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Ian Charleson Awards

The Ian Charleson Awards are theatrical awards that reward the best classical stage performances in the UK by actors under age 30. The awards are named in memory of the British ac…

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Background and descriptionThe Sunday Times chief drama critic John Peter saw and reviewed Ian Charleson's extraordinary Hamlet at the National Theatre in late 1989.
First prizeIan Hughes, for Torquato Tasso in Torquato Tasso (Actors Touring Company)
Second prizePaterson Joseph, for Oswald in King Lear, Dumaine in Love's Labour's Lost, and the Marquis de Mota in The Last Days of Don Juan (Royal Shakespeare Company)
Special commendationSimon Russell Beale, for Konstantin in The Seagull, Thersites in Troilus and Cressida, and Edward II in Edward II (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Background and description

The Sunday Times chief drama critic John Peter saw and reviewed Ian Charleson's extraordinary Hamlet at the National Theatre in late 1989. Unbeknownst to the audience, Charleson performed it during the last weeks of his life while he was seriously ill with AIDS, and died in January 1990 at the age of 40 eight weeks after his final performance. In November 1990, in memory of Charleson's fine performance, Peter established the annual Ian Charleson Award, to recognize and reward the best classical stage performance by an actor under age 30. The awards are jointly sponsored by The Sunday Times and the National Theatre, where they are held.

Upon founding the awards, Peter noted:

Classical work is the solid bedrock of all acting. It is classical acting, with its twin demands of psychological perception and formal excellence, which truly tests and proves the actor's ability and stamina, both physical and mental.

The first annual Ian Charleson Award was presented in January 1991. The awards initially defined a classic play as one written prior to 1900; by the awards for 1992 this parameter had been extended to plays written by 1904, the year of Chekhov's death; this cut-off was extended to 1918 at the awards for 2008. The awards are presented at a friendly, low-key private luncheon at one of the restaurants at the National Theatre. There is no filming and no outside press, and there are no acceptance speeches; the awards are attended however by Britain's theatre royalty, who take great interest in preserving the foundations of their profession. Guests of honour have included Alec Guinness, Paul Scofield, Ian McKellen, and Prince Charles.

Recipients receive a cash prize, as do runners-up and third-place winners. All shortlist nominees who are not cash-prize recipients receive a "commendation". Winners and commendees receive a plaque signed by the judges, who usually number four (a theatre critic, an actor, a casting director, and an artistic director) and until the awards for 2016 always included John Peter.

The awards for the previous year's performances are presented the following year, generally in the spring. The prize money is as follows: 1st prize £5,000; 2nd prize £1,500 (sometimes £2,000 or £2,500); and 3rd prize £500.

First prize

Ian Hughes, for Torquato Tasso in Torquato Tasso (Actors Touring Company)

Second prize

Paterson Joseph, for Oswald in King Lear, Dumaine in Love's Labour's Lost, and the Marquis de Mota in The Last Days of Don Juan (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Special commendation

Simon Russell Beale, for Konstantin in The Seagull, Thersites in Troilus and Cressida, and Edward II in Edward II (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Commendation

Saskia Wickham, for Sonya in Uncle Vanya (Old Vic Theatre)

First prize

Joe Dixon, for Jacques in an all-male production of As You Like It (Cheek by Jowl)

Second prize

Jennifer Ehle, for Orgon's wife in Tartuffe (Peter Hall Company)

Special commendation

Iain Glen, for Hamlet in Hamlet (Old Vic, Bristol)

Commendations

Adrian Lester, for Rosalind in an all-male production of As You Like It (Cheek by Jowl)

Tom Hollander, for Celia in an all-male production of As You Like It (Cheek by Jowl)

Hugh Bonneville (then known as Richard Bonneville), for Sir Samuel Hearty in The Virtuoso, Valentine in The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Bergetto in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore, and Kastril in The Alchemist (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Caroline Quentin, for Masha in The Seagull (Oxford Theatre Company)

First prize

Tom Hollander, for Witwoud in The Way of the World (Lyric Hammersmith)

Second prize

Toby Stephens, for Bertram in All's Well That Ends Well (Swan Theatre)

Special commendation

Ian Hughes, for Reynaldo and Fortinbras in Hamlet (Barbican Theatre)

Commendations

Mabel Aitken, for Sonia in Uncle Vanya (Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh)
Sophie Thursfield, for Nora in A Doll's House (Duke of Cambridge pub theatre, London)
Nick Waring, for Konstantin in The Seagull (Theatr Clwyd)

First prize

Emma Fielding, for Agnes in The School for Wives (Almeida Theatre)

Second prize

Mark Lockyer, for Stephano in The Tempest, Oswald in King Lear, and Gratiano in The Merchant of Venice (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Third prize

Helen McCrory, for Rose Trelawny in Trelawny of the 'Wells' (National Theatre)

Commendations

Adrian Scarborough, for Dromio of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester)

Michael Sheen, for Perdican in Don't Fool With Love (Cheek by Jowl)

Helen Baxendale for Marie Wesener in The Soldiers (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow)

First prize

Toby Stephens, for Coriolanus in Coriolanus (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Second prize

Anastasia Hille, for Isabella in Measure For Measure (Cheek by Jowl)

Third prize

Jude Law, for Ion in Ion (Royal Shakespeare Company)

Commendations

Henry Ian Cusick, for Creon and The Messenger in Oedipus Rex (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow) and Torquato Tasso in Torquato Tasso (Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh)

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, for Mistress Overdone and Mariana in Measure For Measure (Cheek by Jowl)

Mark Bazeley, for Lucio in Measure For Measure (Cheek by Jowl)

Guy Lankester, for Orsino in Twelfth Night (Bristol Old Vic)