1996 Laurence Olivier Awards

< 1995

Olivier Awards

1997 >

The 1996 Laurence Olivier Awards were held in 1996 in London celebrating excellence in West End theatre by the Society of London Theatre.

Winners and nominees

Play of the Year	Best New Musical
Skylight by David Hare – National Theatre Cottesloe / Wyndham's Pentecost by David Edgar – RSC at the Young Vic Taking Sides by Ronald Harwood – Criterion The Steward of Christendom by Sebastian Barry – Royal Court	Jolson – Victoria Palace Fame – Cambridge Hot Mikado – Queen's Mack and Mabel – Piccadilly
Best Comedy
Mojo by Jez Butterworth – Royal Court Communicating Doors by Alan Ayckbourn – Gielgud / Savoy Funny Money by Ray Cooney – Playhouse
style="width="50%" \| Best Actor	style="width="50%" \| Best Actress
*Alex Jennings in Peer Gynt* – RSC at the Young Vic** Michael Gambon in Skylight – National Theatre Cottesloe / Wyndham's Daniel Massey in Taking Sides – Criterion Donal McCann in The Steward of Christendom – Royal Court	*Judi Dench in Absolute Hell* – National Theatre Lyttelton** Diana Rigg in Mother Courage and Her Children – National Theatre Olivier Zoë Wanamaker in The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy Lia Williams in Skylight – National Theatre Cottesloe / Wyndham's
style="width="50%" \| Best Actor in a Musical	style="width="50%" \| Best Actress in a Musical
*Adrian Lester in Company* – Donmar Warehouse** Brian Conley in Jolson – Victoria Palace Ross Lehman in Hot Mikado – Queen's Clarke Peters in Unforgettable – Garrick	*Judi Dench in A Little Night Music* – National Theatre Olivier** Elizabeth Mansfield in Marie – Fortune Caroline O'Connor in Mack and Mabel – Piccadilly Elaine Paige in Sunset Boulevard – Adelphi
style="width="50%" \| Best Supporting Performance	style="width="50%" \| Best Supporting Performance in a Musical
*Simon Russell Beale in Volpone* – National Theatre Olivier** Ben Chaplin in The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy Geraldine McEwan in The Way of the World – National Theatre Lyttelton Claire Skinner in The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy	*Sheila Gish in Company* – Donmar Warehouse** John Bennet in Jolson – Victoria Palace Siân Phillips in A Little Night Music – National Theatre Olivier Sophie Thompson in Company – Donmar Warehouse
style="width="50%" \| Best Director	style="width="50%" \| Best Theatre Choreographer
*Sam Mendes for Company* – Donmar Warehouse and The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy** Richard Eyre for La Grande Magia – National Theatre Lyttelton and Skylight – National Theatre Cottesloe / Wyndham's Adrian Noble for A Midsummer Night's Dream – RSC at the Barbican Matthew Warchus for Henry V – RSC at the Barbican and Volpone – National Theatre Olivier	*Dein Perry for Tap Dogs* – Sadler's Wells** Lars Bethke for Fame – Cambridge Wayne McGregor for A Little Night Music – National Theatre Olivier
Best Set Designer
*John Napier for Burning Blue* – Theatre Royal Haymarket** John Gunter for Absolute Hell – National Theatre Lyttelton, Skylight – National Theatre Cottesloe / Wyndham's and Twelfth Night – RSC at the Barbican Rob Howell for The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy Anthony Ward for A Midsummer Night's Dream – RSC at the Barbican, La Grande Magia and The Way of the World – National Theatre Lyttelton
style="width="50%" \| Best Costume Designer	style="width="50%" \| Best Lighting Designer
*Anthony Ward for A Midsummer Night's Dream* – RSC at the Barbican, La Grande Magia and The Way of the World – National Theatre Lyttelton** Deirdre Clancy for Absolute Hell – National Theatre Lyttelton and Twelfth Night – RSC at the Barbican Nicky Gillibrand for A Little Night Music – National Theatre Olivier Richard Hudson for Volpone – National Theatre Olivier	*David Hersey for Burning Blue* – Theatre Royal Haymarket, The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy and Twelfth Night – RSC at the Barbican** Mark Henderson for Absolute Hell and La Grande Magia – National Theatre Lyttelton and Indian Ink – Aldwych Peter Mumford for Mother Courage and Her Children, Volpone – National Theatre Olivier and Richard II – National Theatre Cottesloe Chris Parry for A Midsummer Night's Dream – RSC at the Barbican and The Way of the World – National Theatre Lyttelton
style="width="50%" \| Outstanding Achievement in Dance	style="width="50%" \| Best New Dance Production
*Siobhan Davies for choreographing The Art of Touch, Siobhan Davies Dance Company – Sadler's Wells* Deborah Bull in Steptext, The Royal Ballet – Royal Opera House Sylvie Guillem in Episodes, Béjart Ballet Lausanne – Sadler's Wells Marion Tait in Pillar of Fire, Birmingham Royal Ballet – Royal Opera House	Swan Lake, Adventures in Motion Pictures – Sadler's Wells Saints and Shadows, Arc Dance Company – Sadler's Wells SH-BOOM, 10 Dancers Ensemble – Sadler's Wells Who Cares, Les Ballets de Monte Carlo – Sadler's Wells
style="width="50%" \| Outstanding Achievement in Opera	style="width="50%" \| Outstanding New Opera Production
*Bernard Haitink for conducting Götterdämmerung* and Siegfried, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House** Jonathan Miller for directing Carmen, English National Opera – London Coliseum Bryn Terfel in Salome, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House John Tomlinson in Billy Budd and Siegfried, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House	Billy Budd, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House A Midsummer Night's Dream, English National Opera – London Coliseum Salome, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House Siegfried, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House
Society Special Award
Harold Pinter

Productions with multiple nominations and awards

The following 20 productions, including two operas, received multiple nominations:

6: The Glass Menagerie
5: Skylight
4: A Little Night Music, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Absolute Hell, Company, La Grande Magia, The Way of the World and Volpone
3: Jolson, Siegfried and Twelfth Night
2: Burning Blue, Fame, Hot Mikado, Mack and Mabel, Mother Courage and Her Children, Salome, Taking Sides and The Steward of Christendom

The following three productions received multiple awards:

3: Company
2: Burning Blue and The Glass Menagerie

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 – 1996

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

1996 Laurence Olivier Awards

Winners and nominees

Productions with multiple nominations and awards

See also

References

External links