Offie Awards

Over 20 Central graduates have been named as nominees for the annual Offies Awards 2018.

The full list of nominations includes graduates nominated for their outstanding work on and off stage, from Best Female or Male in a play and Best Supporting Female or Male, to awards for Best Sound, Lighting, Set and Costume Design. There were also nominations for Central graduates in the Best Director and Most Promising New Playwright categories.

The Offies (The Off West End Theatre Awards) recognise and celebrate the excellence, innovation and ingenuity of independent theatres across London, aiming at helping raise the profile and status of independent theatres in London and reward the new talent that is essential to the future of the theatre industry.

This small group of Central alumni give us a glimpse of the success of the Central family in the wider creative industries; the contributions made by our thousands of graduates working across theatre, film, performance, education, therapy and many other sectors continues to inspire the work we do here.

Over 80 theatres are participating with over 400 productions being considered over the year by 40 trained assessors - winners will be announced in February 2018.

Central graduates directly nominated for Offies Awards include:

Best Female In A Play

Sian Thomas (Stage 1974) for The Cherry Tree at the Arcola Theatre
Serena Jennings (BA (Hons) Acting 2015) for Posh at the Pleasance Theatre

Best Male In A Play

Dominic Rowan (BA (Hons) Acting 1994) for Winter Solstice at the Orange Tree Theatre
Christopher Tester (BA (Hons) Acting 2008) for Crime And Punishment at the Jack Studio
Andy Secombe (Stage 1974) for Mr Gillie at the Finborough Theatre
Kim Hardy (BA (Hons) Acting 2006) for Richard III at the Cockpit Theatre

Best Supporting Male In A Play

Christopher Fulford (Stage 1980) for Loot at the Park Theatre
Will Pinchin (MPhil/PHD 2014) for Frankenstein at the Jack Studio
Jonathan Blaydon (BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2016) for Lord Dismiss Us at Above The Stag
Joshua Oakes-Rogers (BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre 2015) for Lord Dismiss Us at Above The Stag

Most Promising New Playwright

Patron Saint: Jack Bradley

Kieran Knowles (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2016) for 31 Hours at The Bunker

Best Director

Patron Saint: Rufus Norris

Michael Kingsbury (Stage 1983) for Men From The Ministry at The White Bear Theatre
Chelsea Walker (MA Adv Theatre Practice 2011) for Low Level Panic at the Orange Tree Theatre
Jesse Fox & George Evans (both BA (Hons) Acting CDT 2012)  for alumni theatre company Engineer Theatre Collective’s The Gap In The Light at the New Diorama

Best Supporting Female In A Musical

Joanna Woodward (BA (Hons) Acting Musical Theatre 2009) for The Life at Southwark Playhouse

Best Supporting Male In A Musical

Michael Burgen (MA Music Theatre 2008) for Blondel at the Union Theatre

Best Lighting Designer

Patron Saint: David Howe

Matt Daw (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2006) for Death Takes A Holiday at the Charing Cross Theatre
David Howe (Tech 1993) & Nina Dunn for The Diary Of A Teenager Girl at Southwark Playhouse
Ben Jacobs (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2016) for Macbeth at The Jack Studio
Douglas Green (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2012) for Ross And Rachel at the Battersea Arts Centre
Norvydals Genys (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2015) for Eyes Closed, Ears Covered at The Bunker (pictured above, image by Anton Belmonté)
Zoe Spurr (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice for Phoenix Rising at the Car Park, Smithfield Meat Market

Best Sound Designer

Patron Saint: Paul Arditti

David McSeveney (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2002) for Tryst at the Tabard Theatre

Best Set Designer

Patron Saint: Bill Buckhurst

Joana Dias (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2012) for My Land’s Shore at Ye Olde Rose & Crown
Rebecca Brower (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice: Design for the Stage) for A Lie Of The Mind at Southwark Playhouse

Best Costume Designer

Patron Saint: Catherine Kodicek

Joana Dias (BA (Hons) Theatre Practice 2012) for Metropolis at Ye Olde Rose & Crown

Below: Simon Callow explains why Off West End theatres are essential to life!

Share this page