Andrew Scott's Hamlet (Almeida)

Loved both interviews (wish Newsnight one was longer), thank you for the heads up, guys!
Looks like Andrew is enjoying the moment and very relaxed too. It really saddens me to think that he's got zero chances to get the next year's Olivier (which he very much deserves!) but merely because here's another Andrew on the other side of River Thames doing his magic which would be criminal to overlook.

Oh no. No no no no no no. And another NO.

If he wins it, then there really is something rotten in the state of Denmark. Andrew Scott is absolutely fine in the role, don't get me wrong, but Andrew Garfield in 'Angels in America' is really in a completely different league. It's a truly astonishing performance in a transcendent production. AS-TON-I-SHING. 

Sonia Friedman Productions v NT

SFP has the edge on the Olivier battlefield.

I haven't managed to see Angels (waiting for NT Live encore) so can't compare, but Andrew Scott's Hamlet has had a hell of a lot of mainstream media coverage - Marr, the One Show, Newsnight, radio interviews...

It certainly isn't - I love my vegetables and happily eat them every day.

Wait, are cream eggs NOT vegetables? next you'll be telling me Jaffa Cakes aren't fruit.

Every opinion is welcome and we can talk about it for hours, but for me... well.. Let's forget about who the producer behind the play is or who would look better on the front cover (either of them is the right answer) and take just the performances (even not in the scheme of the particular production) - honest, raw and un-attributed to anything.. I'm not comparing talents here or who has the most chellenging task, I'm choosing just by the IMPACT it had on me as the audience member (and of course any member of Olivier panel is an individual with their own aruguments and preferences), then it would be Garfield over Scott. Ask me any day before next April and it will never change. I don't even had to think about it, it just strikes me as the most obvious thing. And this why I said it's a shame Scott (in my books) coul not get Olvier for Hamlet. I wish we could move him one year forward or just invent a special 8 pieces award for Angels Cast.

So much this. I adored Scott's Hamlet and as Hamlet goes it's one that will stay with me (unlike Cumber-snooze-batch). But Andrew's performance is still *there*

(granted I am a tad over-invested but clearly I'm not the only one) 

I don't know how the Olivier awards work (I'd imagine it's roughly the same) but for the Tony awards, the categorisation is influenced (although not decided) by the producers submitting who they think would be suitable for any category ahead of any nominations being made. According to their regulations, it also takes into account the billing of the show when it opens. I think the way the play runs, there is no way Garfield would be put forward for a supporting role.

The Tonys have a hard and fast rule of if you're billed above the title, you're a lead performer, below the title and you're a supporting performer. Producers can petition the board to consider performers in categories other than those dictated by their billing, but it's the board's decision I believe as to whether they do or not. For the Broadway run of Angels in 1993, EVERYONE was below the title, so who ended up as lead would have been the producer's decision as to who to put forward to the Tonys Board. 

Bringing this back on topic, it will be interesting to see whether productions that aren't still running come Olivier nomination time are all remembered. This, Virginia Woolf, Apologia, Ink, Angels in America, Cat on Hot Tin Roof, The Ferryman, it's already been a REALLY strong year for performances. Given that there is already more delight to come with Mary Stuart (although whether that will be eligible I'm not sure), Long Day's Journey, Heisenberg, Against, Albion, Pinocchio, Network and so on and so on, it's inevitable that some productions will be squeezed out. 

I considered last year a strong year too but then The Cursed Child came and swiped them all, who cared.. If the same is gonna happen to Angels, as least I'm gonna be a one happy bunny

Going to this tonight. Excited! - don't think I've ever said that about a Shakespeare before. I admit, I do struggle a bit with his plays unless it's one I know *really* well. I did see Hamlet once before (Rory Kinnear / NT) as I felt it was something I ought to do. It was of course good (great, even) but I said once is enough. Let's hope I was wrong!