By Marie-Louise Gumuchian
LONDON, April 12 (Reuters) – Paddington Bear was the big winner at the Olivier Awards in London on Sunday, with a stage adaptation of the beloved children’s books picking up seven prizes at Britain’s top theatre honours.
“Paddington The Musical”, based on author Michael Bond’s books and the 2014 film adaptation, brings to life the marmalade-sandwich-loving bear, a refugee from Peru who is named after the London train station where he is found. The show, with music and lyrics by musician Tom Fletcher, won prizes including best new musical, best director and best actor in a musical for the duo who portray the title character together.
“With everything that is happening in this world there will be further displaced people, please be welcoming, accepting and helpful to those people and treat them as you would if you were Paddington himself,” James Hameed, who voices Paddington off-stage in the show while co-winner Arti Shah plays the bear on stage, said in their joint acceptance speech.
“Paddington reminds us to be welcoming, inquisitive and most importantly kind.”
It had led nominations alongside “Into the Woods”, a production of Stephen Sondheim’s musical featuring Brothers Grimm characters that won best musical revival, with 11 nods each.
“Punch”, based on a real-life story of one man’s fatal punch, won best new play.
“Snow White” star Rachel Zegler won best actress in a musical for her portrayal of Argentine first lady Eva Peron in “Evita”, which saw her performing the show’s big number “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” live from a balcony outside the theatre.
“Thank you so much to the city of London for making me feel so welcome here. I never could have imagined it,” Zegler said.
“It was the honour of a lifetime singing to the people of Argyll Street eight times a week. I can’t believe I got so lucky.”
“Gone Girl” star Rosamund Pike won best actress for legal drama “Inter Alia”, while Jack Holden beat the likes of “Loki” actor Tom Hiddleston, and “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston to win best actor for true-crime thriller play “Kenrex”.
A new production of Arthur Miller’s “All My Sons” won best revival and best supporting actor for Paapa Essiedu, who plays Professor Snape in the upcoming “Harry Potter” television series.
Named after actor Laurence Olivier and first handed out in 1976, the awards are Britain’s most prestigious theatrical honours L6N40T0SS.
As well as celebrating their 50th anniversary, the awards marked other major theatre milestones: 40 years of “Phantom of the Opera” and 20 years of “Wicked”, with special performances for both.
Sunday’s ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall also saw veteran stage actor Elaine Paige receive a special award in recognition of her “defining contribution to musical theatre”.
(Reporting by Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Bill Berkrot)
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