The Offies announce this year's round of finalists.
Now in its third year, The Off West End Awards will take place at Battersea Arts Centre on February 24th in a ceremony hosted by Simon Callow. The winners will be announced towards the end of award season but they're likely to be some of the most unpredictable.
While the film world chooses to celebrate its already established heroes, the lists of Offie finalists, which were announced yesterday, display one of the widest ranges of skills and specialities you're likely to see at the same ceremony.
Its most varied category, the TBC Award, created to recognise the best of genre pushing talent in London, pits poet Kate Tempest alongside the dance-theatre triumph that was Motor Show and Non Zero One's theatrical investigation of natural memory, You'll See Me Sailing (in Antarctica). The latter having taken place on the roof of the National Theatre.
Other major categories also see huge variety among the finalists. Best Production sees the violent pub-theatre production of Philip Ridley's Mercury Fur by Greenhouse Theatre (which eventually transferred to the West End) up against the significantly higher budget and significantly lighter A Midsummer Night's Dream at Lyric Hammersmith.
Sean Holmes production of that Shakespearean romantic comedy is also up for Best Director, Best Ensemble and Best Sound Design.
As far as new writing goes, we're looking at a showdown between theatrical giant Howard Barker for his play Lot and is God at The Print Room, Lungs by Duncan Macmillan and Shivered by Phillip Ridley. Similarly, in the Best Female category you'll find Eileen Atkins on an even keel with emerging talent Aysha Kala for her performance in Khadija is 18.
Peruse the full list categories here.
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