2005 Laurence Olivier Awards

Edition of London theatre awards

Date

20 February 2005

← 2004 ·

Olivier Awards

· 2006 →

The 2005 Laurence Olivier Awards were held in 2005 in London celebrating excellence in West End theatre by the Society of London Theatre.

Winners and nominees

Details of winners (in bold) and nominees, in each award category, per the Society of London Theatre.^[1]

Best New Play	Best New Musical
The History Boys by Alan Bennett – National Theatre Lyttelton By the Bog of Cats by Marina Carr – Wyndham's Festen by David Eldridge – Almeida / Lyric The Goat: Who Is Sylvia by Edward Albee – Almeida / Apollo	The Producers – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Mary Poppins – Prince Edward The Woman in White – Palace
Best Revival	Outstanding Musical Production
Hamlet – Old Vic All's Well That Ends Well – Gielgud Endgame – Albery Journey's End – Comedy / Playhouse / Duke of York's	Grand Hotel – Donmar Warehouse A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – National Theatre Olivier Simply Heavenly – Trafalgar Studios Sweeney Todd – Trafalgar Studios / New Ambassadors
Best Actor	Best Actress
*Richard Griffiths as Douglas Hector in The History Boys* – National Theatre Lyttelton** Michael Gambon as Hamm in Endgame – Albery Jonathan Pryce as Martin Gray in The Goat: Who Is Sylvia – Almeida / Apollo Ben Whishaw as Prince Hamlet in Hamlet – Old Vic	*Clare Higgins as Hecuba in Hecuba* – Donmar Warehouse** Victoria Hamilton as Catharine in Suddenly, Last Summer – Albery Anna Maxwell Martin as Lyra Belacqua in His Dark Materials – National Theatre Olivier Caroline O'Connor as Performer in Bombshells – Arts
Best Actor in a Musical	Best Actress in a Musical
*Nathan Lane as Max Bialystock in The Producers* – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane** Lee Evans as Leo Bloom in The Producers – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Paul Hegarty as Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd – Trafalgar Studios / New Ambassadors Gavin Lee as Bert in Mary Poppins – Prince Edward	*Laura Michelle Kelly as Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins* – Prince Edward** Maria Friedman as Marian Halcombe in The Woman in White – Palace Leigh Zimmerman as Ulla Swanson in The Producers – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best Performance in a Supporting Role	Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical
*Amanda Harris as Emilia in Othello* – Trafalgar Studios** Samuel Barnett as David Posner in The History Boys – National Theatre Lyttelton Judi Dench as The Countess of Rossillion in All's Well That Ends Well – Gielgud Eddie Redmayne as Billy Gray in The Goat: Who Is Sylvia – Almeida / Apollo	*Conleth Hill as Roger de Bris in The Producers* – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane** Michael Crawford as Count Fosco in The Woman in White – Palace David Haig as George Banks in Mary Poppins – Prince Edward
Best Director	Best Theatre Choreographer
*Nicholas Hytner for The History Boys* – National Theatre Lyttelton** Richard Eyre and Matthew Bourne for Mary Poppins – Prince Edward Rufus Norris for Festen – Almeida / Lyric Susan Stroman for The Producers – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane	*Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins* – Prince Edward** Adam Cooper for Grand Hotel – Donmar Warehouse Susan Stroman for The Producers – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best Set Design	Best Costume Design
*Giles Cadle for His Dark Materials* – National Theatre Olivier** Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins – Prince Edward William Dudley for The Woman in White – Palace Ian MacNeil for Festen – Almeida / Lyric Christopher Oram for Suddenly, Last Summer – Albery	*Deirdre Clancy for All's Well That Ends Well* – Gielgud** Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins – Prince Edward John Gunter and Mark Bouman for Hamlet – Old Vic William Ivey Long for The Producers – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Best Lighting Design	Best Sound Design
*Paule Constable for His Dark Materials* – National Theatre Olivier** Howard Harrison for Mary Poppins – Prince Edward Jean Kalman for Festen – Almeida / Lyric Paul Pyant for All's Well That Ends Well – Gielgud	*Mick Potter for The Woman in White* – Palace** Paul Arditti for Festen – Almeida / Lyric Adam Cork for Suddenly, Last Summer – Albery
Outstanding Achievement in Dance	Best New Dance Production
San Francisco Ballet for the season – Sadler's Wells Julien Macdonald for costuming for Shimmer, Richard Alston Dance Company – Sadler's Wells Sylvia, The Royal Ballet – Royal Opera House The ensemble for the season, Rambert Dance Company – Sadler's Wells	Swamp, Rambert Dance Company – Sadler's Wells A Midsummer Night's Dream, Northern Ballet Theatre – Sadler's Wells Milagros, Royal New Zealand Ballet – Sadler's Wells Romeo and Juliet, Royal New Zealand Ballet – Sadler's Wells
Outstanding Achievement in Opera	Outstanding New Opera Production
*Thomas Adès for composing The Tempest* – Royal Opera House** Ben Heppner in Peter Grimes, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House John MacFarlane for set designing Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and Peter Grimes, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House The orchestra for the season, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House	Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House Les Paladins, Les Arts Florissants – Barbican Peter Grimes, The Royal Opera – Royal Opera House
Outstanding Achievement or Performance in an Affiliate Theatre
*Andrew Scott in A Girl in a Car with a Man* – Royal Court** Guantanamo – Tricycle Kevin Harvey in Yellowman – Hampstead Aidan McArdle in The Shadow of a Gunman – Tricycle
Society Special Award
Alan Bennett

Productions with multiple nominations and awards

The following 15 productions, including three operas, received multiple nominations:

9: Mary Poppins
8: The Producers
5: Festen and The Woman in White
4: All's Well That Ends Well and The History Boys
3: Hamlet, His Dark Materials, Peter Grimes, Suddenly, Last Summer and The Goat: Who Is Sylvia
2: Endgame, Grand Hotel, Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District and Sweeney Todd