Sunset Boulevard dominated the Whats On Stage Awards, with Nicole Scherzinger leading the way as best performer in a musical.
Jamie Lloyd, who directed the modern staging of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Hollywood music noir, scored seven victories at the ceremony after being nominated in nine categories.
Scherzinger, 45, beat competition from Operation Mincemeat’s Natasha Hodgson, Guys & Dolls’ Marisha Wallace and Next to Normal’s Caissie Levy, as well as male actors Michael Ahomka-Lindsay and Ed Larkin in the second year after gender-neutral categories were introduced at the awards.
Last year Courtney Bowman won in the category for her performance in Legally Blonde.
Lloyd was named best director for his retelling of the tale of Norma Desmond, a forsaken film idol from a forgotten era.
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His decision to cast Scherzinger in a role which has previously been played by Patti LuPone and Glenn Close was described by The Times as a “masterstroke” in its four-star review, which found her “crystalline, full-bodied singing of demanding musical numbers astounds”.
It marked the former Pussycat Doll’s first leading role in the West End since she appeared as Grizabella in the 2014 revival of Cats.
Sunset Boulevard ended its 16-week run in January and is to transfer to Broadway later this year.
Despite its success, it failed to win best musical revival which was one of three awards picked up by Guys & Dolls. The production continues to run at the Bridge Theatre.
The awards are voted for by theatregoers and were held at the London Palladium, hosted by Bonnie Langford and Melanie La Barrie.
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Other winners included James Norton in the best performer in a play category for his role in A Little Life, Ivo van Hove’s adaptation of the book by Hanya Yanagihara.
The win meant that he was the first male winner in the gender-neutral category after Jodie Comer triumphed for her appearance in Prima Facie in 2023.
It was a disappointing night for James Graham’s play about the football manager Gareth Southgate after it had been shortlisted in ten categories.
Dear England lost out for best new play and best performer for Joseph Fiennes, who plays Southgate.
Rufus Norris, director of the National Theatre, received the award for services to UK theatre.
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Norris said in June that he is to step down after a decade in 2025, having steered the arts institution through the challenges of Covid.
Alex Wood, managing director of Whats On Stage, said that theatre would not be able to thrive without challenging and forward-thinking creativity.
“It is striking just how audiences are keen to lend their support to bold, experimental takes on classic tales, from solo versions of Chekhov to immersive takes on classic musicals, or radical re-imaginings of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows. Long may this continue.”
