The winners of the Wales Theatre Awards 2016 were announced at an awards ceremony at Cardiff’s Sherman Cymru, Saturday January 30th. The night was a celebration of some of the most talented stage performers that the country has to offer.
The special achievement award was presented to Jessica Cohen and Jim Ennis, whose company Earthfall celebrated its 25th anniversary last year. The Cardiff-based company won this year’s Wales Theatre Awards for Best Dance for Stories from a Crowded Room.
Wales Theatre Awards director Mike Smith said, “The new Audience Award as voted online by audiences across Wales was presented to the Torch Theatre Company’s play Grav. It has been a particularly successful year for the Welsh capital’s new pub theatre The Other Room. Best Actor English Language, Christian Patterson, Best Playwright in English Language, Alun Saunders and Best Director Kate Wasserberg won their awards for work at The Other Room.”
Sophie Melville won Best actress in the English Language for Sherman Cymru’s for Iphigenia in Splott while the company also won Best Show for Children and Young People for Arabian Nights.
In the Welsh language categories, Theatr Bara Caws’ Difa was named Best Production. Best Welsh language Playwright was won by Llŷr Titus for Drych performed by Cwmni’r Frân Wen. Best Male was won by one of the stars of the drama, Rhodri Evan.
Best Female for August 012’s Yuri went to Carys Eleri.
All three opera awards were won by Welsh National Opera and the Best Sound Award was won by Welsh National Opera’s Musical Director Lothar Koenigs for his conducting of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande.
These awards recognise excellence in theatre, dance and opera created and presented in Wales between December 2014 and November 2015. The nominations were put forward by 34 critics throughout Wales.
words KATIE BELLIS, photos NATASHA HIRST