Ian McKellen and Vanessa Redgrave were among the winners at the UK Theatre Awards 2016. McKellen received the award for Outstanding Contribution To British Theatre, while Redgrave was recognised with The Gielgud Award For Excellence In The Dramatic Arts.
The awards were presented by actor Lesley Manville at London’s Guildhall on 9 October. Other guest presenters included Eileen Atkins, Owen Teale and Don Warrington, while singer Clare Burt – who won for Best Performance In A Musical – sang at the ceremony.
The night’s biggest winner was Northern Stage, who took home the Clothworkers’ Theatre Award and GBP150,000 (€135,000). The money can be used on any special project, be it capital work or a touring production.
It was a good evening in general for companies from the North, with Northern Ballet winning the Achievement in Marketing prize, Northern Stage picking up the Promotion Of Diversity award, and Liverpool Empire Theatre general manager Diane Belding being named Manager Of The Year.
Other notable winners included Paapa Essiedu for his portrayal of Hamlet in a Royal Shakespeare Company production (Best Performance In A Play), Raz Shaw for his work on Wit at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre (Best Director), while director James Dacre’s The Herbal Bed won Best Touring Production.