1996 Laurence Olivier Awards

Edition of London theatre awards

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· 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

Details of winners (in bold) and nominees, in each award category, per the Society of London Theatre.

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
Best Actor	Best Actress
*Alex Jennings as Peer Gynt in Peer Gynt* – RSC at the Young Vic** Michael Gambon as Tom Sergeant in Skylight – National Theatre Cottesloe / Wyndham's Daniel Massey as Wilhelm Furtwängler in Taking Sides – Criterion Donal McCann as Thomas Dunne in The Steward of Christendom – Royal Court	*Judi Dench as Christine Foskett in Absolute Hell* – National Theatre Lyttelton** Diana Rigg as Mother Courage in Mother Courage and Her Children – National Theatre Olivier Zoë Wanamaker as Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy Lia Williams as Kyra Hollis in Skylight – National Theatre Cottesloe / Wyndham's
Best Actor in a Musical	Best Actress in a Musical
*Adrian Lester as Robert in Company* – Donmar Warehouse** Brian Conley as Al Jolson in Jolson – Victoria Palace Ross Lehman as Koko in Hot Mikado – Queen's Clarke Peters as Nat King Cole in Unforgettable – Garrick	*Judi Dench as Desirée Armfeldt in A Little Night Music* – National Theatre Olivier** Elizabeth Mansfield as Marie Lloyd in Marie – Fortune Caroline O'Connor as Mabel Normand in Mack and Mabel – Piccadilly Elaine Paige as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard – Adelphi
Best Supporting Performance	Best Supporting Performance in a Musical
*Simon Russell Beale as Mosca in Volpone* – National Theatre Olivier** Ben Chaplin as Tom Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy Geraldine McEwan as Lady Wishfort in The Way of the World – National Theatre Lyttelton Claire Skinner as Laura Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie – Donmar Warehouse / Comedy	*Sheila Gish as Joanne in Company* – Donmar Warehouse** John Bennett as Louis Epstein in Jolson – Victoria Palace Siân Phillips as Madame Armfeldt in A Little Night Music – National Theatre Olivier Sophie Thompson as Amy in Company – Donmar Warehouse
Best Director	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	Best Costume 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	*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
Best Lighting Designer
*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
Outstanding Achievement in Dance	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
Outstanding Achievement in Opera	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

"Olivier Winners 1996". officiallondontheatre.com. Society of London Theatre. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 6 May 2022.

External links

Previous Olivier Winners – 1996

v t e Laurence Olivier Awards
Drama	New Play Entertainment or Comedy Play Revival Actor Actress Actor in a Supporting Role Actress in a Supporting Role
Musical	New Musical Musical Revival Actor in a Musical Actress in a Musical Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical Musical Contribution
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 Family Show Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
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 Performance in a Supporting Role Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical Newcomer in a Play Most Promising Performer Company Performance Director of a Play Director of a Musical Most Promising Playwright Achievement in a Musical Audience Award
Ceremonies	1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 ~~1989 (see 1989/90)~~ 1989/90 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 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 ~~2021 (COVID-19)~~ 2022 2023 2024

Categories:

Misplaced Pages

1996 Laurence Olivier Awards

Winners and nominees

Productions with multiple nominations and awards

See also

References

External links