstanding Achievement in Music because they felt that the music for Bend It Like Beckham is so unlike anything else in the West End.
Gemma Arterton was thrilled that Nell Gwynne was recognised at the Oliviers because she feels that comedy is sometimes overlooked. Arterton missed out on the Olivier for Best Actress but the production took home the award for Best Comedy.
Renowned dancer Wayne Sleep was rooting for Hand To God to win Best Comedy as he feels that it is so unlike anything else in the West End. He said that it would be unfair of people to assume that because it came from the US and features a puppet that it is just another Avenue Q.
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