PROGRAMME NOTE by Head Judge DAVID WEIR

It’s not often the critic gets the limelight, but this year a grand old man of the Theatre who also happens to own a Pub put us centre stage. Sir Ian McKellen’s film The Critic, in cinemas now, gets the Critic out of the stalls with pen and notebooks and free programmes and drinks and into the centre of the action. And in the centre of the action, what do we, The Critics, do? We’re arrogant, bombastic, lecherous, drunk, unreasonable, acidic, and ultimately murderous. And that, as all you people coming to our awards ceremony tonight undoubtedly know, is pretty much what we’re like, isn’t it? The silent figure in the stalls with the pen dipped in vitriol ready to kill your hopes and dreams.

Except, as tonight, we hope shows, it ain’t necessarily so. For tonight is, for the sixth time, London Pub Theatre's celebration of what you do, and what you do brilliantly - the actors, directors, writers, costumers, lighters, sound specialists who light the stage with amazing work that makes all that sitting in the dark the pleasure it can be, the journey that takes us somewhere our imaginations can soar, the show that sends us home singing and telling our families and friends that this one’s a zinger and everyone should see it.

If only everyone did, and if only we could reward absolutely everyone who’s made our team argue passionately for the brilliance of the best work we’ve seen.

We can’t, and that’s a sorrow, but tonight, we’ll be honouring some of the fine work that’s happened on stage from Highgate to Penge, from Chiswick to Brockley, and for that, we say congratulations, and for that we, The Critics - scrofulous and bitter as we may sometimes be — say thank you for Theatre that makes it all worthwhile.

David Weir

4.30pm - 5.00pm RECEPTION (upstairs in the Green Room)

5.00pm - 5.15pm DOORS OPEN

5.15pm - 6.30pm STANDING OVATION AWARDS / LONDON PUB THEATRE OF THE YEAR AWARDS ANNOUNCED

6.30pm - 7.00pm OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHY: DIRECTORS OF LONDON PUB THEATRES / WINNERS (in the theatre)

STANDING OVATION NOMINEES

BLACK BOX THEATRE NOMINEES

THE GIRL IN THE GREEN ROOM by Luke Adamson, performed by Joseph Lindoe at Bridge House Theatre

THE TRIALS OF GALILEO by Nic Young, performed by Tim Hardy / Hint of Lime Productions at The Old Red Lion

MAGGOTS by Farah Najib, performed by Ross Kernahan, Farah Ashraf, Antoinette Harrison / Fight or Flight Productions at Lion and Unicorn Theatre

INNOVATIVE PLAY NOMINEES

THE GENTLEMAN OF SHALOTT by Gareth Watkins at The hope Theatre

FIRE EMBERS ASH by Hailey Mashburn at Barons Court Theatre

A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK by Roxy Cook at Theatre503

NEW PLAY RAISING AWARENESS NOMINEES

HOW DID I GET HERE by Helen Squires at Bread and Roses Theatre

SPLINTER by Martha Loader at Jack Studio Theatre

THE WORDS ARE THERE by Ronan Dempsey at The Hope Theatre

RED PILL by Sam Went at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre

COMEDY NOMINEES

SPY MOVIE: THE PLAY! by Matthew Howell and Jack Michael Stacey at The Hope Theatre

PAST TENTS by Seth Jones and David J. Keogh at White Bear Theatre, Jack Studio Theatre and Golden Goose Theatre

ATTENTION SPAN by Joseph Hollas, Brave Mirror Productions, Camden Fringe at The Hen & Chickens Theatre

SOLO SHOW NOMINEES

CHET BAKER: LET’S GET LOST by Tim Connery at Bridge House Theatre

Performed by Alfredo Mudie Smart

THE OLD QUEEN’S HEAD at The Lion and Unicorn

Written and performed by David Patterson

HER SHOES at Old Red Lion Theatre (FreshFest)

Written and performed by Megan Marszal

CARELESS TALK based on a novel by James Friel, Camden Fringe at Rosemary Branch Theatre

Adapted and performed by Ali Williams

ACTORS AWARD NOMINEES

Robert Bathurst as Jeffrey in JEFFREY BERNARD IS UNWELL by Keith Waterhouse at Coach and Horses, Soho

Joshua J Parker in the title role THE LIFE AND DEATH OF RICHARD III, presented by Messy Kind at Barons Court Theatre 

Luke Rose in DC RICHARD HEAD by Luke Rose at Canal Café Theatre

Matthew Zajac in THE TAILOR OF INVERNESS, written by Matthew Zajac at Finborough Theatre

DUOLOGUE/TWO HANDER NOMINEES

Matthew Parker and Bryan Pilkington for OH NO IT ISN’T by Luke Adamson at Jack Studio Theatre

Lily Roberts and Lara Lawman for ROSALINE AND JULIET at Lion and Unicorn

Saskia Mollard and Tobias Abbott for EUCHARIST at Etcetera Theatre

Nick Hyde and Oliver Maynard in DOUBLE ACT by Nick Hyde at Lion and Unicorn

ENSEMBLE ACTING NOMINEES

WE WEREN'T INNOCENT; WE WERE GIRLS by Eleanor Boes at White Bear Theatre 

Actors: Liv Hodder, Allie Aylott, Lucy-Lou Gallivan, Sophie Reisner, Hannah Dootson, Declan Adamson

THE HOUSE WE INHERIT by Sarah Majland at Bridge House Theatre

Actors: Sarah Majland, Boyan Petrov, Öncel Camcı

HOW DID I GET HERE? By Helen Squires at The Bread & Roses Theatre

Actors: Luke Madaj, Yan Toby-Amisi, Erica Taveres-Kouassi and Niamh Drumgoole

DRESSING GOWN by Andrew Cartmel at The Tabard

Actors: Jamie Hutchins, Ryan Woodcock, Rosie Edwards, Freya Alderson

CONSTELLATIONS by Nick Payne, at Drayton arms

Actors: Burnt Orange Theatre Youth Repertory Company

DIRECTORS AWARD NOMINEES

Jenny Eastop for DRESSING GOWN by Andrew Cartmel at Theatre at the Tabard

Matthew Iliffe for FOAM by Harry McDonald at Finborough Theatre

Callum Sharp for THE GREATEST PLAY OF ALL TIME by Robin Hughes at Old Red Lion Theatre

Sharon Willems for THREE QUEENS by Rosamund Gravelle at Barons Court Theatre

Robert McWhir (director) and Aaron Clingham (Musical director) for THE STORY OF MY LIFE at Stage Door Theatre

NEW WRITING NOMINEES

Seth Jones & David Keogh for PAST TENTS at White Bear Theatre, Brockley Jack Theatre and Golden Goose Theatre

Saskia Mollard and Tobias Abbott for EUCHARIST at Etcetera Theatre

Luke Adamson for THE GIRL IN THE GREEN ROOM at Bridge House Theatre

Eleanor Boes for WE WEREN'T INNOCENT; WE WERE GIRLS at White Bear Theatre 

REDISCOVERY/ADAPTATION NOMINEES

KNOCKING ON THE WALL by Ena Lamont Stewart at Finborough Theatre

THE TEMPEST by Burnt Orange Theatre Repertory Company at Drayton Arms

HANSEL AND GRETEL by Engelbert Humperdinck / Opera Kipling, Camden Fringe at Upstairs at the Gatehouse

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION VALUES 

THE GENTLEMAN OF SHALOTT by Gareth Watkins at The hope Theatre

Set design by Stephen Stephenson, Sound design by Craig Byrne, Lighting design by Daniel Philipson

A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK by Roxy Cook at Theatre503 

Set and Costume Design by David Allen, Lighting Design by Joe Price, Sound Design and Composition by Hugh Sheehan

THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett and adapted for the stage by Louise Haddington at The Tabard Theatre

Music by Nick Gilbert, Design by Hazel Owen, Lighting by Nat Green

BEST PRODUCTON

THE GREAT PRIVATION (How to flip ten cents into a dollar) by Nia Akilah Robinson at Theatre503

FOAM by Harry McDonald at Finborough Theatre

A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK written and directed by Roxy Cook at Theatre503 

IN CLAY book & lyrics by Rebecca Simmonds / Music & lyrics by Jack Miles, at Upstairs at the Gatehouse

SPECIAL AWARD

TBA

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

GRATEFUL THANKS TO

Directors at Upstairs at the Gatehouse for their invaluable support

MC - David Weir

Awards team – David Weir (Head Judge), Chris Lilly, Heather Jeffery, Nilgin Yusuf and Anna Clart

Technical support – Fay Franklyn