Paul Brown was named Best Stage Designer in this year’s Evening Standard Awards, presented for achievement in the London theatre by the newspaper, the London Evening Standard. Brown was cited for two Almeida Theatre productions: The Tempest was the final production the Almeida’s old space, and Platonov, a little-seen early work by Chekhov, was staged in the company’s temporary venue, an old bus station near King’s Cross. The latter production was a true spectacular, staged on an enormous playing area, with scenic details that included a river, a railroad, and a field of sunflowers.
photo: Ivan Kyncl
Brown beat out Ian MacNeill, who was cited for the revival of Afore Night Come. Brown’s designs for Richard II and Coriolanus, both starring Ralph Fiennes, were seen at Brooklyn Academy of Music last year, as was his scenery for Il Trovatore at the Metropolitan Opera.
In other developments, the Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate, which just opened in the West End, beat out the homegrown revival of My Fair Lady for best musical. (The Evening Standard Awards recognizes revivals in this category.)
A complete list of Evening Standard Award winners follows:
Best Actor: Alex Jennings, The Winter's Tale and The Relapse
Best Actress: Fiona Shaw, Medea
Best Play: The Far Side Of The Moon, by Robert Lepage
Best Comedy: Feelgood, by Alistair Beaton
Sydney Edwards Award for Best Director: Deborah Warner, Medea
Best Stage Designer: Paul Brown, Platonov and The Tempest
Best Musical: Kiss Me Kate
Outstanding Newcomer: Rufus Norris, Afore Night Come
The Patricia Rothermere Award: Prunella Scales, for lifetime achievement, and Cassandre Joseph, an Oxford drama student
Most Promising Playwright: Roy Williams for Clubland