My Neighbour Totoro Leads Olivier Award Nominations
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Sian McBride
Barbican’s enchanting coming-of-age story, My Neighbour Totoro, leads the pack at this year’s Olivier Awards with a staggering 9 nominations. Brought to the life by the Royal Shakespeare Company, this adaptation utilises music from the legendary Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi, to create a mythical, magical world. This heartfelt story of two siblings competes for a range of awards at this year’s ceremony, including Best Director, Best Actress, Best Theatre Choreographer, and Best Original Score.
The National Theatre boasts its strongest set of Olivier Awards in years, securing 16 nominations across six of its productions. Standing at the Sky’s Edge, is the theatres most nominated piece, receiving 8 nods - the most for any musical this year. Will the Sheffield-based musical ‘steel’ the show? With contenders in the Best New Musical, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories, it will certainly try to.
From new pieces to reinventions of American classics, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! earns 7 nominations, with 4 of these coming from acting categories. Liza Sadovy and Marisha Wallace for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical, Anoushka Lucas for Best Actress in a Musical, and Arthur Darvill for Best Actor in a Musical.
Also competing in the musical acting categories are Katie Brayben and Andrew Rannells for their roles in the evangelical musical Tammy Faye. Two-time Olivier Award nominee, Beverley Knight, for her performance in the suffragette musical Sylvia at The Old Vic Theatre, and three-time Olivier Award nominee Clive Rowe for his performance in Sister Act.
Although this is Rowe’s fourth nomination, he is a relative newcomer to the awards compared to Janet McTeer, who today received her sixth nomination, this time for her performance as Phaedra at the National Theatre. Today also saw sound designers Max and Ben Ringham, costume designer Hugh Durrant, and choreographer Crystal Pite all receive their 5th nominations.
On the other end of the scale, 27 actors received their first-ever Olivier nomination today, including household names: Paul Mescal, Caroline Quentin, Jodie Comer, Rose Ayling-Ellis, and legendary fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier.
The winners of this year’s Olivier Awards will be announced at the star-studded ceremony, hosted by three-time Olivier Award nominee, and star of Ted Lasso, Hannah Waddingham, on the 2nd April 2023. A full list of those hoping to collect the award at the Royal Albert Hall can be found below.
Mastercard Best New Musical
Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Sylvia at The Old Vic
Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Delta Air Lines Best New Play
For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Cunard Best Revival
A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Jerusalem at Apollo Theatre
The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier
Magic Radio Best Musical Revival
My Fair Lady at London Coliseum
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Sister Act at Eventim Apollo
South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells
Best Actor
Tom Hollander for Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Paul Mescal for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Rafe Spall for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
David Tennant for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Giles Terera for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Best Actress
Jodie Comer for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Patsy Ferran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Mei Mac for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Janet McTeer for Phaedra at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Nicola Walker for The Corn Is Green at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director
Rebecca Frecknall for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Robert Hastie for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Justin Martin for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Phelim McDermott for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Bartlett Sher for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Best Actor in a Musical
Alon Moni Aboutboul for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Arthur Darvill for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Julian Ovenden for South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells
Andrew Rannells for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
Best Actress in a Musical
Katie Brayben for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
Anoushka Lucas for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Miri Mesika for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Faith Omole for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh & Kaine Lawrence for For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Will Keen for Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Elliot Levey for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
David Moorst for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Sule Rimi for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Rose Ayling-Ellis for As You Like It at @sohoplace
Pamela Nomvete for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Caroline Quentin for Jack Absolute Flies Again at National Theatre – Olivier
Sharon Small for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Anjana Vasan for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Beverley Knight for Sylvia The Old Vic
Maimuna Memon for Standing At The Sky’s Edge National Theatre – Olivier
Liza Sadovy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Marisha Wallace for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Sharif Afifi for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Peter Polycarpou for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Clive Rowe for Sister Act at Eventim Apollo
Zubin Varla for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play
Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium
My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) at Garrick Theatre & Ambassadors Theatre
One Woman Show at Ambassadors Theatre
Best Family Show
Blippi The Musical at Apollo Theatre
Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show at Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre
Midsummer Mechanicals at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe
The Smartest Giant In Town at St Martin’s Theatre
Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer
Matt Cole for Newsies at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Lynne Page for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Kate Prince for Sylvia at The Old Vic
Basil Twist for Puppetry Direction for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Best Costume Design
Frankie Bradshaw for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Hugh Durrant for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium
Jean Paul Gaultier for Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show at Roundhouse
Kimie Nakano for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design
Bobby Aitken for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Tony Gayle for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Drew Levy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Ben & Max Ringham for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Best Original Score or New Orchestrations
David Yazbek, Jamshied Sharifi & Andrea Grody – Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek, Orchestrations by Jamshied Sharifi & Additional Arrangements by Andrea Grody – The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Joe Hisaishi & Will Stuart – Music by Joe Hisaishi & Orchestrations and Arrangements by Will Stuart – My Neighbour Totoro for Barbican Theatre
Daniel Kluger & Nathan Koci – Orchestrations and Arrangements by Daniel Kluger & Additional Vocal Arrangements by Nathan Koci – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Young Vic
Richard Hawley & Tom Deering – Music and Lyrics by Richard Hawley & Orchestrations by Tom Deering – Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Miriam Buether for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Tom Pye for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Ben Stones for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Mark Walters for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium
White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Natasha Chivers for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Lee Curran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Jessica Hung Han Yun for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Tim Lutkin for The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier
TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production
Alcina by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Least Like The Other by Irish National Opera and Royal Opera at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Peter Grimes by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Sibyl at Barbican Theatre
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Sinéad Campbell-Wallace for her performance in Tosca by English National Opera at London Coliseum
William Kentridge for his conception and direction of Sibyl at Barbican Theatre
Antony McDonald for his design of Alcina at Royal Opera House
Best New Dance Production
Light Of Passage by Crystal Pite at Royal Opera House
Pasionaria by La Veronal at Sadler’s Wells
Traplord by Ivan Michael Blackstock at 180 Studios (The Strand)
Triptych (The Missing Door, The Lost Room, And The Hidden Floor) by Peeping Tom at Barbican Theatre
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Manuel Liñán for his choreography of ¡VIVA! at Sadler’s Wells
Dickson Mbi for his choreography of Enowate at Sadler’s Wells
Raquel Meseguer Zafe for her dramaturgy of Ruination by Lost Dog at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Catrina Nisbett for her performance in Family Honour by Spoken Movement at Sadler’s Wells
Unusual Rigging Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
Age Is A Feeling at Soho Theatre
Blackout Songs at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
The P Word at Bush Theatre
Paradise Now! at Bush Theatre
Two Palestinians Go Dogging at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at The Royal Court Theatre