Podcast Summary: "Who was snubbed by the Olivier Awards? | All the shows and stars who deserved nominations in 2024"

Podcast Information:

• Title: MickeyJoTheatre
• Host/Author: MickeyJoTheatre (Mickey-Jo)
• Episode Title: Who was snubbed by the Olivier Awards? | All the shows and stars who deserved nominations in 2024
• Release Date: March 16, 2024

Introduction

Mickey-Jo kicks off the episode with a nostalgic nod to "snubbies," transitioning into the main topic: analyzing the snubs in the 2024 Laurence Olivier Award nominations. She emphasizes the significance of these awards in the West End theatre scene and their impact on both shows and individual careers.

[00:00] Mickey Jo: "Oh, I've said the word snubbed too many times now and it no longer sounds like a real word."

Understanding Olivier Awards Eligibility

Before delving into specific categories, Mickey-Jo clarifies the eligibility criteria for the Olivier Awards. Shows must have opened between mid-February of the previous year and mid-February of the current year in a SALT (Society of London Theatres) member theatre. She highlights the surprise inclusion of "Guys and Dolls" due to its theatre's membership status.

[03:45] Mickey Jo: "The Olivier Awards are a mark of quality. It is a big attainment for a show. For their marketing, they get to say, we've had 12 Olivier nominations."

Best New Musical Category

Mickey-Jo expresses her disappointment with the limited number of nominees (four) in a year abundant with new musicals. She underscores the absence of several critically acclaimed shows that deserved recognition.

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Little Big Things
  • A Strange Loop
  • Operation Mincemeat
  • Next to Normal

• Notable Snubs:

  • The Witches at the National Theatre
  • Just For One Day at the Old Vic
  • The Secret Life of Bees at the Almeida
  • Cold War at the Almeida
  • Ain't Too Proud
  • Mrs. Doubtfire
  • The Time Traveller's Wife and Flowers for Mrs. Harris

[05:30] Mickey Jo: "We did see nominations for the Little Big Things for A Strange Loop, which I was thrilled about because I was concerned that wasn't going to happen."

Best Revival of a Musical Category

This category showcased a mix of genuine revivals and productions nominated on technicalities. Mickey-Jo points out the unexpected nomination of Hadestown as a revival.

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Hadestown
  • Groundhog Day at the Old Vic
  • Sunset Boulevard
  • Guys and Dolls

• Notable Snubs:

  • Crazy For You revival at Chichester Festival Theatre and Gillian Lynne's version
  • Le Cage aux Folies at Regent's Park

[12:00] Mickey Jo: "I was shocked to only see four [nominees]. If any year called for five nominees, it was this one."

Best New Play Category

Highlighting the dominance of the National Theatre, Mickey-Jo discusses the limited diversity in nominees and the exclusion of several noteworthy productions.

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Dear England at the National Theatre
  • The Hills of California at the Harold Pinter Theatre
  • Till the Stars Come Down at the National Theatre's Dorfman Space
  • The Motive at the Almeida

• Notable Snubs:

  • A Little Life by Ivo Van Hove
  • Stranger Things, the First Shadow
  • Infinite Life by Annie Baker
  • Backstairs Billy
  • Hamnet
  • Rose by Maureen Lipman

[18:45] Mickey Jo: "The nominees we did have were Dear England at the National Theatre... So a great year for the National Theatre, but that also means less of a great year for the other playhouses."

Best Revival of a Play Category

Mickey-Jo critiques the limited representation of revivals, pointing out significant omissions despite standout performances.

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Vanya starring Andrew Scott at the Duke of York's Theatre
  • Shirley Valentine starring Sheridan Smith at the Duke of York's Theatre
  • Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse
  • The Effect at the National Theatre

• Notable Snubs:

  • King Lear directed by Kenneth Branagh
  • The Pillowman at the Duke of York's Theatre
  • The Picture of Dorian Gray

[25:30] Mickey Jo: "I was shocked not to see the Witches getting performance nominations. If you saw that set, then my goodness."

Best Entertainment or Comedy Play Category

This emerging category appears to be a catch-all for diverse productions, leading to questionable nominations that don't align neatly.

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Stranger Things, the First Shadow (a play adaptation of the series)
  • Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends (a musical review)
  • Accidental Death of an Anarchist (a comedy revival)
  • Vardy vs. Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial (a verbatim comedy)

• Observations:

  • Stranger Things should arguably compete in Best New Play.
  • The category seems to offer an "easier" path to nomination for eclectic shows.

[28:15] Mickey Jo: "The one I take the most issue with is Stranger Things. I feel like that ought to have gone into Best New Play."

Performance Categories

Mickey-Jo delves deep into the acting nominations, highlighting both commendable selections and glaring omissions across leading and supporting roles in musicals and plays.

Best Actor in a Musical

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Charlie Stemp for Crazy for You
  • Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard
  • David Cumming for Operation Mincemeat
  • Daniel Mays for Guys and Dolls

• Notable Snubs:

  • Andrew Richardson for Guys and Dolls
  • Gabriel Vick for Mrs. Doubtfire
  • Kyle Ramar Freeman for A Strange Loop
  • David Hunter for The Time Traveller's Wife
  • Donal Finn for Hadestown
  • Jamie Parker for Next to Normal

[32:50] Mickey Jo: "I was just devastated not to see his [Kyle Ramar Freeman] name in that category. He should absolutely have been there."

Best Actress in a Musical

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Nicole Scherzinger for Sunset Boulevard
  • Marisha Wallace for Guys and Dolls
  • Casey Levy for Next to Normal
  • Natasha Hodgson for Operation Mincemeat

• Notable Snubs:

  • Celinda Schoenmaker
  • Tanisha Spring for Groundhog Day
  • Lily Baisdon for 42nd Street
  • Joanna Woodward for The Time Traveller's Wife
  • Jenna Russell for Flowers for Mrs. Harris

[35:20] Mickey Jo: "Salinda [Schoenmaker] should absolutely be there and this is why we need five in each category."

Supporting Performances in a Musical

• Notable Snubs:
  • Gloria Enietri and Melnila Barry from Hadestown
  • Julie Atherton for Margaret Thatcher
  • Clare Moreau from The Great British Bake Off
  • Amy Trigg and Lindsay Hateley from Little Big Things
  • Rachel John and Ava Brennan from The Secret Life of Bees
  • Daniel Rigby from The Witches

[40:10] Mickey Jo: "I would have had him [Daniel Rigby] winning this category, not only nominated in it."

Best Actor in a Play

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Mark Gatiss for The Motive
  • Andrew Scott for Vanya
  • Joseph Fiennes for Dear England
  • James Norton for A Little Life
  • David Tennant for Macbeth

• Notable Snubs:

  • Johnny Flynn for his role in The Motive and the Cue
  • Louis McCartney from Stranger Things, the First Shadow
  • Daniel Rigby for Accidental Death of an Anarchist

[43:25] Mickey Jo: "I was sad that [Johnny Flynn] did not get into it, but this was a year that Kenneth Branagh did not break into this category."

Best Actress in a Play

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Laura Donnelly for The Hills of California
  • Sophie Okonedo for Madea
  • Sheridan Smith for Shirley Valentine
  • Sarah Jessica Parker for Plaza Suite
  • Sarah Snook for The Picture of Dorian Gray

• Notable Snubs:

  • Harriet Walter for The House of Bernarda Alba
  • Maureen Lipman for Rose
  • Kush Jumbo opposite David Tennant in Macbeth

[47:00] Mickey Jo: "I was devastated that Tuppence Middleton was not nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a play for The Motive and the Cue."

Creative Categories

Mickey-Jo touches upon the lack of nominations in technical fields, pointing out the imbalance and absence of deserving shows and creatives.

• Set Design:

  • Notable Absences: The Witches, Hadestown

• Sound Design:

  • Limited nominations, with only one musical recognized.

• Lighting Design:

  • Co-nominations with video design dominate, sidelining pure set design efforts.

• Choreography:

  • Nominees include Arlene Phillips for Guys and Dolls, Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf for Dear England, Fabian Eloise for Sunset Boulevard, Susan Stroman for Crazy for You, and Mark Smith for Little Big Things.
  • Notable Snubs: Stephen Meir for Le Cage aux Folies, choreography for Ain't Too Proud and A Strange Loop

[51:40] Mickey Jo: "Guys and Dolls just for one day, Operation Mincemeat and Sunset Boulevard. The musical teams from those... they have to be recognized."

Directing Category

Criticism is leveled at the Best Director category for its limited diversity and lack of nominations for groundbreaking works.

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Sam Mendes for The Motive and the Cue
  • Jamie Lloyd for Sunset Boulevard
  • Rupert Goold for Dear England
  • Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin for Stranger Things, the First Shadow

• Notable Snubs:

  • Nicholas Hytner for Guys and Dolls
  • Ivo Van Hove for A Little Life
  • Rachel Chavkin for Hadestown
  • Stephen Brackett for A Strange Loop

[55:15] Mickey Jo: "The fact that Operation Mincemeat can be as nominated as it was, but its director wasn't, that's astonishing."

Outstanding Musical Contribution Category

This evolving category now honors arrangers and orchestrators, separate from the best original score.

• Nominees Mentioned:

  • Guys and Dolls
  • Operation Mincemeat
  • Sunset Boulevard

• Notable Snubs:

  • Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends
  • Hadestown
  • Crazy for You
  • The Little Big Things

[58:30] Mickey Jo: "Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends... that's probably the biggest snub here."

Conclusion

Mickey-Jo wraps up the episode by reiterating her disappointment in the snubs across various categories. She encourages listeners to share their thoughts and highlights upcoming coverage of the Olivier Awards in April across her social media channels.

[1:05:00] Mickey Jo: "If I have omitted anyone conspicuous, if I have snubbed anyone from my snubs video, please let me know by commenting down below."

Key Takeaways:

• Limited Nominations: Several deserving musicals and plays were overlooked due to the limited number of nominees in each category.
• National Theatre Dominance: The National Theatre's strong presence in multiple categories may have overshadowed other noteworthy productions.
• Performance Snubs: Numerous standout performances, both in musicals and plays, did not receive the recognition Mickey-Jo felt they deserved.
• Creative Categories: Technical aspects like set and sound design saw fewer nominations than anticipated, leading to calls for more balanced recognition.
• Diversity in Directing: The Best Director category lacked diversity, missing out on several innovative and acclaimed directors.

Mickey-Jo's detailed analysis underscores the complexities and challenges within the Olivier Awards nomination process, highlighting the passionate community's desire for broader and more inclusive recognition of theatre excellence.