The Paulies are back! After a pandemic hiatus, my awards for the best of amateur theatre that I have seen this year make their return! And what an excellent year to revive the awards.

The rules are still the same, there is no actual physical award, here’s my nod towards those who made the best impression. And, naturally, I can’t nominate my own productions! So, a round of applause please for…

BEST PLAY
Beautiful Thing. (Pride Players)
How To Disappear Completely and Never Be Found. (HTC)
Mosquitoes. (Headgate Theatre Productions.)
She Stoops To Conquer (Headgate Theatre Productions.)
Titus Andronicus. (Headgate Theatre Productions.)

BEST MUSICAL
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Colchester Operatic)
I Love You Because. (Headgate)
There’s Always A Woman (Platform Musicals)

BEST DIRECTOR
Richard Bland for How To Disappear Completely…
Andrew Hodgson for Titus Andronicus.
Benjamin Powell/Jenna Saiz-Abo Henrikson for Beautiful Thing.
Wendy Smith for Mosquitoes.
Adam Woodhouse/Laura Hicks/Neil Somerville for The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

BEST ACTRESS
Jackie Grant for Titus Andronicus.
Eleanor Kent for Mosquitoes.
Sadie Orlando for Mosquitoes.
Charlotte Still for Beautiful Thing.
Sarah Ellen Young for Go Back For Murder. (Colchester Theatre Group)

BEST ACTOR
Zachary Askham/Jordon Wright for their shared role in How To Disappear Completely…
Michael Cook for Titus Andronicus.
Les Chisnall for She Stoops To Conquer.
Ciaran Ford for Beautiful Thing.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
George Deadman for Titus Andronicus.
Rowan Donaldson for Titus Andronicus.
Max Riches for Mosquitoes.
Jay Stebbing for Go Back For Murder.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Sara Green for Mosquitoes.
Leanne Howard for Go Back For Murder.
Helen Kitson for She Stoops To Conquer.
Brooke Parratt for Beautiful Thing.
Sharon Quinn for Titus Andronicus.

BEST MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMANCE
Jesten Bartlett and Sean Hayes for their shared role as Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Cally Kline for The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Helen McCraw for I Love You Because.
The ensemble of There’s Always A Woman.

Congratulations to all of those nominated and to everyone who took part in bringing live performance back to the city and building on success post pandemic!

Winners to be announced on Wednesday 14th December.

Paul T Davies