Take Five! Spend Your Tea Break with Imelda Staunton

Jonathan Kent's triumphant revival of GYPSY, starring Imelda Staunton as an indelible Momma Rose, leads the way at this Sunday's Olivier Awards with eight nominations. Staunton is hot favourite to pick up Best Actress in a Musical for her lauded performance, which fuelled hit runs at Chichester Festival Theatre and London's Savoy, as well as a BBC broadcast. Gypsy also scored Olivier nominations for Best Musical Revival, Kent's direction, Stephen Mear's choreography, Mark Henderson's lighting, and Lara Pulver, Dan Burton and Peter Davison in supporting roles.

Considered one of the greatest Broadway musicals, Gypsy has a book by Arthur Laurents, music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim suggested by the memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee. It tells the true story of ambitious showbiz mother who treks across America with her daughters in search of success with their homespun vaudeville act. As times change, Momma Rose is forced to accept the demise of vaudeville and the rise of burlesque, as well as her daughters' quest for autonomy.

Though Momma Rose has won Staunton universal praise, it's far from her first great performance in a varied career on stage and screen. She already has two Best Actress in a Musical Olivier Awards to her name, for Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd, as well as a BAFTA for acclaimed 2004 film Vera Drake. Of course, she's best known to younger viewers for her portrayal of dastardly Dolores Umbridge in the Harry Potter movies.

In honour of the Oliviers, BroadwayWorld invites you to relive some of Imelda Staunton's great performances. Take five below!

Sweeney Todd

Vera Drake

Good People

Another Year

Into the Woods

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