Best Actor in a Play
Hans Kesting, The Roman Tragedies
As Mark Antony in The Roman Tragedies, Hans Kesting was an intense revelation, a commanding leading man: passionate, rousing and above all virile, his explosive sexual chemistry with Cleopatra genuinely palpable. That he did all of this in Dutch with a newly broken leg, either from a wheelchair or with a crutch, just added to the frisson of excitement. To witness an actor throwing so much of himself into a role and committing so thoroughly was an absolute privilege and one that I truly hope to witness again, in Dutch, English or whatever language he chooses to speak!
Honourable mentionJude Law, Hamlet
One's first Hamlet should always be a special one, and I was lucky enough to have had the Talented Mr Law as mine. Having avoided ever seeing it before, I was finally tempted by the Donmar West End's production. Roundly denounced as a piece of stunt casting long before the first performance and following on from David Tennant's largely praised run earlier in the year, Jude Law proved his critics seriously wrong with a beautifully impassioned performance, incredibly dark, intense and even morbid at times, I finally understood why it is considered one of 'the' roles for an actor to play.
Dominic Rowan, The Spanish Tragedy
David Troughton, Inherit the Wind
Dan Stevens, Arcadia
Henry Goodman, Duet For One
Best Actor in a Musical
Simon Burke, La Cage aux Folles
Playing against John Barrowman in anything might seem like an unenviable task, not least in this pinkest of shows, but Simon Burke was more than equal to the job in matching La Barrowman's excesses and constantly reminding us of the warm heart beating beneath the feathers and the spangles of this show. Redefining the central relationship was a necessity due to the younger ages of this iteration of the cast and it was interesting to see the sexual dynamic between the two played up, there was no question who wore the trousers on top of this relationship though, Burke's Georges was wickedly comic and flirtatious and ultimately highly watchable.
Honourable mention
Carl Mullaney, Frank's Closet
Switching effortlessly between a fine selection of divas and belting out their classics may seem like a regular gig for many a drag act or gay karaoke night, but nowhere was it done with more panache than at the delightful Hoxton Hall in Frank's Closet by Carl Mullaney. Lightning quick changes, a strong mellifluous voice, this was also an incredible demonstration of physical theatre in how he captured the different mannerisms and movements of each of the divas.
Roger Allam, La Cage aux Folles
Mark Umbers, Sweet Charity
Aneurin Barnard, Spring Awakening
Tony Sheldon, Priscilla, Queen of the DesertLabels: Aneurin Barnard, Carl Mullaney, Dan Stevens, David Troughton, Dominic Rowan, fosterIANs, Hans Kesting, Henry Goodman, Jude Law, Mark Umbers, Roger Allam, Simon Burke, Tony Sheldon