Latest News: Olivier Nominees’ Celebration goes swimmingly

First published: 24 Feb 2009

London theatre’s top performers of 2008 came together today to celebrate their Laurence Olivier Award nominations at an exclusive event at London’s Haymarket Hotel.

Held in the opulently aquatic Pool Room, a luxurious venue with a centrepiece swimming pool, the Nominees’ Celebration gave the ranks of nominated performers and practitioners a chance to relax with one another before they compete for London theatre’s most prestigious prizes at the ceremony on 8 March.

Among the revellers figuratively pushing the boat out were; David Bradley, Lindsay Duncan, Kathryn Evans, Oliver Ford Davies, Michael Gambon, Ruthie Henshall, Kevin R McNally, Paul Ritter, Amanda Root, Clive Rowe, Margaret Tyzack, Dave Willetts and Emma Williams.

The West End’s most glamorous pool party also featured an address from theatre producer and owner Nica Burns, President of the Society of London Theatre, which presents the Laurence Olivier Awards. Addressing the gathered ranks of theatre professionals, Burns said "We’re very good in this country at cutting down tall poppies. We’re not that good at saying how good we are. You are brilliant at making theatre. Everyone in this room has made a huge contribution to the West End this year. Thank you for being brilliant and filling up the West End."

Images from today’s Nominees’ Celebration are available from our Laurence Olivier Awards gallery, as is a video report from the event.

The highly anticipated 2009 Laurence Olivier Awards ceremony takes place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Sunday 8 March, when a stellar collection of the world’s finest theatre-makers will come together to crown this year’s winners. Those winners will join a list of theatre professionals including Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Alan Bennett, Richard Eyre, Stephen Sondheim and Andrew Lloyd Webber, who have all previously won London theatre’s greatest honour.

Official London Theatre will be at the star-studded event, bringing you the very best coverage and a multitude of ways for you to follow the theatrical highlight of the year; live interactive minute-by-minute commentary, video coverage of every award presentation before anyone else, a gallery of the stars in their stunning outfits, and a rolling news story to keep you up to date at a glance.

MA