CityLife

Nominations for the M.E.N Theatre Awards

IT'S nearly time again for one of the most eagerly-awaited events of the theatrical year, the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards. This year marks the 21st birthday of the awards and the award-winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony at the Crown Plaza Midland Hotel on Tueday, December 3. The elite of stage and screen will be gathering to hear which performances or productions, from more than 80 nominations, our expert panel have judged to be the best.

There's also the announcement of the prestigious Horniman Award which goes to an individual, organisation or event judged to have made a unique contribution to the thriving theatrical life of manchester and the north west. Here's the nominations...

OPERA

Buxton Opera Festival, at Buxton Opera House ( review)

Der Rosenkavalier - Opera North, at The Lowry ( review)

Tall Stories - The Shout at the Library Theatre ( review)

Tamerlano - Royal Northern College of Music


DANCE

Dance Theater Of Harlem, at The Lowry ( review)

Double Concerto, by Christopher Hampson - English National Ballet triple-bill at the Opera House

Mark Morris, at The Lowry

Nederlands Dans Theater 2, at The Lowry


BEST FRINGE PERFORMER

Oliver Dimsdale in The Dead Wait, at the Royal Exchange Studio

Mat Fraser in Sealboy: Freak, at the Royal Exchange Studio

Jo Joyner in Raw, at the Royal Exchange Studio

Linda Marlowe in Berkoff's Women, at the Library Theatre


BEST FRINGE PRODUCTION

The Dead Wait, at the Royal Exchange Studio

David Glass Ensemble, at Contact

Helmet, at Contact

In On It from Da Da Kamera, at Library ( review )

The Irish Giant from New Breed, at the Royal Exchange Studio ( review)


BEST ACTOR IN A VISITING PRODUCTION

Patrick Malahide in Hinterland, at Bolton Octagon

Matthew Rhys in The Associate, at Bolton Octagon

Mark Webber in The Distance From Here, at The Lowry

Timothy West in King Lear, at Buxton Opera House and The Lowry ( review)


BEST ACTRESS IN A VISITING PRODUCTION

Mel B., Nina Wadia and Ingeborga Dapkunaite in The Vagina Monologues, at The Lowry ( review )

Tina Malone in Mum's The Word, at the Opera House ( review )

Alison Pargeter in Damsels In Distress, at Bolton Octagon

Diana Quick in Ghosts, at The Lowry

Catrin Rhys in To Kill A Mockingbird, at The Lowry ( review )

Yolanda Vasquez in A Midsummer Night's Dream, at The Lowry.

BEST VISITING PRODUCTION

The Associate (National Theatre), at Bolton Octagon

Damsels In Distress (Stephen Joseph Theatre), at Bolton Octagon

The Distance From Here (Almeida), at The Lowry

Stones In His Pockets (produced by Paul Elliott, Adam Kenwright and Pat Moylan), at The Lowry ( review)

To Kill A Mockingbird (Theatre Clywd), at The Lowry

King Lear (English Touring Theatre), at Buxton Opera House and The Lowry ( review)


BEST MUSICAL

Beauty And The Beast, at the Palace Theatre ( review)

Calamity Jane, at the Opera House ( read more)

The King And I, at the Opera House ( review)

Miss Saigon, at the Palace Theatre

Return To The Forbidden Planet, at the Opera House ( review)

Singin' In The Rain, at the Opera House ( review)


BEST SPECIAL ENTERTAINMENT

Beauty And The Beast, at the Library Theatre ( review)

Disney On Ice Presents Beauty And The Beast, at the Manchester Evening News Arena ( review )

Legs On The Wall - Cultureshock ( review )

Street Of Blood/Ronnie Burkett -- Cultureshock at the Library Theatre ( review)COMEDY

Bryan Appleton, in Let's Talk About Sound, at The Lowry

The Fast Show Live, at the Manchester Apollo, Ardwick ( review)

Ross Noble, at the Dancehouse ( read more)


BEST DESIGN

Beauty And The Beast, at the Library Theatre (review)

The Invisible Man, at Oldham Coliseum ( read more)

The Marriage Of Figaro, at the Royal Exchange ( review)

Ten Rillington Place, at Oldham Coliseum ( review)


BEST PRODUCTION

American Buffalo, at the Royal Exchange ( review)

The Memory Of Water, at the Library Theatre

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Royal Exchange ( review)

Rat Pack Confidential, at Bolton Octagon

Time And The Conways, at the Royal Exchange

Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, Library Theatre ( review)


BEST NEW PLAY

52 Degrees North, at the Imperial War Museum

Beautiful Violin, at Oldham Coliseum

The Dead Wait, at Royal Exchange Studio

The Irish Giant, at Contact ( review)

Storm, at Contact ( review)MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER

Samuel Barnett in The Marriage Of Figaro, at the Royal Exchange ( review)

Naomi Frederick in Time And The Conways, at the Royal Exchange

Harry Kent in Beautiful Thing, at the Oldham Coliseum


BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Ishia Bennison in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, at the Library Theatre ( review)

Amanda Donohoe in Hedda Gabler, at the Royal Exchange

Zoe Henry in Pygmalion, at the Library Theatre ( review)


BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Judith Barker in Design For Living, at the Royal Exchange ( review)

Sally Bretton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, at the Library Theatre ( review)

Rachel Pickup in Time And The Conways, at the Royal Exchange

Ann Rye in Blithe Spirit, at Bolton Octagon ( review)


BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

George Costigan in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, at the Library Theatre ( review)

Kulvinder Ghia in The Marriage Of Figaro, at the Royal Exchange ( review)

Ben Keaton in American Buffalo, at the Royal Exchange, and The Odd Couple, at the Library Theatre ( review)

Joe Montana in Of Mice And Men, at Bolton Octagon

Peter Polycarpou in The Odd Couple, at the Library Theatre ( review)

Pete Postlethwaite in The Homecoming, at the Royal Exchange ( review)

Richard Shelton in Ratpack Confidential, at Bolton Octagon


BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Paul Hilton in The Homecoming, at the Royal Exchange ( review)

Noah Huntley in Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, at the Library Theatre ( review)

Paul Popplewell in American Buffalo, at the Royal Exchange ( review)

Stephen Scott in Ten Rillington Place, at Oldham Coliseum ( review)

Andy Serkis in Othello, at the Royal Exchange (review)