Best Actress
Winner: Clare Higgins for Hecuba at the Donmar Warehouse
Nominees:
- Victoria Hamilton for Suddenly Last Summer at the Albery
- Clare Higgins for Hecuba at the Donmar Warehouse
- Anna Maxwell Martin for His Dark Materials at the National Theatre Olivier
- Caroline O’Connor for Bombshells at the Arts
Best Actor
Winner: Richard Griffiths for The History Boys at the National Theatre Lyttelton
Nominees:
- Michael Gambon for Endgame at the Albery
- Richard Griffiths for The History Boys at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Jonathan Pryce for The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia? at the Almeida and Apollo
- Ben Whishaw for Hamlet at the Old Vic
Best Performance in a Supporting Role
Winner: Amanda Harris for Othello at the Trafalgar Studios
Nominees:
- Samuel Barnett for The History Boys at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Judi Dench for All’s Well That Ends Well at the Gielgud
- Amanda Harris for Othello at the Trafalgar Studios
- Eddie Redmayne for The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia? at the Almeida and Apollo
Best New Play
Winner: The History Boys by Alan Bennett at the National Theatre Lyttelton
Nominees:
- By The Bog Of Cats by Marina Carr at the Wyndham’s
- Festen, a dramatisation by David Eldridge based on the Dogme film and play by Thomas Vinterberg, Mogens Rukov and Bo hr. Hansen at the Almeida and the Lyric
- The History Boys by Alan Bennett at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia? by Edward Albee at the Almeida and the Apollo
Best Revival
Winner: Hamlet by William Shakespeare at the Old Vic
Nominees:
- All’s Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare at the Gielgud
- Endgame by Samuel Beckett at the Albery
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare at the Old Vic
- Journey’s End by R C Sherriff at the Comedy, the Playhouse and the Duke of York’s
Best New Musical
Winner: The Producers, book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan, music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and by special arrangement with StudioCanal at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Nominees:
- Mary Poppins, a musical based on the stories of PL Travers and the Walt Disney Film, original music and lyrics by Richard M Sherman and Robert B Sherman, book by Julian Fellowes, new songs and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, co-created by Cameron Mackintosh at the Prince Edward
- The Producers, book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan, music and lyrics by Mel Brooks and by special arrangement with StudioCanal at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
- The Woman In White, a new musical freely adapted from the classic novel by Wilkie Collins, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by David Zippel, book by Charlotte Jones at the Palace
Outstanding Musical Production
Winner: Grand Hotel, book by Luther Davis, music & lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest, additional music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, based on Vicki Baum’s Grand Hotel at the Donmar Warehouse
Nominees:
- A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to The Forum, book by Burt Shevelove & Larry Gelbart, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim at the National Theatre Olivier
- Grand Hotel, book by Luther Davis, music & lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest, additional music and lyrics by Maury Yeston, based on Vicki Baum’s Grand Hotel at the Donmar Warehouse
- Simply Heavenly, book and lyrics by Langston Hughes, music by David Martin at the Trafalgar Studios
- Sweeney Todd, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by Hugh Wheeler from an adaptation by Christopher Bond at the Trafalgar Studios and the New Ambassadors
Best Actress in a Musical
Winner: Laura Michelle Kelly for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward
Nominees:
- Maria Friedman for The Woman In White at the Palace
- Laura Michelle Kelly for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward
- Leigh Zimmerman for The Producers at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best Actor in a Musical
Winner: Nathan Lane for The Producers at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Nominees:
- Lee Evans for The Producers at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
- Paul Hegarty for Sweeney Todd at the Trafalgar Studios and the New Ambassadors
- Nathan Lane for The Producers at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
- Gavin Lee for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward
Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Winner: Conleth Hill for The Producers at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Nominees:
- Michael Crawford for The Woman In White at the Palace
- David Haig for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward
- Conleth Hill for The Producers at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best Director
Winner: Nicholas Hytner for The History Boys at the National Theatre Lyttelton
Nominees:
- Richard Eyre and Matthew Bourne for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward
- Nicholas Hytner for The History Boys at the National Theatre Lyttelton
- Rufus Norris for Festen at the Almeida and the Lyric
- Susan Stroman for The Producers at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best Theatre Choreographer
Winner: Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward
Nominees:
- Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward
- Adam Cooper for Grand Hotel at the Donmar Warehouse
- Susan Stroman for The Producers at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best Lighting Design
Winner: His Dark Materials, designed by Paule Constable at the National Theatre Olivier
Nominees:
- All’s Well That Ends Well, designed by Paul Pyant at the Gielgud
- Festen, designed by Jean Kalman at the Almeida and the Lyric
- His Dark Materials, designed by Paule Constable at the National Theatre Olivier
- Mary Poppins, designed by Howard Harrison at the Prince Edward
Best Set Design
Winner: His Dark Materials, designed by Giles Cadle at the National Theatre Olivier
Nominees:
- Festen, designed by Ian McNeil at the Almeida and the Lyric
- His Dark Materials, designed by Giles Cadle at the National Theatre Olivier
- Mary Poppins, designed by Bob Crowley at the Prince Edward
- Suddenly Last Summer, designed by Christopher Oram at the Albery
- The Woman In White, designed by William Dudley at the Palace
Best Costume Design
Winner: All’s Well That Ends Well, designed by Deirdre Clancy at the Gielgud
Nominees:
- All’s Well That Ends Well, designed by Deirdre Clancy at the Gielgud
- Hamlet, designed by John Gunter and Mark Bouman at the Old Vic
- Mary Poppins, designed by Bob Crowley at the Prince Edward
- The Producers, designed by William Ivey Long at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best Sound Design
Winner: The Woman In White, designed by Mick Potter at the Palace
Nominees:
- Festen, designed by Paul Arditti at the Almeida and the Lyric
- Suddenly Last Summer, designed by Adam Cork at the Albery
- The Woman In White, designed by Mick Potter at the Palace
Outstanding Achievement or Performance in an Affiliate Theatre
Winner: Andrew Scott for his performance in A Girl In A Car With A Man at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
Nominees:
- Kevin Harvey for his performance in Yellowman at Hampstead
- Aidan McArdle for his performance in The Shadow Of A Gunman at the Tricycle
- Andrew Scott for his performance in A Girl In A Car With A Man at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court
- The Tricycle Theatre for its production of Guantanamo
Best New Opera Production
Winner: The Royal Opera’s Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk at the Royal Opera House
Nominees:
- Les Arts Florissants, Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu, Théâtre Du Châtelet and BITE 04’s Les Paladins at the Barbican
- The Royal Opera’s Peter Grimes at the Royal Opera House
- The Royal Opera’s Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk at the Royal Opera House
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Winner: Thomas Adès and the Royal Opera House for the world premiere of The Tempest
Nominees:
- Thomas Adès and the Royal Opera House for the world premiere of The Tempest
- Ben Heppner for The Royal Opera’s Peter Grimes
- John MacFarlane for his designs of The Royal Opera’s Peter Grimes and Lady Macbeth Of Mtsensk at the Royal Opera House
- The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House under the musical direction of Antonio Pappano for their season’s work
Best New Dance Production
Winner: Rambert Dance Company’s Swamp at Sadler’s Wells
Nominees:
- Northern Ballet Theatre’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Sadler’s Wells
- Rambert Dance Company’s Swamp at Sadler’s Wells
- Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Milagros at Sadler’s Wells
- Royal New Zealand Ballet’s Romeo And Juliet at Sadler’s Wells
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Winner: San Francisco Ballet for their season at Sadler’s Wells
Nominees:
- Julien Macdonald for his costume designs for Richard Alston Dance Company’s Shimmer at Sadler’s Wells
- The Royal Ballet for their recreation of Sylvia at the Royal Opera House
- Rambert Dance Company for the range and quality of new work in their November season at Sadler’s Wells
- San Francisco Ballet for their season at Sadler’s Wells
The Society’s Special Award for 2005
Alan Bennett