Best Supporting Actress in a Play
Daisy Haggard, You For Me For You
There’s no way to describe Haggard’s performance that could do justice to just how accomplished it is. Ostensibly just gibberish, the precise nature of the gobbledygook becomes apparent as her speech slowly modulates into increasingly recognisable English. And all the while as she’s speaking what is essentially another language, she never forgets to extract every exquisite comic detail – just brilliant.
Honourable mention: T’Nia Miller, Eclipsed
As with Wright for Best Actress, it’s a tad invidious to separate out the ensemble of what was my favourite play of the year but the extra dimension that she brought to the show, adding the thoughtful complexity of class division to the mix was an absolute highlight.
Priyanga Burford, The Effect
Estella Daniels, Octagon
Rosalind Eleazor, Plaques and Tangles
Sally Rogers, Hangmen
7-10
Adjoa Andoh, A Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes; Zawe Ashton, Splendour; Hélène Devos, Glazen Speelgoed; Ellie Piercey, As You Like It (Globe)
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Emma Williams, Mrs Henderson Presents
An actress who deserves to be much better known than she currently is, her latest superlative turn in a British musical might just be the one to push her through to the wider public consciousness, as deservedly so. At one point, a single sustained note from her brought tears to my eyes in seconds.
Honourable mention: Amy Lennox, Kinky Boots
This was probably the closest run of these choices as I loved Lennox’s haplessly quirky turn as Lauren is the very definition of a scene-stealer, none more so than in the glorious ‘The History of Wrong Guys’.
Anita Dobson, Follies
Anna Francolini, wonder.land
Lauren Samuels, Bend It Like Beckham
Lorna Want, Beautiful – The Carole King Musical
7-10
Liza Goddard, The Smallest Show on Earth; Preeya Kalidas, Bend It Like Beckham; Anastacia McClesky, Close to You; Victoria Serra, Grand Hotel