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A Round-Up of 2023

2023, I admit, was a quieter year for me in terms of seeing theatre; for a number of reasons: a brand new job, more travelling, the choice in the Spring being pretty slim picking (if I am being honest). 

But I also got another amazing opportunity, becoming one of the Lowry's volunteers, and some of the stuff I have seen there has been incredible, and often something I never would have thought of seeing before. Not all of them have been theatre, but here's an all-round shout out. Also to everyone who works at the Lowry, it's a wonderful team to be a part of. 

Some of these, as ever, were really hard to pick between, but remember this is my opinion only. 

And to read full reviews of any shows I talk about, be sure to click their links, which look like this. 

Let's get started

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Performance of the Year Award: 

Leading: 

Nominees: 

  • Emmy Stonelake as Lizzy Bennett in Pride & Prejudice (sort of), UK Tour
  • Michael Ahmokah-Lindsay and Bronte Barbe as Jack Kelly and Katherine Plummer in Newsies at the Troubadour Theatre, Wembley
  • Aynrand Ferrar as Kei Kimura in George Takei's Allegiance at the Charing Cross Theatre, London
  • Gabrielle Brooks as Ti Moune in Once on this Island, at Regents Park Open Air Theatre, London
  • Mei Mac as Kim in untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play, at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester
  • Inês Fernandez as Sophia in La Bamba, UK Tour (the show itself was not the best, but anyone who has seen it will agree her performance is the best thing about La Bamba)
  • Ian McIntosh as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, UK Tour
  • Caissie Levy as Diana Goodman in Next To Normal, at the Donmar Warehouse
  • Nicole Lily-Baisden as Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street, UK Tour
  • Tom Francis as Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard, at the Savoy Theatre, London

Runner Up: Marisha Wallace as Miss Adelaide, Owain Arthur as Nathan Detroit, Andrew Richardson as Sky Masterson and Celinde Schoenmaker as Sarah Brown in Guys & Dolls, at the Bridge Theatre, London. This fabulous foursome are the backbone of this wonderful production of Guys and Dolls. Each of them brings something fresh to these classic characters, giving them a new zing and lease of life. 

Winner: In the end, I felt I had to give this to Ian McKellen as Caroline Goose in Mother Goose. Being the one to make me fall in love with classic pantomime for the first time since I was a child, McKellen really is the key that makes it work. Watching him perform live is everything and nothing you would expect at the same time. 

Supporting: 

Nominees: 

  • Leah Jamieson as Lydia Bennett in Pride & Prejudice (sort of)
  • Divina De Campo as Plankton in The Spongebob Squarepants Musical, UK Tour
  • Ryan O'Donnell as Pontius Pilate in Jesus Christmas Superstar
  • Cedric Neal as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys & Dolls
  • Eleanor Worthington-Cox as Natalie Goodman, and Jack Wolfe as Gabe Goodman, in Next To Normal 
  • David Thaxton as Max Von Mayerling in Sunset Boulevard

Runner Up: This is a tie, as I couldn't choose between them. First off, Iz Hesketh was, for me, the best part of Head Over Heels, at Manchester's Hope Mill. As Pythio, this fabulous non-binary goddess, it was the perfect part for them to sink their teeth into. And, while Next to Normal stacked a killer cast, Jamie Parker as father Dan was the one I couldn't tear my eyes away from, as he tried (not always successfully) to try and hold his family together. 

Winner: A cheeky bit of perfect casting came in at the very last minute, that being Billy Nevers as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson in Hamilton, UK Tour. I had a hunch he would be good, but my GOD he LIVED those two characters on stage. 


Understudy/Alternate of the Year Award: 

Meeting Rachel Tucker (along with my friend
Lethanial) at the Savoy's stage door after
seeing her Norma Desmond

Runner Up: Bukiwe Zingato-Mnyuka as Rafiki in the UK tour of The Lion King. Getting to open the show, with that cry at the beginning of Circle of Life must be one of the most stressful few notes for any actor, let alone anyone covering the part. 

Winner: It had to be Rachel Tucker, who I saw as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. As she only plays the role once a week, I couldn't justify putting her in the main category, but she is the perfect winner for this one, celebrating all kinds of covers. Anyone who has seen those wide eyes full of optimistic delusion, or heard her With One Look or As If We Never Said Goodbye would agree.


Laugh-Out-Loud Award: 

Nominees: 

  • untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play
  • I Should Be So Lucky, UK Tour
  • Noises Off, UK Tour. This was one I whilst working at the Lowry, and the one I wish I had the opportunity to see as a regular guest so I could justify reviewing it
  • Jack & the Beanstalk, at the Opera House, Manchester

Runner Up: Mother Goose. You already all know why. 

Winner: I am giving this to Pride & Prejudice (sort of). I love a spoof done right - and of course regency stories. Plus, who hasn't wanted a Pride & Prejudice that had Lizzy singing You're So Vain to Mr Darcy, or finally had her tell Mr Collins to "F*CK OFF!"


Almost-But-Not-Quite Award: 

Nominees: 

  • Head Over Heels
  • La Bamba

Runner Up: The Crown Jewels, which headed out on a UK Tour after a run in London. This was another one I saw whilst working, hence no proper review, but despite an amazing cast on paper (headlined by Al Murry no less), it wasn't great, and the laughs it got out of me were definitely of the cringey variety... 

Winner: For me, the UK Tour of Death Drop: Back in the Habit was the most disappointing show of the year. I loved the original Death Drop, so my expectations were high, but despite getting to watch Victoria Scone, Jujubee, Kitty Scott Claus and more absolutely slay, the writing wasn't quite as witty and crossed the line for me.


Leaky Eyes Award: 

Nominees: 

  • The Lion King
  • Allegiance
  • Next to Normal

Winner: In the end, I am circling (pun intended) to the beginning of the year, and getting to see The Lion King on its UK Tour, for the first time in 16 years. Circle of Life got me. By the end of the song, I was in bits. 


Danced-Till-They-Dropped Award: 

Nominees: 

Runner Up: The tap numbers in 42nd Street are ambitious! Classic tap as its most extreme. That ensemble just does not stop!

Winner: In the end, it had to be Newsies. I don't think anyone who has seen Newsies wouldn't be surprised by this. It's a type of choreography that you wouldn't expect from a mostly male cast - balletic, athletic. These guys never stop running and leaping across the stage. It's no surprise to me that it won the Olivier this year. 


Surprise of the Year Award: 

Nominees: 

  • Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist
  • Lizzie, at the Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

Winner: This goes to not a song, but a performer - Tom Read-Wilson as Squidward Q Tentacles in Spongebob. I really was surprised just how perfect for the grumpy, uppity Squidward he was. AND he's musical theatre trained! I will be interested to see if he gets cast in any future shows. 


Costume of the Year Award: 

Nominees: 

  • The Lion King
  • Pride & Prejudice (sort of)
  • Mother Goose
  • Zog, UK Tour. This had a Summer residence at the Lowry, so got to work a few shifts on this one. The puppetry in particular is really imaginative in this adorable piece. 
  • Guys & Dolls

Winner: This not an easy one, but in the end, I have gone for Once On This Island. In all honesty, this is particularly for the imaginative costumes for the Gods, my favourite being Papa Ge, looking like Dr Facilier's brother. 


Blew My Mind Award: 

Nominees: This was by a mile the hardest to pick. Any of these could have won it (and if it hadn't won the year I first saw it, Hamilton would be there too). 

  • Newsies
  • Mother Goose
  • untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play
  • Jesus Christ Superstar
  • Next to Normal

Runner Up: Finally getting to the Bridge Theatre, to see their production of Guys & Dolls was such a treat! To get the full experience, I stayed in the pit, getting to be in the middle of the action with the constantly changing stage (rising platforms people), having the cast sing in my face, and then there being a dance off at the end. It truly was immersive theatre as it should be, and at its most fun. I also thought that nothing was going to top The Lion King in this, and if you have seen it, you will understand how epic a scope and how grand the Pride Lands were made in this production. 

Winner: After a lot of thinking, the reason why I went with Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre; because what Jamie Lloyd did with this show has never been applied to it before. The concept seemed crazy. But oh my word did it pay off. The stripping back the Hollywood glamour to its cockroach-ed bones. The casting choices. And especially the cinematography, allowing subtleties in the acting that normally would be too small for a West End stage. It's a revolutionary Sunset that I don't think could ever be replicated. 

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 So... it's been a year, as you can see. I have decided this year to not do a 2024 preview and give myself a well deserved break. But mark my words, I have a thing or two pinned - and already got a date secured for Spirited Away! (My favourite film EVER on stage... I HAD to!!)

Happy New Year everyone! 

Source: You Get A Happy New Year GIF by Det Danske Filminstitut - Find & Share on GIPHY
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