Fresh out of drama school, Leanne Jones was working in a bank’s call centre
last year when she was cast in her first professional production, an
effervescent West End musical with preposterous hairstyles.
Yesterday, the 22-year-old actress from Romford in Essex was told that she had
been singled out for the industry’s most prestigious accolade.
Ms Jones, who has dreamt of being a star since she was ten, wowed the judges
of the Laurence Olivier Awards with her portrayal of “pleasantly plump”
adolescent who dreams of becoming a star in the high-spirited hit show
Hairspray.
Her shortlisting for Best Actress in a Musical was one of a record-breaking 11
Olivier nominations for Hairspray yesterday - more than the nine given to
Kiss Me Kate, hailed as one of the saviours of the West End in 2002.
Based on the John Waters 1988 cult movie, and recently turned into a film
starring John Travolta, Hairspray - with its gospel, rock and doo-wop music
- is up for Best New Musical.
While Michael Ball’s cross-dressing rendition of a corpulent mother is up for
Best Actor in a Musical, his co-stars, Tracie Bennett and Elinor Collett,
are going head to head for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a
Musical.
After a gruelling 13 auditions, Jones was plucked from hundreds of hopefuls to
play Tracy Turnblad, a big girl from Baltimore who has big dreams.
Hearing of her Olivier nomination, she told The Times yesterday: “It’s very
surreal and wonderful. I never could have imagined that would happen. The
biggest news for me was getting the part. That was the best news of my life.
“I always wanted to sing in musicals, but I never imagined playing the lead,
especially at such a young age.”
Commenting on the show’s appeal, she added: “It’s a feel-good show, so happy
and colourful. But it deals with real issues - exclusion, prejudice and
feeling an outsider - that people can relate to.”
Parade is among the new musicals that also impressed the Olivier judges,
although its subject - the murder of a 13-year-old factory girl - was not an
obvious one for a musical. The show, in which gospel, blues and ragtime tell
the story of a notorious, real-life American miscarriage of justice, has got
seven nominations.
It had already wowed the critics. One of them observed: “Here is that rare
thing: a piece of musical theatre, deftly executed on a bare, galleried
stage by director Rob Ashford, that dares to be serious.”
The coveted Best Actor award recognises a number of Shakespearean roles, with
Chiwetel Ejiofor nominated for his portrayal of Othello, Ian McKellen for
his King Lear and Patrick Stewart for his Macbeth.
Ewan McGregor - who was cast as Iago - is among those conspicuous by their
absence from the Oliviers nominations list.
Daniel Radcliffe, the Harry Potter star who made his West End debut with Peter
Shaffer’s Equus, has also been overlooked.
In the Best Actress category, Anne-Marie Duff has been nominated as the
striking heroine in Saint Joan, and Kristin Scott Thomas has been picked for
her spellbinding performance as Arkadina in The Seagull.
A new award this year, Best Newcomer in a Play, singles out Tom Hiddleston, a
26-year-old Rada-trained actor who has been nominated twice - for his
respective performances in Cymbeline and Othello.
One critic wrote of him: “Tom Hiddleston. Remember that name, because one day
the lad is going to be a star, and deservedly so.”
Speaking to The Times yesterday, he said: “It’s thrilling. I’m absolutely over
the moon. It’s just a great honour.”
It was during his second year at Cambridge, where he was reading classics,
that his acting talent was first noticed. A leading agent saw him in a
student production of Streetcar Named Desire and asked her to contact him in
London, but he decided to complete his degree first.
The Laurence Olivier Awards were created in 1976 as the Society of West End
Theatre Awards to recognise excellence on the London stage, and became The
Laurence Olivier Awards in 1984 when Lord Olivier agreed to have his name
associated with them.
Rosemary Squire, President of the Society of London Theatre, said: “As we
celebrate 100 years of London’s theatre it is fitting that 2007 saw record
breaking attendance, yet again confirming our status as the theatre capital
of the world.
“In such a strong year for theatre the competition has been extremely close
which further proves that London’s theatreland is teeming with unique talent
and world-beating quality.”
She noted that there were so many actors and actresses who could have been
nominated this year that they decided to extend the respective categories
from four to five nominees: “It’s been such a strong year.”
The 32nd annual Laurence Olivier Awards will take place on March 9 at the
Grosvenor House Hotel, London.
NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2008 LAURENCE OLIVIER AWARDS
BEST ACTRESS
Anne-Marie Duff for Saint Joan at the Olivier
Kelly Reilly for Othello at the Donmar Warehouse
Kristin Scott Thomas for The Seagull at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the
Royal Court
Fiona Shaw for Happy Days at the Lyttelton
Penelope Wilton for John Gabriel Borkman at the Donmar Warehouse
BEST ACTOR
Chiwetel Ejiofor for Othello at the Donmar Warehouse
Ian McKellen for King Lear at the New London
Mark Rylance for Boeing-Boeing at the Comedy
John Simm for Elling at the Trafalgar Studios 1
Patrick Stewart for Macbeth at the Gielgud
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Michelle Fairley for Othello at the Donmar Warehouse
Pam Ferris for The Entertainer at The Old Vic
Conleth Hill for Philistines at the Lyttelton
Rory Kinnear for The Man of Mode at the Oliver
BEST NEWCOMER IN A PLAY
David Dawson for The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby at the Gielgud
Tom Hiddleston for Cymbeline at the Barbican
Tom Hiddleston for Othello at the Donmar Warehouse
Stephen Wight for Dealer's Choice at the Trafalgar Studios 1
BEST NEW PLAY
A Disappearing Number by Simon McBurney at the Barbican
The Reporter by Nicholas Wright at the Cottesloe
Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre, adapted by Tanya Ronder at the Young Vic
War Horse based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, adapted by Nick Stafford at
the Olivier
BEST NEW COMEDY
Absurdia: The Crimson Hotel by Michael Frayn at the Donmar Warehouse
Elling based on a novel by Ingvar Ambjørnsen, stage adaptation by Axel
Hellstenius in collaboration with Peter Næss translated by Nicholas Norris
Rafta Rafta by Ayub Khan-Din based on All in Good Time by Bill Naughton at the
Lyttelton
Whipping It Up by Steve Thompson at the New Ambassadors
BEST REVIVAL
Boeing-Boeing by Marc Camoletti, translated by Beverley Cross at the Comedy
Theatre
Dealer's Choice by Patrick Marber at Trafalgar Studios 1
Macbeth by William Shakespeare at the Gielgud
Saint Joan by Bernard Shaw at the Olivier
The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, a version by Christopher Hampton at the Jerwood
Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court
BEST NEW MUSICAL
The Drowsy Chaperone music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, book
by Bob Martin and Don McKellar, by special arrangement with Paul Mack at the
Novello
Hairspray book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, music by Marc Shaiman,
lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, based upon the New Line Cinema
film written and directed by John Waters
The Lord of Rings book and lyrics by Shaun McKenna and Matthew Warchus, music
by A.R. Rahman, Värttinä with Christopher Nightingale at Theatre Royal,
Drury Lane
Parade book by Alfred Uhry, music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown,
co-conceived by Harold Prince at the Donmar Warehouse
BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
Fiddler on the Roof book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by
Sheldon Harnick at the Savoy
Little Shop of Horrors based on the film by Roger Corman, screenplay by
Charles Griffiths, book and lyrics by Howard Ashman, music by Alan Menken at
the Duke of York's and Ambassadors
The Magic Flute- Impempe Yomlingo adapted from Mozart by Mark Dornford-May,
words and music by Mandisi Dyantyis, Mbali Kgosidintsi, Pauline Malefane and
Nolufefe Mtshabe at the Young Vic
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Leanne Jones for Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Lara Pulver for Parade at the Donmar Warehouse
Sheridan Smith for Little Shop of Horrors at the Duke of York's and
Ambassadors
Summer Strallen for The Drowsy Chaperone at the Novello
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Michael Ball for Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Bertie Carvel for Parade at the Donmar Warehouse
Henry Goodman for Fiddler on the Roof at the Savoy
Bob Martin for The Drowsy Chaperone at the Novello
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Tracie Bennett for Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Elinor Collett for Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Shaun Escoffery for Parade at the Donmar Warehouse
Alistair McGowan for Little Shop of Horrors at the Duke of York's and
Ambassadors
BEST DIRECTOR
Rob Ashford for Parade at the Donmar Warehouse
Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris for War Horse at the Olivier
Rupert Goold for Macbeth at the Gielgud
Jack O'Brien for Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Rob Ashford for Parade at the Donmar Warehouse
Jerry Mitchell for Hairspray at the Shaftesbury
Casey Nicholaw for The Drowsy Chaperone at the Novello
Toby Sedgwick for War Horse at the Olivier
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Hairspray designed by Kenneth Posner at the Shaftesbury
The Lord of The Rings designed by Paul Pyant at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Macbeth designed by Howard Harrison at the Gielgud
War Horse designed by Paule Constable at the Olivier
BEST SET DESIGN
Hairspray designed by David Rockwell at the Shaftesbury
The Lord of The Rings designed by Rob Howell at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Macbeth designed by Anthony Ward and Lorna Heavey at the Gielgud
War Horse designed by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring Puppet
Company at the Olivier
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
The Drowsy Chaperone designed by Gregg Barnes for at the Novello
Hairspray designed by William Ivey Long at the Shaftesbury
The Lord of The Rings designed by Rob Howell at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
The Man of Mode designed by Vicki Mortimer at the Olivier
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Hairspray designed by Steve C. Kennedy at the Shaftesbury
The Lord of The Rings designed by Simon Baker at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Parade designed by Terry Jardine and Nick Lidster for Autograph at the Donmar
Warehouse
Saint Joan designed by Paul Arditti and Jocelyn Pook at the Olivier
War Horse designed by Adrian Sutton and John Tams at the Oliver
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVMENT IN AN AFFILIATE THEATRE
The Brothers Size at the Maria, Young Vic
Cinderella at Theatre Royal, Stratford East
Gone Too Far at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
The cast of That Face at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
English National Opera's Agrippina at the Coliseum
The Royal Opera's La Fille Du Régiment at the Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera's Pelléas Et Mélisande at the Royal Opera House
English National Opera's Turn of the Screw at the Coliseum
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
Natalie Dessay for her performance in La Fille Du Régiment at the Royal Opera
House
Gerald Finley for his performance in Pelléas Et Mélisande at the Royal Opera
House
Angelika Kirchschlager for her performance in Pelléas Et Mélisande at the
Royal Opera House
David McVicar for directing English National Opera's Turn Of The Screw and
Agrippina at the Coliseum
BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
Fabulous Beast Dance's The Bull at the Barbican
The Royal Ballet's Jewels at the Royal Opera House
Mark Morris Dance Group's Mozart Dances at the Barbican
Northern Ballet Theatre's The Three Musketeers at Sadler's Wells
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Savion Glover for his performance in Live For London at Sadler's Wells
Jonathan Goddard for his performances with the Richard Alston Dance Company at
Sadler's Wells
The Royal Ballet Company for their performances in Jewels
Wendy Whelan for her performance in The Christopher Wheeldon Company's Fool's
Paradise at Sadler's Wells
