The Off West End Theatre Awards, nicknamed The Offies, is an annual awards ceremony launched in 2010 by OffWestEnd to recognise and celebrate excellence, innovation and ingenuity of independent Off West End theatres across London. The awards recognise productions staged outside the commercial West End and highlight the work of emerging and established artists, companies, and creative teams.
The OffWestEnd Theatre Awards were launched in 2010 by Sofie Mason and Diana Jervis-Read[1] to commemorate and recognise on and off-stage talent within the theatre industry of around 80 of London's independent Off West End theatres.[2][3]
The first-ever award ceremony for The Offies was held on 27 February 2011 with Simon Callow hosting the event.[4] The aim of the awards is to help raise the profile and status of independent theatres in London by rewarding productions not eligible for the Society of London Theatre-Laurence Olivier Awards.[5] The winners are selected by a panel of theatre critics.[6]
Male Performance (Plays): Wil Johnson – Leave Taking (Winner); Tyrone Huntley – Angry (Nominee); Trevor White – Building the Wall (Nominee); Timothy Harker – An Honourable Man (Nominee); Robert Costerlli – Rothschild & Sons (Nominee); Les Dennis – End of the Pier (Nominee); Irfan Shamji – Mayfly (Finalist); Henry Goodman – Honour (Nominee)[17] Male Performance (Musicals): Neil McDermott – Eugenius! (Nominee). Male Supporting Performance (Plays): Wil Johnson – The Daughter in Law (Nominee); Paul Bradley – Humble Boy (Nominee); Nitin Ganatra – End of the Pier (Finalist); Ian Bonar – Jellyfish (Nominee)[17] Female Performance (Plays): Veronica Roberts – The Daughter in Law (Nominee); Tricia Kelly – Caterpillar (Nominee); Teresa Banham – The Open House (Nominee); Tanya Moodie – Rasheeda Speaking (Nominee); Sinead Cusack – Stitchers (Finalist); Sheila Hancock – Harold & Maude (Nominee); Sarah Niles – Leave Taking (Winner); Monica Dolan – The B*easts (Finalist); Miquel Brown – The Play About My Dad (Nominee); Louise Jameson – My Best Gay Friend (Finalist); Louise Jameson – Vincent River (Finalist); Leanne Best – The Human Voice (Nominee); Imogen Stubbs – Honour (Nominee)[17] Female Supporting Performance (Plays): Selina Cadell – Humble Boy (Nominee); Laura Rogers – Pressure (Nominee)[17] Performance Piece / Short Run: Monica Dolan – The B*easts (Finalist)[17] Most Promising New Playwright: Monica Dolan – The B*easts (Nominee)[17] Director: Michael Boyd – The Open House (Nominee); James Hillier – Not Talking (Nominee)[17]
Special Award: Sally Wood – Producer (Winner).
Most Promising New Playwright (Plays): Temi Wilkey – The High Table (Nominee)[19] Lead Performance (Plays): Sam Crane – The Rage of Narcissus (Finalist); Michael Pennington – The Tempest (Nominee); Maggie Steed – The Cutting Edge (Nominee)[19] Supporting Performance (Plays): John Hollingworth – The Sugar Syndrome (Finalist)[19] Lead Performance (Musicals): Jessica Martin – Blitz! (Nominee).[19] Supporting Performance (Plays): Isabella Laughland – Love, Love, Love (Nominee)[19] Lead Performance (Musicals): Frances Barber – Musik (Winner)[19] Lead Performance (Musicals): Dave Willetts – Rags (Winner)[19]
Supporting Performance (Plays): Alexandra Gilbreath – The Sugar Syndrome (Nominee)[19]
Male Performance (Plays): Richard Gadd – Baby Reindeer (Nominee)[19]
2021
New Play (Plays): Young Jean Lee – Straight White Men (Nominee)[20] Lead Performance (Musicals): Wendi Peters – You Are Here (Finalist)[20] Performance Piece: Ronke Adékoluejo – Lava (Winner)[20] Supporting Performance (Plays): Nancy Crane – Yellowfin (Nominee)[20] Performance Piece (Plays): Linda Marlowe – No Fear! (Finalist)[20] Lead Performance (Plays): John Dagleish – Cratchit (Nominee)[20] Supporting Performance (Musicals): Jacqueline Dankworth – Indecent Proposal (Finalist)[20] Lead Performance (Plays): Grace Saif – Athena (Nominee)[20] Design: Sound (Plays): Gareth Fry – Psychodrama (Nominee)[20] Most Promising New Playwright (Plays): Dipo Baruwa-Etti – The Sun, The Moon and The Stars (Finalist)[20] Lead Performance (Plays): Daragh O’Malley – Yes So I Said Yes (Nominee)[20]
Female Performance in a Musical: Liv Andrusier – Ride at the Charing Cross Theatre (Winner)[22]
Performance Ensemble: Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis, Louisa Harland – Ulster American (Nominee)[22]
Performance Ensemble: Willow Traynor, Rosa Amos, Annabel Gray, Louisa Hamdi, Peal Adams, Afriya-Jasmine Nylander, Ellie Rose Amit – Flies (Nominee)[22]
Musicals: Supporting Performance: Tracie Bennett – How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Nominee)[22]
Full Run: Plays – Lead Performance: Stephen Dillane – How It Is (Part Two) (Nominee)[22]