Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2019: Dame Maggie Smith and Andrew Scott win top acting prizes

Zoe Paskett25 November 2019

The winners of the 65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards have been announced, with Maggie Smith and Andrew Scott given the top acting prizes.

Scott was awarded for his role in Noel Coward’s Present Laughter at the Old Vic, while Smith took the trophy for one-woman play A German Life at the Bridge. Lynn Nottage’s Sweat was named Best Play, following a successful run at the Donmar and in the West End.

The star-studded ceremony, co-hosted by Damian Lewis, Helen McCrory, Evgeny Lebedev and Anna Wintour, took place at the London Coliseum, with The Good Fight actress Cush Jumbo as the evening’s presenter.

Scott was presented with the Best Actor Award, in partnership with Ambassador Theatre Group, by His Dark Materials star Ruth Wilson. His “glorious” performance saw him beat Tom Hiddleston, K. Todd Freeman, Francis Guinan and Wendell Pierce.

65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2019: Winners - In pictures

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Damian Lewis presented Smith with the Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress in partnership with Christian Louboutin for her “triumphant” performance in A German Life. She was up against Hayley Atwell, Cecilia Noble, Juliet Stevenson and Anjana Vasan.

The Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s musical Evita took home the gong for Best Musical, presented by Rocketman star Taron Egerton, and Anne-Marie Duff won the award for Best Musical Performance for her turn in Sweet Charity at the Donmar Warehouse.

Two awards celebrated new talent. The Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright was given to Jasmine Lee-Jones for seven methods of killing kylie jenner, which ran at the Royal Court in the summer. Laurie Kynaston won the Emerging Talent Award in partnership with Access Entertainment, for his part in The Son.

Michael Kors and Gugu Mbatha-Raw presented the award for Best Design, in partnership with Michael Kors, to Bunny Christie for her work on the Bridge Theatre’s promenade production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Sir Trevor Nunn presented Ian McKellen with the Editor’s Award for his On Stage tour, while director Peter Brook was honoured for his contribution to British theatre with the Lebedev Award, given to his daughter Irina Brook by Glenda Jackson.

Jumbo opened the ceremony with ten Brit School students in a rendition of Windy City, which also featured some performances from two of the West End’s brand new musicals.

Dear Evan Hansen’s star Sam Tutty sang Waving Through A Window, while Miriam-Teak Lee and the cast of & Juliet performed Roar.

65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2019: Red Carpet - In pictures

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Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2019: The winners in full

Best Actor, in partnership with Ambassador Theatre Group

Andrew Scott Present Laughter (Old Vic)

Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress, in partnership with Christian Louboutin

Dame Maggie Smith A German Life (Bridge Theatre)

Best Play, in partnership with Chanel

Sweat by Lynn Nottage (Donmar Warehouse & Gielgud Theatre)

Milton Shulman Award for Best Director

Robert Icke The Doctor & The Wild Duck (Almeida Theatre)

Best Musical

Evita (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre)

Best Musical Performance

Anne-Marie Duff Sweet Charity (Donmar Warehouse)

Best Design, in partnership with Michael Kors

Bunny Christie A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bridge Theatre)

Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright

Jasmine Lee-Jones seven methods of killing kylie jennner (Royal Court)

Emerging Talent Award, in partnership with Access Entertainment

Laurie Kynaston The Son (Kiln Theatre & Duke of York’s)

Editor’s Award

Sir Ian McKellen For his “On Stage” tour

Lebedev Award

Peter Brook For his contribution to theatre

The 65th Evening Standard Theatre Awards, in association with Michael Kors, took place on November 24 standard.co.uk/theatreawards #ESTheatreAwards​

Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2019: The shortlist

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