1978 Laurence Olivier Awards

1978 Society of West End Theatre Awards

< 1977

Olivier Awards

1979 >

The 1978 Society of West End Theatre Awards were held in 1978 in London celebrating excellence in West End theatre by the Society of West End Theatre. The awards would not become the Laurence Olivier Awards, as they are known today, until the 1984 ceremony.

Winners and nominees

Play of the Year	Musical of the Year
Whose Life Is It Anyway by Brian Clark – Mermaid / Savoy Half-Life by Julian Mitchell – National Theatre Lark Rise by Flora Thompson, adapted by Keith Dewhurst – National Theatre Plenty by David Hare – National Theatre	Evita – Prince Edward Annie – Victoria Palace Elvis – Prince Edward
Comedy of the Year
Filumena by Eduardo De Filippo, adapted by Willis Hall / Keith Waterhouse – Lyric Shut Your Eyes and Think of England by John Chapman / Anthony Marriott – Apollo Ten Times Table by Alan Ayckbourn – Globe
style="width="50%" \| Actor of the Year in a Revival	style="width="50%" \| Actress of the Year in a Revival
*Alan Howard in Coriolanus* – RSC at the Aldwych** Derek Jacobi in Ivanov – Old Vic Timothy West in The Homecoming – Garrick Nicol Williamson in Inadmissible Evidence – Royal Court	*Dorothy Tutin in The Double Dealer* – National Theatre** Eileen Atkins in Twelfth Night – Old Vic Ingrid Bergman in Waters of the Moon – Theatre Royal, Haymarket Wendy Hiller in Waters of the Moon – Theatre Royal, Haymarket
style="width="50%" \| Actor of the Year in a New Play	style="width="50%" \| Actress of the Year in a New Play
*Tom Conti in Whose Life Is It Anyway* – Mermaid / Savoy** Gordon Chater in The Elocution of Benjamin Franklin – Mayfair John Gielgud in Half-Life – National Theatre Peter McEnery in The Jail Diary of Albie Sachs – RSC at the Warehouse	*Joan Plowright in Filumena* – Lyric** Yvonne Bryceland in The Woman – National Theatre Sylvia Miles in Vieux Carré – Piccadilly Kate Nelligan in Plenty – National Theatre
Performance of the Year in a Musical
*Elaine Paige in Evita* – Prince Edward** David Essex in Evita – Prince Edward Roy Hudd in Oliver! – Albery Stratford Johns in Annie – Victoria Palace
Comedy Performance of the Year
*Ian McKellen in The Alchemist* – RSC at the Aldwych** Sheila Hancock in Annie – Victoria Palace Geraldine McEwan in Look After Lulu! – Theatre Royal, Haymarket Donald Sinden in Shut Your Eyes and Think of England – Apollo
style="width="50%" \| Actor of the Year in a Supporting Role	style="width="50%" \| Actress of the Year in a Supporting Role
*Robert Eddison in Twelfth Night* – Old Vic** Michael Bryant in The Double Dealer – National Theatre Julian Glover in Coriolanus – RSC at the Aldwych Robert Stephens in Brand – National Theatre	*Elizabeth Spriggs in Love Letters on Blue Paper* – National Theatre** Brenda Bruce in The Lady's Not for Burning – Old Vic Susan Fleetwood in The Woman – National Theatre Patricia Hayes in Filumena – National Theatre
Director of the Year
*Terry Hands for Henry VI* – RSC at the Aldwych** Bill Bryden and Sebastian Graham-Jones for Lark Rise – National Theatre Christopher Morahan for The Philanderer – National Theatre Harold Prince for Evita – Prince Edward
Designer of the Year
*Ralph Koltai for Brand* – National Theatre** Eileen Diss for The Homecoming – Garrick Farrah for Henry VI – RSC at the Aldwych Tanya Moiseiwitsch for The Double Dealer – National Theatre
style="width="50%" \| Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Ballet	style="width="50%" \| Production of the Year in Ballet
Robert Cohan for artistic directing, London Contemporary Dance Theatre – Sadler's Wells Christopher Bruce for choreographing for Ballet Rambert – Sadler's Wells Siobhan Davies in Harmonica Breakdown – Sadler's Wells Lynn Seymour in A Month in the Country, The Royal Ballet – Royal Opera House	A Month in the Country, The Royal Ballet – Royal Opera House People Alone, London Contemporary Dance Theatre – Sadler's Wells Praeludium, Ballet Rambert – Sadler's Wells Song of the Earth, Stuttgart Ballet – London Coliseum
style="width="50%" \| Outstanding Achievement in Opera	style="width="50%" \| Production of the Year in Opera
English National Opera for their enterprising repertoire – London Coliseum Colin Davis for music directing, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House	Lohengrin, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House La fanciulla del West, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House Luisa Miller, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House The Seven Deadly Sins, English National Opera – London Coliseum

Productions with multiple nominations and awards

The following 16 productions received multiple nominations:

4: Evita
3: Annie, Filumena and The Double Dealer
2: Brand, Coriolanus, Half-Life, Henry VI, Lark Rise, Plenty, Shut Your Eyes and Think of England, The Homecoming, The Woman, Twelfth Night, Waters of the Moon and Whose Life Is It Anyway

The following three productions received multiple awards:

2: Evita, Filumena and Whose Life Is It Anyway

References

London Theatre Guide (2008). "The Laurence Olivier Awards: Full List of Winners, 1976-2008" (.PDF). 1976-2008. The Society of London Theatre. p. 20. Retrieved 2008-08-30.

External links

Previous Olivier Winners – 1978

Laurence Olivier Awards

Drama	New Play New Comedy Revival Actor Actress Performance in a Supporting Role (Actor in a Supporting Role, Actress in a Supporting Role)

Musical	New Musical Musical Revival Actor in a Musical Actress in a Musical Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical) Achievement in Music

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 Entertainment and Family Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre Audience Award

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 Newcomer in a Play Most Promising Performer Company Performance Director of a Play Director of a Musical Set Designer Most Promising Playwright Achievement in a Musical

Ceremonies	1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 (none) 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

1978 Laurence Olivier Awards

Winners and nominees

Productions with multiple nominations and awards

See also

References

External links