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- > Olivier Winners 1996
"I think it’s a great signal by the jury to have chosen this production because it’s opening a discussion of how opera can be in the 21st century. I’m very surprised, but more than happy at this decision."
"I think all awards are important to celebrate our theatre and what’s going on in the theatre... It’s thrilling as well that the audience have their say."
"Obviously it is an extraordinary honour for me. But when you do a play you’re all together so it’s difficult to be separated out. It doesn’t make sense to me really."
"Absolutely gobsmacked, speechless, I'm a bit amazed. I haven’t really given myself time to think about it."
"It’s amazing. But it’s not just me, it’s everyone in the whole production, that is what awards are for and it’s brilliant."
"Being the first production I was involved in, for me it’s a great confidence boost. I really can’t believe I managed to do it."
"It's so great that so many people have gotten involved and feel part of this, I think that’s what so great about the award itself."
"It's very exciting. I just never thought I would get one of these so it's great."
"This is the big one in our world. It’s the biggest and the best looking statue as well."
"I think hosting something like this is one of those big grown up steps. You suddenly look at yourself and go, ok I must be grown up then, because in my head I'm still six years old"
"It's amazing because it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in a long time really, it was just wonderful to do, it makes it all worth while"
"I just feel London has been so good to us. I’m just awestruck and overwhelmed. It's been a great experience here for the past 17 weeks"
"I was so enjoying the evening I’d forgot we were actually up to win! I’ve had three or four friends who have won the awards tonight so it’s wonderful"
"It was just such a joy to make, such brilliant people to have in the room. To know that people enjoyed it as much as we did is just fantastic"
"I really didn’t predict this. I had words with my family saying “I’m going to have a couple of glasses of wine before it’s announced” because I didn’t expect to have to get up the stairs!"
"To be a 28-year-old woman and doing this, winning this award, is amazing! London has treated me well"
"It was very affecting because the show passed so quickly and yet the show was so beautiful and I’m so proud of this acknowledgement of our achievement here. We always wanted to do this show in London"
"It feels like it’s about the show and Lucy’s play and I think I’m really the cherry on the cake rather the cake. But I’m thrilled with the show and it’s really nice to win for a show that’s still running."
First published: 24 Apr 2008
Best Comedy
Winner: Mojo by Jez Butterworth, at the Royal Court
Nominees:
Communicating Doors by Alan Ayckbourn, at the Gielgud and the Savoy
Funny Money by Ray Cooney, at the Playhouse
Mojo by Jez Butterworth, at the Royal Court
Best Actress
Winner: Judi Dench for Absolute Hell, at the RNT Lyttelton
Nominees:
Judi Dench for Absolute Hell, at the RNT Lyttelton
Diana Rigg for Mother Courage and Her Children, at the RNT Olivier
Zoe Wanamaker for The Glass Menagerie, at the Donmar Warehouse and the Comedy
Lia Williams for Skylight, at the RNT Cottesloe and Wyndham's
Best Actor
Winner: Alex Jennings for Peer Gynt, RSC at the Young Vic
Nominees:
Michael Gambon for Skylight, at the RNT Cottesloe and Wyndham's
Alex Jennings for Peer Gynt, RSC at the Young Vic
Daniel Massey for Taking Sides, at the Criterion
Donal McCann for The Steward of Christendom, at the Royal Court
Best Director
Winner: Sam Mendes for Company, at the Donmar Warehouse / The Glass Menagerie, at the Donmar Warehouse and the Comedy
Nominees:
Richard Eyre for Skylight, at the RNT Cottesloe and Wyndham's / La Grande Magia, at the RNT Lyttelton
Sam Mendes for Company, at the Donmar Warehouse / The Glass Menagerie, at the Donmar Warehouse and the Comedy
Adrian Noble for A Midsummer Night's Dream, RSC at the Barbican
Matthew Warchus for Volpone, at the RNT Olivier / Henry V, RSC at the Barbican
Best Set Designer
Winner: John Napier for Burning Blue, at the Haymarket
Nominees:
John Gunter for Skylight RNT Cottesloe and Wyndham's / Absolute Hell, RNT Lyttelton / Twelfth Night, RSC at the Barbican
Rob Howell for The Glass Menagerie, at the Donmar Warehouse and the Comedy
John Napier for Burning Blue, at the Haymarket
Anthony Ward for A Midsummer Night's Dream, RSC at the Barbican / La Grande Magia and The Way of the World at the RNT Lyttelton
Best Lighting Designer
Winner: David Hersey for Burning Blue, at the Haymarket / The Glass Menagerie, at the Donmar Warehouse and Comedy / Twelfth Night, RSC at the Barbican
Nominees:
Mark Henderson for Absolute Hell / La Grande Magia, both at the RNT Lyttelton / Indian Ink, at the Aldwych
David Hersey for Burning Blue, at the Haymarket / The Glass Menagerie, at the Donmar Warehouse and Comedy / Twelfth Night, RSC at the Barbican
Peter Mumford for Richard II, RNT Cottesloe / Mother Courage and Her Children and Volpone, at the RNT Olivier
Chris Parry for A Midsummer Night's Dream, RSC at the Barbican / The Way of the World, at the RNT Lyttelton
Best Costume Designer
Winner: Anthony Ward for A Midsummer Night's Dream, RSC at the Barbican / The Way of the World / La Grande Magia, both at the RNT Lyttelton
Nominees:
Deirdre Clancy for Absolute Hell, RNT Lyttelton / Twelfth Night, RSC at the Barbican
Nicky Gillibrand for A Little Night Music, at the RNT Olivier
Richard Hudson for Volpone, at the RNT Olivier
Anthony Ward for A Midsummer Night's Dream, RSC at the Barbican / The Way of the World / La Grande Magia, both at the RNT Lyttelton
Best Theatre Choreographer
Winner: Dein Perry for Tap Dogs, at Sadler's Wells
Nominees:
Lars Bethke for Fame The Musical, at the Cambridge
Wayne McGregor for A Little Night Music, at the RNT Olivier
Dein Perry for Tap Dogs, at Sadler's Wells
Best New Opera Production
Winner: The Royal Opera's Billy Budd, at the Royal Opera House
Nominees:
The Royal Opera's Billy Budd, at the Royal Opera House
English National Opera's A Midsummer Night's Dream, at the London Coliseum
The Royal Opera's Salome, at the Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera's Siegfried, at the Royal Opera House
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Winner: Bernard Haitink for conducting The Royal Opera's Siegfried / Gotterdammerung, at the Royal Opera House
Nominees:
Bernard Haitink for conducting The Royal Opera's Siegfried / Gotterdammerung, at the Royal Opera House
Jonathan Miller for his direction of English National Opera's Carmen, at the London Coliseum
Bryn Terfel for his performance in The Royal Opera's Salome, at the Royal Opera House
John Tomlinson for his performances in The Royal Opera's Billy Budd / Siegfried, at the Royal Opera House
Best New Dance Production
Winner: Adventures in Motion Pictures' Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells
Nominees:
Arc Dance Company's Saints and Shadows, at Sadler's Wells
10 Dancers Ensemble's SH-BOOM, at Sadler's Wells
Adventures in Motion Pictures' Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells
Les Ballets de Monte Carlo's Who Cares?, at Sadler's Wells
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Winner: Siobhan Davies for Siobhan Davies Dance Company's The Art of Touch, at Sadler's Wells
Nominees:
Deborah Bull for her performance in The Royal Ballet's Steptext, at the Royal Opera House
Siobhan Davies for Siobhan Davies Dance Company's The Art of Touch, at Sadler's Wells
Sylvie Guillem for her performance in Bejart Ballet Lausanne's Episodes, at Sadler's Wells
Marion Tait for her performance in Birmingham Royal Ballet's Pillar of Fire, at the Royal Opera House
Best Supporting Performance
Winner: Simon Russelll Beale for Volpone, at the RNT Olivier
Nominees:
Claire Skinner for The Glass Menagerie, at the Donmar Warehouse and the Comedy
Ben Chaplin for The Glass Menagerie, at the Donmar Warehouse
Geraldine McEwan for The Way of the World, at the RNT Lyttelton
Simon Russelll Beale for Volpone, at the RNT Olivier
Best Actor in a Musical
Winner: Adrian Lester for Company, at the Donmar Warehouse
Nominees:
Brian Conley for Jolson the Musical, at the Victoria Palace
Ross Lehman for Hot Mikado, at the Queen's
Adrian Lester for Company, at the Donmar Warehouse
Clarke Peters for Unforgettable, at the Garrick
Best Actress in a Musical
Winner: Judi Dench for A Little Night Music, at the RNT Olivier
Nominees:
Judi Dench for A Little Night Music, at the RNT Olivier
Elizabeth Mansfield for Marie, at the Fortune
Caroline O'Connor for Mack & Mabel, at the Piccadilly
Elaine Paige for Sunset Boulevard, at the Adelphi
Best Supporting Performance in a Musical 
Winner: Sheila Gish for Company, at the Donmar Warehouse
Nominees:
John Bennet for Jolson The Musical, at the Victoria Palace
Sheila Gish for Company, at the Donmar Warehouse
Sian Phillips for A Little Night Music, at the RNT Olivier
Sophie Thompson for Company, at the Donmar Warehouse
The American Express Award for Best New Musical
Winner: Jolson The Musical, written by Francis Essex and Rob Bettinson, at the Victoria Palace
Nominees:
Fame The Musical, conceived and developed by David de Silva, book by Jose Fernandez, lyrics by Jacques Levy, music by Steve Margoshes, at the Cambridge
Hot Mikado, book and lyrics by David H Bell, music adapted and arranged by Rob Bowman, based on "The Mikado" by Lus Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan, at the Queen's
Jolson The Musical, written by Francis Essex and Rob Bettinson, at the Victoria Palace
Mack & Mabel, book by Michael Stewart, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, at the Piccadilly
BBC Award for the Play of the Year
Winner: Skylight by David Hare, at the RNT Cottesloe and Wyndham's
Nominees:
Pentecost by David Edgar, RSC at the Young Vic
Skylight by David Hare, at the RNT Cottesloe and Wyndham's
The Steward of Christendom by Sebastian Barry, at the Royal Court
Taking Sides by Ronald Harewood, at the Criterion
The Society's Special Award
Winner: Harold Pinter
Nominees:
Harold Pinter
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