This month, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, showing at London’s Palace Theatre, broke records with eleven nominations for an Olivier Award, and again when the show walked away with nine wins.
The show missed out the main categories of Best Musical and Best Actor in a Musical, both of which went to Groundhog Day, which is currently showing at The Old Vic. Dreamgirls, on at the Savoy Theatre, also scooped two big awards with Best Actress in a Musical and Best Supporting Actor in a Musical.
The Olivier Awards, formerly known as the Urnies because of the blue Wedgewood urn that winners were given, have been presented since 1976. Nowadays, winners receive a solid bronze statuette, weighing 1.6 kilograms. It depicts a young Laurence Olivier starring as Henry V in 1937 at The Old Vic.
Recent venues for the ceremony have included most of London’s famous West End theatres including the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, the National Theatre, the London Palladium, the Shaftesbury and the Royal Opera House. This year saw the evening held at the Royal Albert Hall for the first time on Sunday, April 9.
Although the Harry Potter adaptation scooped a record nine awards, and the show may even go on to win further engraved glass trophies, there were other winners on the night who were equally as happy. The actor and director Kevin Brannagh was presented with a Special Award, the popular musical Jesus Christ Superstar won Best Musical Revival, and Billie Piper was awarded Best Actress for her role in Yerma at the Young Vic.
