Darren's Looking Forward To The Olivier Awards

We wish former Bablake pupil Darren Carnall all the very best at tonight's Olivier Awards, held at the Royal Opera House.

As UK Associate Choreographer on West End show Kinky Boots, Darren will be hoping the musical will win one of the much sought-after solid bronze statuettes depicting the young Olivier as Henry V at the Old Vic.

The show is nominated for a superb seven awards, including Best Costume Design, Autograph Sound Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music, Best Theatre Choreographer, MasterCard Best New Musical, Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Amy Lennox), and two nominations for Best Actor in a Musical (Killian Donnelly and Matt Henry).

Kinky Boots, with music by Cyndi Lauper, has already won 6 Tony awards in the USA, so it is no surprise it is already a favourite with UK theatregoers having won the London Evening Standard BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical and the WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Musical. 

Highlights from the ceremony will be shown tonight on ITV1 at 10.15pm with the whole show broadcast on ITV3 tomorrow night (April 4th) at 10pm.

The Olivier Awards are British theatre's most prestigious stage honours and this year celebrate their 40th anniversary. Originally called the Society of West End Theatre Awards, in 1984, acclaimed actor Laurence Olivier gave permission for his name to be associated with the ceremony, hence the current name. 

Photograph of Darren by Paul Nicholas-Dyke.

(#BablakePupilsEverywhere - No.16)