Nicole Scherzinger said it was “humbling” and “overwhelming” as her stunning West End performance in Sunset Boulevard was recognised at this year’s Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
Other winners included Andrew Scott, who took the best actor award for his one man take on Uncle Vanya, and A Streetcar Named Desire co-stars Patsy Ferran and Anjana Vasan who shared the Natasha Richardson award for best actress in association with Mithridate.
The newspaper’s proprietor Lord Lebedev, who hosted the event at Claridge’s with Ian McKellen, said the event on Sunday night was “a testimony to the resilience of the West End and the resurrection of the London stage after several challenging years”.
Scherzinger, who won best musical performance, said: “It’s humbling but it’s overwhelming and truly gratifying to know that all of your work hasn’t gone unseen or under appreciated.”
She said the part of Norma Desmond, a fading Hollywood star desperate for one more turn in the limelight, had come at “the exact right time” for her. She added: “I now realise looking back that everything that’s happened in my life and all the pain and all the struggle and all the confusion and all the emptiness and all the loneliness and all the fight was for a reason and I used most all of that in this show so the stars have aligned. This is the role of a lifetime and like Norma Desmond says, I feel like I’m back where I was born to be.”
Jenna Coleman accepted the best actor award on Scott’s behalf and read out a message from the actor, which concluded “long live London theatre, and theatre everywhere”. Vasan, who said she “sort of just assumed” her co-star would win, said: “It felt so nice to win with your friend and with an actor you felt really deserved the award. It just felt very special and very rare.”
The winners
Best actor
Andrew Scott, Vanya
Natasha Richardson award for best actress
Patsy Ferran and Anjana Vasan, A Streetcar Named Desire
Best play
The Motive and the Cue by Jack Thorne
Best musical performance
Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard
Editor’s award
Ruth Wilson, The Second Woman
Editor’s award
Sir Elton John
Best musical
Guys & Dolls
Lebedev award
Sir Sam Mendes
Emerging talent award
Tatenda Shamiso, NO I.D.
Best design
Georgia Lowe, The Good Person of Szechwan
Milton Shulman award for best director
Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard
Charles Wintour award for most promising playwright
Isley Lynn, The Swell
Two editor’s special awards were presented — the first to Ruth Wilson for her marathon 24-hour show The Second Woman, which saw her share the same scene with hundreds of co-stars in a major theatrical event.
The second was given to Sir Elton John in recognition of his collaborative approach to musical theatre which has seen him work on shows including The Lion King, Billy Elliot and Tammy Faye. Sir Elton said: “At the end of it, sink or swim, you’ve been in it together and if you do succeed it’s a wonderful achievement and you can celebrate together and I’ve always loved that.”
Jack Thorne’s The Motive and the Cue, set behind the scenes of the 1964 Broadway production of Hamlet which was directed by Sir John Gielgud, was named best play and its director Sir Sam Mendes took the Lebedev award for his dedication to theatre. Guys and Dolls was named best musical while Jamie Lloyd was named best director for Sunset Boulevard. Scissor Sisters and Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club star Jake Shears led a tribute to the musicians who work without the recognition they deserve.
The other winners were Georgia Lowe, who won best design for The Good Person of Szechwan; Tatenda Shamiso, who won for emerging talent for NO I.D.; and Isley Lynn who won the Charles Wintour award for most promising playwright for The Swell.
Among the guests helping hand out awards on the night were Tom Hiddleston, Sheila Atim, David Tennant, Tuppence Middleton, Layton Williams, Paloma Faith and Boy George. Also in attendance were Hayley Atwell, Zawe Ashton, Taylor Russell and Daniel Mays.
