Entertainment

Co Tyrone actor Fra Fee scoops gong at stage awards alongside David Tennant and Olivia Colman

 Fra Fee
 Fra Fee  Fra Fee

Co Tyrone actor Fra Fee has scooped a prize at the WhatsOnStage Awards.

The 30-year-old from Killyman, won the best supporting actor in a play award for his role in The Ferryman.

Directed by Sam Mendes, the play, set in rural Northern Ireland, became the fastest-selling show for London's Royal Court. 

Olivia Colman and David Tennant took the top prizes as best actor and best actress.

The ceremony saw musical 42nd Street triumph, with four awards including Best Musical Revival.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and The Ferryman both won three awards, while smash hit Hamilton opened too late to be eligible for the gongs.

Former Broadchurch co-stars Tennant and Colman won prizes for best actor and actress in a play – Tennant for Don Juan In Soho at the Wyndham’s Theatre and Colman for Mosquitoes at the National Theatre.

David Tennant (Ian West/PA)
David Tennant (Ian West/PA) David Tennant (Ian West/PA)

Tennant said that the play felt like a “celebration of London” in the wake of the 2017 terrorist attacks.

The actor, who beat fellow big stars Bryan Cranston, Martin Freeman, Andrew Garfield and Andrew Scott to the award, said he was “chuffed” to win.

“It was a real privilege getting to do a play about Soho in Soho and especially over a summer when London sadly suffered terrible attacks, the play itself began to feel like a real celebration of London,” he said.

“And indeed one of the crown jewels of London which is theatreland and the WhatsOnStage Awards are such a glorious celebration of that, so thank you all for voting and thank you all for getting involved.”

Colman beat Eve Best, Imelda Staunton, Natalie Dormer and Tamsin Greig.

The awards are chosen by theatregoers.
The awards are chosen by theatregoers. The awards are chosen by theatregoers.

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a musical inspired by a teenage boy’s true story about wanting to wear a dress at school.

It was snapped up for the West End, after becoming a surprise hit on stage in Sheffield, by award-winning producer and London theatre owner Nica Burns.

Its star, John McCrea, who had never had a major lead and did not have an agent when he landed the part in Sheffield, has won Best Actor In A Musical.

Producer Burns said: “The Everybody’s Talking About Jamie team is beyond thrilled at winning Best New Musical.

“This is a huge and exciting endorsement by the public for our home grown new British musical and our phenomenally talented young and unknown cast”.

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child won Best West End Show, while prolific theatre producer Sonia Friedman won a gong for services to theatre.

Winners of the awards, which are celebrating their 18th year, are chosen by theatregoers.

Meanwhile, Belfast actor Marty Rea has won an Irish Theatre Award for his role as Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby.

The main WhatsOnStage Awards:

ACTOR IN A PLAY


David Tennant, Don Juan in Soho

ACTRESS IN A PLAY


Olivia Colman, Mosquitoes

ACTOR IN A MUSICAL


John McCrea, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL


Carrie Hope Fletcher, The Addams Family

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY


Fra Fee, The Ferryman

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY


Juliet Stevenson, Hamlet

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL


Ross Noble, Young Frankenstein

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL


Lucie Shorthouse, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

NEW PLAY


The Ferryman

NEW MUSICAL


Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

PLAY REVIVAL


Hamlet

MUSICAL REVIVAL


42nd Street

DIRECTION


Sam Mendes, The Ferryman

CHOREOGRAPHY


Randy Skinner, 42nd Street

COSTUME DESIGN


Roger Kirk, 42nd Street

SET DESIGN


Douglas W Schmidt, 42nd Street

OFF-WEST END PRODUCTION


Hair

REGIONAL PRODUCTION


Sunset Boulevard

WEST END SHOW


Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

EQUITY AWARD FOR SERVICES TO THEATRE


Sonia Friedman