With performers, ensembles and my favourite productions to go I'm going to change my approach from here on out - rather than selecting winners and runners up I'll be doing count downs of my favourites. In this post I'll be doing my top 6 actors, actresses and ensembles as I tried to cut it down to 5 and just couldn't do it. Here goes:
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Best Male Performance:
6. Matthew Spencer - Hamlet 1603 (White Bear Theatre)
I've seen some great performances on the fringe this year and Hamlet 1603 had several excellent ones but Matthew Spencer's tightly coiled, emotional Laertes especially impressed me.
5. Joseph Millson - Rocket to the Moon (National Theatre)
I've admired Joseph Millson for a while but was particularly impressed by the supressed, suppressed emotion of his performance and the gentle thawing and awakening was beautiful to watch.
4. Ed Bennett - Three Farces (Orange Tree Theatre)
Ed Bennett has a marvellous ability to capture something charming and very real in every part I've seen him play but I was particularly impressed by his performance in the second of the three farces, An Unwarrantable Intrusion (alongside the also excellent Clive Francis) - an absolute whirlwind of a performance - funny, sinister, clever and mesmerising.
3. Kyle Soller - The Government Inspector (Young Vic)
Though there were major problems with this production, it became something magical every time Kyle Soller took the stage - it was difficult to take your eyes off him - a bundle of energy, naivety, comedy, enthusiasm and childishness. Perfect.
2. Chris Finn - Iolanthe (Wilton's Music Hall)
As well as stunning vocals, Chris Finn utterly broke my heart both times I saw this - there was something rawly emotional about his performance and an honesty to the way he played the female role that has set a standard few people can match for me.
1. John Heffernan - Richard II (Bristol Tobacco Factory)
Although there have been some incredible performances this year there was only really one choice for me for the number one spot - John Heffernan was mind blowingly good as Richard and I can't quite shake the feeling that if the production had been in London it would have been hailed as a career making performance. It managed a perfect marriage of intelligence and emotion, was magical at each moment and I have never seen an audience so entranced by an actor's silence before.
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Best Female Performance:
6. Jess Murphy - Into Thy Hands (Wilton's Music Hall)
There were several very strong performances in Into Thy Hands but nobody quite impressed me as much as Jess Murphy as Anne Donne - warm, human, entrancing and utterly compelling as she delivered one of the best female monologues I have seen in the theatre.
5. Sophie Russell - King Lear (Royal Shakespeare Theatre)
With the exception of plays I felt had made significant alterations for a venue change such as Iolanthe or Antony and Cleopatra I have excluded any productions I'd seen in previous years - except here. Sophie Russell's promotion to the Fool in Lear was too magical for me to leave out. There was an innocence and purity of emotion to her portrayal that transformed my appreciation of the character, the relationship with Lear and the play itself.
4. Sheridan Smith - Flare Path (Theatre Royal Haymarket)
Sheridan Smith has turned out to be an unexpected jewel in the crown of British acting talent and I've rarely been as entranced by a character as I was with her in Flare Path - where she truly stole the show.
3. Camille O'Sullivan - Rape of Lucrece (Swan Theatre)
Combining singing and acting into something that was neither opera or quite a musical as we understand it, Camille O'Sullivan proved to be astounding - utterly compelling as she carried the performance alone and capturing such a range of characters and emotions with so little help from costume or setting and with no let up from the relentless march of the poem. I hope she does more acting in the future.
2. Jo Herbert - As You Like It (Globe Theatre)
Rosalind is one of the most incredible characters that Shakespeare wrote and until Jo Herbert I've never seen anyone who has quite been a match for her - but this was perfect. Quick but not too polished, not always in control but leaving everyone in her dust, charming, goofy, excitable and making the audience fall utterly in love with her. I will count myself lucky if I ever see a better portrayal.
1. Emma Pallant - As You Like It (Globe Theatre)
It was going to be hard job to dislodge Jo Herbert from the top spot, so I'm not sure whether it's fitting that the only person who managed her was from the As You Like It cast as well. But Emma Pallant, in her twin roles as Pheobe and especially Madam Jacques, blew me away. Completely altering my impression of the character, bringing me to tears with the Seven Ages speech, capturing every nuance of a damaged human being and difficult to take your eyes from. The silent moment alone when she hears of the Duke's return to court is revelatory. And if anyone would care to give her the role of Hamlet I'd be exceptionally happy.
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Best Ensemble Performances:
6. Company (Southwark Playhouse)
Company in some ways was designed to be in the ensemble category, although Rupert Young was wonderful as Bobby, the real charm was getting to see so many incredible performers getting chances to shine and it made it almost impossible to select favourite moments or favourite songs there were so many great ones.
5. Iolanthe (Wilton's Music Hall)
The way the relatively large cast of Iolanthe worked seamlessly together, their dedication to the show, the sense of the fun they imbued it with and the wealth of talent of all varieties on stage was utterly joyful to watch.
4. A Delicate Balance (Almeida)
There was a cream of acting talent on display in A Delicate Balance and it showed, I could easily have dedicated myself to watching any of the performers and been completely entranced - with them all together it was often hard to know where to look but made each moment incredibly rich.
3. Then The Snow Came (Orange Tree Theatre)
Though this is a relatively small cast, I was so blown away with each single member that it was hard to resist putting all of them in my top male performances, instead though I decided to put them in the ensemble category. Stunning performances.
2. Electra (Gate Theatre)
Like all the productions nominated here this was a production where there were no weak performances and I thought the close harmony of the cast was incredibly impressive. They obviously shared a strong artistic vision and it showed in the quality of the work produced.
1. As You Like It (The Globe)
Given that I've already given two of my top acting spots to two of the cast it seems almost gratuitous to award the top ensemble spot to As You Like It, but the reason Jo Herbert and Emma Pallant are able to shine so brightly is because of the strong cast supporting them and working with them. In this production I can't fault a single actor, each is doing memorable, inventive and clever things with their roles and also working seamlessly together to create something beautiful.
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