The Off West End Theatre Awards, nicknamed The Offies, were launched in 2010 to recognise and celebrate excellence, innovation and ingenuity of independent

Off West End Off West End refers to theatres in London which are not included as West End theatres. The term is a relatively recent one, coined after the similar American term "off-Broadway" (though without the same strict definition). It is usually used synony ...

theatres across London. Over 80 theatres participate in the awards, with more than 400 productions being considered annually by a team of 40 assessors, with the winners chosen by a select panel of critics.

History

The Off West End Theatre Awards were launched in 2010 to commemorate and recognise on and off-stage talent within the theatre industry of around 80 of London's independent

theatres. The first-ever award ceremony for The Offies was held on 27 February 2011 with

Simon Callow Simon Phillip Hugh Callow (born 15 June 1949) is an English film, television and voice actor, director, narrator and writer. He was twice nominated for BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his roles in ''A Room with a View (1985 ...

hosting the event. 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 The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) is an umbrella organisation for West End theatre in London. Founded in 1908, as Society of West End Theatre Managers, then Society of West End Theatre in 1975, changing to its current name in 1994, the (SOLT) ...

Laurence Olivier Awards The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known as ...

. The winners are selected by a panel of theatre critics. In 2014,

Phoebe Waller-Bridge Phoebe Mary Waller-Bridge (born 14 July 1985) is an English actress and screenwriter. She is best known as the creator, head writer, and star of the BBC sitcom ''Fleabag'' (2016–2019), which was based on her one-woman show of the same name. ...

won two Off West End Theatre awards for her one-woman show ''

Fleabag ''Fleabag'' is a British comedy-drama television series created and written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, based on her one-woman show first performed in 2013 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It was originally produced by Two Brothers Pictures for d ...

'' at the

Soho Theatre The Soho Theatre is a theatre and registered charity in the Soho district of the City of Westminster, in London, England. It produces and presents new works of theatre, together with comedy and cabaret, across three performance spaces. The the ...

Ceremony

Award categories

Plays * Performance Piece (Non-binary) * Female Performance in a Supporting Role in a Play * Female Performance In a Play * Male Performance in a Supporting Role in a Play * Male Performance In a Play * Most Promising New Playwright * New Play * Director * Production Musicals & Opera * Female Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical * Female Performance in a Musical * Male Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical * Male Performance in a Musical * Musical Director * Director * New Musical * Musical Production * Opera Production Design * Costume Design * Sound Design * Set Design * Lighting Design * Video Design Productions for Young People * Ages 0–7 * Ages 8+ * Ages 13+ Special * Artistic Director * Producer * Special Achievement Other * IDEA (Innovative / Devised / Experimental / Atypical) * Choreography/Movement * Performance Ensemble * Company Ensemble * TBC (shows that don't fit other categories)

Recent finalists and winners

Recent winners and nominations have included: Performance Piece *2019

Arinzé Kene Arinzé Mokwe Kene () is a Nigerian-born British actor and playwright. Early life In 1987, Kene was born in Lagos, Nigeria and moved to London when he was four. Kene's father was a taxi driver. Kene was bullied growing up and was encouraged ...

in ''Misty'' at the

Bush Theatre The Bush Theatre is located in the Passmore Edwards Public Library, Shepherd's Bush, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. It was established in 1972 as a showcase for the work of new writers. The Bush Theatre strives to create a spa ...

(winner) *2019 Bryony Kimmings in ''I'm a Phoenix, Bitch'' at the

Battersea Arts Centre The Battersea Arts Centre ("BAC") is a performance space specialising in theatre productions. Located near Clapham Junction railway station in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, it was formerly Battersea Town Hall. It is a Grade ...

(Nom) Best Female Performance in a Play *2015 Linda Bassett in '' Visitors'' at the

and Arcola Theatre (winner) *2015

Shannon Tarbet Shannon Tarbet (born 27 October 1991) is a British actress who has transitioned from an extensive career in theatre to feature film with main roles in '' Love Is Blind'' (2019) and '' Love Sarah'' (2020), and on television with recurring roles ...

in ''The Edge Of Our Bodies'' at the

Gate Theatre The Gate Theatre is a Theater (structure), theatre on Cavendish Row in Dublin, Ireland. It was founded in 1928. History Beginnings The Gate Theatre was founded in 1928 by Hilton Edwards and Micheál MacLiammóir with Daisy Bannard Cogley and Ge ...

(Nom) *2017

Louise Jameson Louise Jameson (born 20 April 1951) is an English actress with a wide variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in ''Doctor Who'' (1977–1978), Anne Reynolds in ''The Omega Factor'' (1979), ...

in ''The Diva Drag'' at The Hope (Nom) *2017 Rona Morison in ''

The Diary of a Teenage Girl ''The Diary of a Teenage Girl'' is a 2015 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Marielle Heller, based on the hybrid novel of the same name by Phoebe Gloeckner. It stars Bel Powley as a 15-year-old girl who becomes sexually active ...

'' at the

Southwark Playhouse Southwark Playhouse is a theatre in London, located between Borough and Elephant and Castle tube stations. History The Southwark Playhouse Theatre Company was founded in 1993 by Juliet Alderdice and Tom Wilson. They identified the need for a h ...

(Nom) *2017

Jenna Russell Jenna Russell (born 5 October 1967) is an English actress and singer. She has appeared on the stage in London in both musicals and dramas, as well as appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She performed the role of Dot in ''Sunday in the ...

in ''

Grey Gardens ''Grey Gardens'' is a 1975 American documentary film by Albert and David Maysles. The film depicts the everyday lives of two reclusive, upper-class women, a mother and daughter both named Edith Beale, who lived in poverty at Grey Gardens, a ...

'' at the

(Nom) *2018 Mimi Ndiweni in ''The Convert'' at the

(winner) *2018 Lucy Robinson in ''Late Company'' at the

Finborough Theatre The Finborough Theatre is a fifty-seat theatre in the West Brompton area of London (part of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) under artistic director Neil McPherson. The theatre presents new British writing, as well as UK and world p ...

(Nom) *2019

Sarah Niles Sarah Niles is a British film, television and theatre actress. She has appeared in ''Mister Eleven '' and '' Beautiful People '' (2009), '' Thorne: Sleepyhead ''(2010), '' Spotless '' (2015), '' Catastrophe '' (2015-2019), '' Trust Me '' (2019) ...

in ''Leave Taking'' at the

(winner) *2019

in ''Vincent River'' at the Park Theatre (Nom) *2019

Monica Dolan Monica Margaret Dolan (born 15 March 1969) is an English actress. She won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Rosemary West in '' Appropriate Adult'' (2011). Career Dolan was born in Middlesbrough and trained at the Gu ...

in ''The B*easts'' at the

(Nom) *2019

Sinéad Cusack Sinéad Moira Cusack ( ) is an Irish actress. Her first acting roles were at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, before moving to London in 1969 to join the Royal Shakespeare Company. She has won the Critics' Circle and ''Evening Standard'' Awards f ...

in ''Stitchers'' at the

Jermyn Street Theatre Jermyn Street Theatre is a performance venue situated on Jermyn Street, in London's West End. It is an off-west end studio theatre. History Jermyn Street Theatre opened in August 1994. It was formerly the changing rooms for staff at a Spaghetti ...

(Nom) Male Performance in a Play *2017

John Ramm John Ramm is an English comedian and actor. He plays Raymond Box in the National Theatre of Brent, and has also appeared on film and television in ''Robin Hood'' (" Will You Tolerate This?"), ''The Palace'', ''Foyle's War'' ("All Clear") and as ...

in ''Sheppey'' at the

Orange Tree Theatre The Orange Tree Theatre is a 180-seat theatre at 1 Clarence Street, Richmond in south-west London, which was built specifically as a theatre in the round. It is housed within a disused 1867 primary school, built in Victorian Gothic style. T ...

(winner) *2017

Phil Dunster Philip James Dunster (born 31 March 1992) is an English actor. He is known for in the Sky One drama '' Strike Back'' (2017–2018), the Channel 4 science fiction series ''Humans'' (2018), the ITV comedy-drama ''The Trouble with Maggie Cole'' ( ...

in ''Pink Mist'' at the

(Nom) *2017

Paul Keating Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician and unionist who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996, holding office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He previously serv ...

in ''Kenny Morgan'' at the Arcola Theatre (Nom) *2018 Ben Aldridge in ''Run The Beast Down'' at the

(winner) *2018 Ken Nwosu in '' An Octoroon'' at the

(winner) *2018

Ian McDiarmid Ian McDiarmid (; born 11 August 1944) is a Scottish actor and director of stage and screen, best known for portraying the Sith Lord Emperor Sheev Palpatine / Darth Sidious in the ''Star Wars'' multimedia franchise. Making his stage debut in '' ...

in ''

What Shadows ''What Shadows'' is a play by Chris Hannan. The play premiered in The STUDIO at Birmingham Repertory Theatre running from 27 October to 12 November 2016. The cast included Ian McDiarmid as Enoch Powell and directed by Roxana Silbert. The play was ...

'' at the Park Theatre (Nom) *2019

Harry McEntire Harry McEntire (born September 14, 1990) is an English actor. He is known for his roles in Tower Block, for his numerous theatre roles, such as in the award-winning London production of '' Spring Awakening'', for starring in the English localiz ...

in ''Homos, or Everyone in America'' at the

(Nom) Best Performance in a Play *2022

Rachel Tucker Rachel Kelly Tucker (born 29 May 1981) is a Northern Irish West End and Broadway actress, best known for her portrayal of Elphaba in the hit musical '' Wicked''. She most recently starred in Come from Away on Broadway, having originated the role ...

in ''

John & Jen ''John & Jen'' (styled as ''john & jen'') is a musical with music by Andrew Lippa, lyrics by Tom Greenwald, and a book by Lippa and Greenwald. It is a two-person show about the relationships first between a brother and sister, John and Jen, and th ...

'' at the

(Nom) *2022

Rosemary Ashe Rosemary Ashe (born 28 March 1953) is an English stage actress and singer. Early life and training She was born to Philip Stephen Ashe and Dorothy May (née Watts). She attended Lowestoft Grammar School before studying at the Royal Academy of ...

in ''

Call Me Madam ''Call Me Madam'' is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to ...

'' at the

Upstairs at The Gatehouse Upstairs at The Gatehouse is a small pub theatre in Highgate in the London Borough of Camden. The venue is a refurbished 1895 auditorium, upstairs from the Gatehouse pub, which has served over the years as a music hall, cinema, Masonic lodge, a ...

(Nom) Female Performance in a Supporting Role in a Play *2018

Jo Martin Jo Martin (born 29 April) is a British actress. She played Natalie Crouch in the BBC One sitcom '' The Crouches'', which aired between 2003 and 2005. She joined the cast of ''Holby City'' in 2019 as neurosurgeon Max McGerry. Martin portrayed a ...

in ''Doubt: A Parable'' at the

(winner) *2018

Sinead Matthews Sinead Matthews (born ) is an English actress whose credits include film, television and stage. Her notable TV roles include Marcia Williams in ''The Crown''. She was born in Coventry, England, and attended Cardinal Wiseman Catholic School i ...

in ''Loot'' at the Park Theatre (Nom) *2018

Vivian Oparah Vivian Nneka O. Oparah (born 30 December 1996) is a British actress and musician. She is known for her work in theatre, earning an Off West End Award nomination, and her roles in the BBC Three ''Doctor Who'' spin-off ''Class'' (2016) and the film ...

in '' An Octoroon'' at the

(Nom) Male Performance in a Supporting Role in a Play *2018

Tom Rhys Harries Tom Rhys Harries (born 8 October 1992) is a Welsh actor, best known for his roles as Manchester DJ Axel Collins in the Netflix series '' White Lines'' (2020) and Eddie Walker in the Apple TV+ series '' Suspicion'' (2022). Harries has also acted ...

in ''

The Pitchfork Disney ''The Pitchfork Disney'' is a 1991 stage play by Philip Ridley. It was his first professional stage work, having also produced work as a visual artist, novelist, filmmaker, and scriptwriter for film and radio. The play premiered at the Bush Theat ...

'' at the

Shoreditch Town Hall Shoreditch Town Hall is a municipal building in Shoreditch, London. It is a Grade II listed building. History In the mid-20th century, the vestry board decided to procure a vestry hall for the Parish of St. Leonard's; the site they selected h ...

(winner) *2018

Danny Hatchard Danny-Boy Hatchard (born 26 July 1991) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Lee Carter in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. Hatchard's other credits include Aaron in the 2014 film ''We Still Kill the Old Way'' and Steven Pierc ...

in ''Eyes Closed, Ears Covered'' at The Bunker (theatre) (Nom) *2019

Wil Johnson Wilbert Charles Johnson (born 18 April 1965) is an English actor, who has had notable television roles in '' Waking the Dead'' and '' Babyfather'', and on stage in '' Othello''. He played Dom Andrews in ''Emmerdale'' from 2012 to 2014. Early ...

in ''Leave Taking'' at the

(winner) *2019 Malcolm Sinclair in ''Pressure'' at the Park Theatre (Nom) *2019

Nitin Ganatra Nitin Chandra Ganatra (born 30 June 1967) is a Kenyan-born British actor. He is known for portraying Masood Ahmed in the BBC soap opera, ''EastEnders''. Early and personal life Ganatra was born on 30 June 1967 in Kenya. Both sides of Ganatra' ...

in ''End of the Pier'' at the Park Theatre (Nom) Female Performance in a Musical *2019 Caroline O’Connor in ''The Rink'' at the

(winner) Male Performance in a Musical *2020

Keith Ramsay Keith Ramsay (4 March 1844 – 3 May 1906) was mayor of Dunedin from 1874 to 1875. Ramsay was born in the manse of Alyth in Perthshire in 1844. His father, William Ramsay, was a parish minister. He received his education at Blairgowrie. After ...

in '' Preludes'' at the

(winner) *2020 Richard Shelton in ''Sinatra: Raw'' at Crazy Coqs / Brasserie Zedel (Nom)

References

External links

Official website

Organiser's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Offies Award ceremonies British awards Ceremonies in the United Kingdom Stagecraft London awards Awards established in 2010 British theatre awards 2010 establishments in the United Kingdom Theatre in London

History

Ceremony

Award categories

Recent finalists and winners

See also

References

External links