Designer of the Year
Winner: John Napier and Dermot Hayes for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
- John Bury for Amadeus at the National Theatre
- John Gunter for Juno And The Paycock, RSC at the Aldwych
- Jocelyn Herbert for The Life Of Galileo at the National
- John Napier and Dermot Hayes for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
Director of the Year
Winner: Trevor Nunn and John Caird for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
- John Barton for The Greeks, RSC at the Aldwych
- Peter Hall for Amadeus at the National Theatre
- Trevor Nunn and John Caird for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
- John Dexter for The Life Of Galileo at the National Theatre
Actor of the Year in a Revival
Winner: Jonathan Pryce for Hamlet at the Royal Court
Nominees:
- Michael Gambon for The Life Of Galileo at the National Theatre
- Alec McCowen for The Browning Version and Harlequinade at the National Theatre
- Bob Peck for Othello, RSC at the Aldwych
- Jonathan Pryce for Hamlet at the Royal Court
Actress of the Year in a Revival
Winner: Judi Dench for Juno And The Paycock, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
- Maria Aitken for Private Lives at the Duchess
- Judi Dench for Juno And The Paycock, RSC at the Aldwych
- Geraldine McEwan for The Browning Version and Harlequinade at the National Theatre
- Susan Tracy for Anna Christie, RSC at the Warehouse
Actor of the Year in a New Play
Winner: Roger Rees for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
- Tom Courtenay for The Dresser at the Queen’s
- Roger Rees for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
- David Schofield for The Elephant Man at the National Theatre
- Paul Scofield for Amadeus at the National Theatre
Actress of the Year in a New Play
Winner: Frances De La Tour for Duet For One at the Duke of York’s
Nominees:
- Shelagh Holliday for A Lesson From Aloes at the National Theatre
- Glenda Jackson for Rose at the Duke of York’s
- Joan Plowright for Enjoy at the Vaudeville
- Frances De La Tour for Duet For One at the Duke of York’s
Comedy Performance of the Year
Winner: Beryl Reid for Born In The Gardens at the Globe
Nominees:
- Edward Duke for Jeeves Takes Charge at the Fortune
- Ben Kingsley for The Merry Wives Of Windsor RSC at the Aldwych
- Beryl Reid for Born In The Gardens at the Globe
- Julie Walters for Educating Rita at the Piccadilly
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Winner: Cosi Fan Tutte, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Nominees:
- Cosi Fan Tutte, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
- Julius Caesar, English National Opera, at the London Coliseum
- The Turn Of The Screw, English National Opera at the London Coliseum
- The Turn Of The Screw, Kent Opera at Sadler’s Wells
Actor of the Year in a Supporting Role
Winner: David Threlfall for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
- Simon Callow for Amadeus at the National Theatre
- Edward Petherbridge for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
- John Rogan for Juno And The Paycock, RSC at the Aldwych
- David Threlfall for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
Actress of the Year in a Supporting Role
Winner: Suzanne Bertish for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
- Suzanne Bertish for Nicholas Nickleby, RSC at the Aldwych
- Lynn Dearth for The Greeks, RSC at the Aldwych
- Prunella Scales for Make And Break at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Susan Tracy for Three Sisters, RSC at the Warehouse
Actor of the Year in a Musical
Winner: Denis Quilley for Sweeney Todd at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Nominees:
- Tom Conti for They’re Playing Our Song at the Shaftesbury
- John Diedrich for Oklahoma! at the Palace
- Denis Lawson for Pal Joey at the Albery
- Denis Quilley for Sweeney Todd at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Actress of the Year in a Musical
Winner: Gemma Craven for They’re Playing Our Song at the Shaftesbury
Nominees:
- Gemma Craven for They’re Playing Our Song at the Shaftesbury
- Sheila Hancock for Sweeney Todd at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
- Julia McKenzie for On The Twentieth Century at Her Majesty’s
- Sian Phillips for Pal Joey at the Albery
Most Promising Newcomer of the Year in Theatre
Winner: Edward Duke for the creation, adaptation and performance in Jeeves Takes Charge at the Fortune
Nominees:
- Edward Duke for the creation, adaptation and performance in Jeeves Takes Charge at the Fortune
- Alfred Molina for Oklahoma! at the Palace
- Gavin Richards for the adaptation, direction and performance in Accidental Death Of An Anarchist at the Wyndham’s
- Robert Walker for Pal Joey at the Albery
Outstanding First Achievement of the Year in Opera or Ballet
Winner: Rosalind Plowright for English National Opera’s The Turn of the Screw, at the London Coliseum
Nominees:
- Felicity Lott for English National Opera’s Cosi Fan Tutte at the London Coliseum
- Michael Pink for London Festival Ballet’s 1914 at the Royal Festival Hall
- Rosalind Plowright for English National Opera’s The Turn Of The Screw at the London Coliseum
- Roland Price for Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet’s Danses Concertantes at Sadler’s Wells
Outstanding Achievement of the Year in Ballet
Winner: Gloria, The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House
Nominees:
- Gaite Parisienne, Ballet Of The 20th Century Of Maurice Bejart at the London Coliseum
- Gloria, The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House
- Rhapsody, The Royal Ballet at the Royal Opera House
- Sphinx, London Festival Ballet at the London Coliseum
Comedy of the Year
Winner: Educating Rita by Willy Russell at the Piccadilly
Nominees:
- Born In The Gardens by Peter Nichols at the Globe
- Educating Rita by Willy Russell at the Piccadilly
- Make And Break by Michael Frayn at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Sisterly Feelings by Alan Ayckbourn at the London Coliseum
Musical of the Year
Winner: Sweeney Todd, book by Hugh Wheeler adapted from C G Bond, music by Stephen Sondheim at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Nominees:
- Sweeney Todd, book by Hugh Wheeler adapted from C G Bond, music by Stephen Sondheim, at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
- They’re Playing Our Song, book by Neil Simon, music by Martin Hamlisch at the Shaftesbury
- Tom Foolery by Tom Lehrer at the Criterion
- On The 20th Century by Betty Comden, Adolph Green, music by Cy Coleman at Her Majesty’s
Play of the Year
Winner: The Life And Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, adapted by David Edgar, RSC at the Aldwych
Nominees:
- A Lesson From Aloes by Athol Fugard at the National Theatre
- Duet For One by Tom Kempinski at the Duke of York’s
- The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, adapted by David Edgar, RSC at the Aldwych
- The Dresser by Ronald Harewood at the Queen’s
The Society’s Special Award
Sir Ralph Richardson