BWW:UK Awards 2015 Update - Natalie O'Donoghue's Picks!

I got pretty excited when I was reading over the list for the 2015 BWW:UK theatre nominations. My excitement was shortly followed by panic - what do you mean I can only pick one in each category? For me, this last year has been outstanding in theatre and several new shows have become firm favourites of mine.

For Best New Musical I had to vote for Memphis. I saw it shortly after it opened and fell completely in love with it. It also gets my vote for Best Choreography, Best Leading Actor for Killian Donnelly and Best Leading Actress for Beverley Knight!

I feel as though I managed to see a lot of the West End nominees this year so although it has been difficult to choose just one in each category- I feel that I'm in a position to make an informed decision. For Best Featured Actress in a play I really loved Dianna Agron's performance in McQueen at the St James. It's not a secret that Cats may be my least favourite musical of all time, but I adored Kerry Ellis's run as Grizabella earlier this year. I'm glad I made the effort to go and see it because I thought her performance was outstanding and she definitely gets my vote for Best Featured Actress in a New Production of a Musical (UK/West End).

The Edinburgh Fringe is probably the most important part of my theatre-going year and I'm thrilled to see one of my much loved shows of 2015 being recognised in the BWW Awards this year. Rebecca Crookshank and her one-woman play Whiskey Tango Foxtrot are nominated for four awards and the play is my top pick for Best New Production of a Play Fringe/Regions. From both the festival and a limited London run, Ushers The Front Of House musical gets my vote for Best New Production of a Musical Fringe/Regions.

The Theatrical Event of the Year category is causing me some anguish this year. I was so disappointed when the Kerry and Louise performance at the Prince Edward theatre was scheduled while I was on holiday. I have no doubt that I would have loved every minute of this concert but unfortunately I couldn't make it. So my vote for Theatrical Event of the year has to go to the wonderful Christina Bianco for her one-woman show Party Of One. Party Of One had a run at the Hippodrome in London in May this year and also did a two-week stint at the Edinburgh Fringe. This was undoubtedly the highlight of my festival this year and would be such a deserving winner.

The venues nominated for Theatrical Venue of the year are mostly based in the West End and while I do love those theatres, my loyalties have to lie with the King's Theatre, Glasgow. The King's programme is always packed with exciting productions and has been host to the Scottish premieres of shows such as Wicked, The Bodyguard and Shrek. They also have the friendliest staff - which is always a bonus!

My vote for long-running show in the West End remains, as always, Wicked.

Agree with Natalie's picks? Think she's entirely wrong? Make sure you get your vote in!

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