1997 Laurence Olivier Awards

Edition of London theatre awards

1997 Laurence Olivier Awards

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The 1997 Laurence Olivier Awards were held in 1997 in London celebrating excellence in West End theatre by the Society of London Theatre.

## Winners and nominees

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Details of winners (in bold) and nominees, in each award category, per the Society of London Theatre.[1]

Play of the Year | Best New Musical

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* Stanley by Pam Gems – National Theatre Cottesloe
* Blinded by the Sun by Stephen Poliakoff – National Theatre Cottesloe
* The Beauty Queen of Leenane by Martin McDonagh – Royal Court
* The Herbal Bed by Peter Whelan – RSC at the Barbican Pit

* Martin Guerre – Prince Edward
* Nine – Donmar Warehouse
* Passion – Queen's

Best Comedy | Outstanding Musical Production

* Art by Yasmina Reza – Wyndham's
* Laughter on the 23rd Floor by Neil Simon – Queen's
* The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield – Criterion

* Tommy – Shaftesbury
* By Jeeves – Duke of York's / Lyric
* Jesus Christ Superstar – Lyceum
* Smokey Joe's Cafe – Prince of Wales

Best Actor | Best Actress

* Antony Sher as Stanley Spencer in Stanley – National Theatre Cottesloe
* Paul Scofield as John Gabriel Borkman in John Gabriel Borkman – National Theatre Lyttelton
* Ken Stott as Yvan in Art – Wyndham's
* David Suchet as George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf – Aldwych

* Janet McTeer as Nora Helmer in A Doll's House – Playhouse
* Eileen Atkins as Mrs. Gunhild Borkman in John Gabriel Borkman – National Theatre Lyttelton
* Vanessa Redgrave as Ella Rentheim in John Gabriel Borkman – National Theatre Lyttelton
* Diana Rigg as Martha in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf – Aldwych

Best Actor in a Musical | Best Actress in a Musical

* Robert Lindsay as Fagin in Oliver – London Palladium
* Iain Glen as Martin Guerre in Martin Guerre – Prince Edward
* Paul Keating as Tommy in Tommy – Shaftesbury
* Steven Pacey as Bertie Wooster in By Jeeves – Duke of York's / Lyric

* Maria Friedman as Fosca in Passion – Queen's
* B.J. Crosby as Performer in Smokey Joe's Cafe – Prince of Wales
* Joanna Riding as Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls – National Theatre Olivier
* Imelda Staunton as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls – National Theatre Olivier

Best Actor in a Supporting Role | Best Actress in a Supporting Role

* Trevor Eve as Dr. Mikhail Lvovich Astrov in Uncle Vanya – Albery
* Stephen Boxer as Barnabus Goche in The Herbal Bed – RSC at the Barbican Pit
* Tony Haygarth as Juror #3 in Twelve Angry Men – Comedy
* Owen Teale as Torvald Helmer in A Doll's House – Playhouse

* Deborah Findlay as Hilda Carline in Stanley – National Theatre Cottesloe
* Frances Barber as Sonya Alexandrovna Serebryakova in Uncle Vanya – Albery
* Anna Chancellor as Patricia Preece in Stanley – National Theatre Cottesloe
* Clare Holman as Honey in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf – Aldwych

Best Supporting Performance in a Musical

* Clive Rowe as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls – National Theatre Olivier
* James Gillan as Uncle Ernie in Tommy – Shaftesbury
* Hugh Ross as Dr. Tambourri in Passion – Queen's
* Tony Selby as Ben Rumson in Paint Your Wagon – Open Air

Best Director | Best Theatre Choreographer

* Des McAnuff for Tommy – Shaftesbury
* Richard Eyre for John Gabriel Borkman – National Theatre Lyttelton
* Anthony Page for A Doll's House – Playhouse
* Matthew Warchus for Art – Wyndham's

* Bob Avian for Martin Guerre – Prince Edward
* Wayne Cilento for Tommy – Shaftesbury

Best Set Designer | Best Costume Designer

* Tim Hatley for Stanley – National Theatre Cottesloe
* John Arnone for Tommy – Shaftesbury
* Paul Farnsworth for Passion – Queen's
* Mark Thompson for Art – Wyndham's

* Tim Goodchild for The Relapse – RSC at the Barbican Pit
* Louise Belson for By Jeeves – Duke of York's / Lyric
* William Dudley for Mary Stuart – National Theatre Lyttelton
* David C. Woolard for Tommy – Shaftesbury

Best Lighting Designer

* Chris Parry for Tommy – Shaftesbury
* Mark Henderson for John Gabriel Borkman – National Theatre Lyttelton
* David Hersey for Martin Guerre – Prince Edward
* Hugh Vanstone for Art – Wyndham's

Outstanding Achievement in Dance | Best New Dance Production

* The dancers of Rambert Dance Company for their season at the London Coliseum
* Sue Blane for her designs of Alice in Wonderland, English National Ballet – London Coliseum
* Viviana Durante in Anastasia... Now Langourous, Now Wild..., The Royal Ballet – Royal Opera House
* Thomas Edur in Alice in Wonderland and Giselle – London Coliseum

* Cinderella, English National Ballet – London Coliseum
* Alice in Wonderland, English National Ballet – London Coliseum
* Carmina Burana, Birmingham Royal Ballet – Royal Opera House

Outstanding Achievement in Opera | Outstanding New Opera Production

* Elgar Howarth for conducting Die Soldaten and The Prince of Homburg, English National Opera – London Coliseum
* Wolfgang Gobbel for light designing of The Midsummer Marriage, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House and Tristan und Isolde, English National Opera – London Coliseum
* Karita Mattila in Don Carlos, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House

* Tristan und Isolde, English National Opera – London Coliseum
* Cavalleria rusticana and I Pagliacci, Welsh National Opera – Royal Opera House
* Fidelio, English National Opera – London Coliseum

Society Special Award

* Margaret Harris

## Productions with multiple nominations and awards

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The following 16 productions, including one ballet and one opera, received multiple nominations:

* 8: Tommy
* 5: Art, John Gabriel Borkman and Stanley
* 4: Martin Guerre and Passion
* 3: A Doll's House, Alice in Wonderland, By Jeeves, Guys and Dolls and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
* 2: Alice in Wonderland, Smokey Joe's Cafe, The Herbal Bed, Tristan und Isolde and Uncle Vanya

The following three productions received multiple awards:

* 4: Stanley
* 3: Tommy
* 2: Martin Guerre

## See also

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* 51st Tony Awards

## References

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1. ^ "Olivier Winners 1997". officiallondontheatre.com. Society of London Theatre. Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2022.

## External links

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* Previous Olivier Winners – 1997

* v
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Laurence Olivier Awards

Drama|

* New Play
* Entertainment or Comedy Play
* Revival
* Actor
* Actress
* Actor in a Supporting Role
* Actress in a Supporting Role

Musical|

* New Musical
* Musical Revival
* Actor in a Musical
* Actress in a Musical
* Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
* Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
* Musical Contribution

Production/Creatives|

* Director
* Theatre Choreographer
* Set Design
* Costume Design
* Lighting Design
* Sound Design

Dance/Opera|

* New Dance Production
* New Opera Production
* Achievement in Dance
* Achievement in Opera

Special/Other|

* Special Award
* Family Show
* Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre

Retired|

* Actor of the Year in a New Play
* Actress of the Year in a New Play
* Actor of the Year in a Revival
* Actress of the Year in a Revival
* Comedy Performance
* Performance in a Musical
* Supporting Artist of the Year
* Performance in a Supporting Role
* Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
* Newcomer in a Play
* Most Promising Performer
* Company Performance
* Director of a Play
* Director of a Musical
* Most Promising Playwright
* Achievement in a Musical
* Audience Award

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