BAFTA Games Awards Winners 2018

BAFTA has announced the winners of tonight’s British Academy Games Awards, which celebrated the very best in games of the past year. The ceremony was hosted by Dara O’Briain at Troxy, London.

What Remains of Edith Finch, the second game from BAFTA-winning developer Giant Sparrow Studios, won Best Game. Giant Sparrow previously won for The Unfinished Swan in the debut game category in 2013.

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, which explores the titular character’s struggle with mental health issues, won Artistic Achievement, Audio Achievement, British Game, Game Beyond Entertainment and Melina Juergens won in the Performer category for her role as Senua.

Super Mario Odyssey, the 3D platform game from Nintendo, won Game Design and Family.

Another eight games were winners on the night. The hand-drawn story puzzle game, Gorogoa, won Debut Game. Following its win at last year’s awards for Multiplayer, the team-based first-person shooter Overwatch won Evolving Game. Golf Clash, the real-time multiplayer game, won Mobile Game. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the action-adventure game, won the BAFTA for Game Innovation. The role-playing game Divinity: Original Sin 2 won in Multiplayer. Cuphead, the run-and-gun indie game, won in Music. Night in the Woods, the adventure game focusing on exploration, story and character, won the BAFTA for Narrative. The action role-playing game Horizon Zero Dawn won for Original Property.

The Fellowship was presented to Tim Schafer in recognition of his outstanding creative contribution to the industry and for his illustrious career in game design.

Quiz Review

The Plot

Based on the most infamous scandal in gameshow history, Quiz re-examines the case of Charles Ingram, an army major who won a million pounds on gameshow Who wants to be a Millionaire?, only to be subsequently accused of an elaborate conspiracy involving his wife and another contestant on the show to cheat their way to the jackpot.

The Good

Those with any passing familiarity with the hysterical media coverage of the ‘Coughing Major’ case may enter the theatre with a pretty clear view of both what happened and what kind of people notorious couple Charles and Diana Ingram really are. What James Graham’s production skilfully does is embrace and challenge those well-established opinions with equal passion, profoundly impacting surprised audiences in the process.

Quiz leads audiences though the murky evolution of TV quiz shows, poking fun at the quirky theatrics and greedy consumerism and ruthlessness that underpins it. The productions use of video screens, Electronic keypads and frequent audience participation helps capture the peculiar quiz show world, whilst further investing audiences in proceedings by making them more explicitly involved and complicit. While seemingly silly it’s a fairly effective trick that pays off well during the shows more dramatic moments.

Quiz boasts a versatile ensemble of actor that offers audiences a compelling mix of pageantry and pathos. Keir Charles is a flamboyant delight as an exaggerated but instantly recognisable version of Chris Tarrant. Helping paint a vivid portrait of the gameshow’s most public face. True praise belongs however to Stephanie Street and Gavin Spokes as the Ingrams, at the heart of the production their performances morph effortlessly as required between comedy and poignant tragedy.

Leading man Gavin Spokes in particular does magnificent work at capturing the memorable eccentricities of Major Ingram whilst also managing to craft a vulnerable performance with sincere depth. Quiz goes well beyond mere impersonations in its quest for drama and truth.

The Bad

While the show’s second act bristles with anger and tragedy that is likely provokes plenty of audience self-reflection, it’s fair to say that the show’s first half is sometimes a little less focused as it has fun setting up the myths and misconceptions it later delights in tearing down. Frequent audience participation may be good natured fun, designed to set the scene for the gameshow drama, but at times it gives the show a pantomime like quality that belies some of the serious themes it truly explores.

Likewise while the production offers audiences excellent arguments based on compelling facts, more stubborn spectators may not entirely welcome having their established preconceptions so directly challenged. Nobody like to feel wrong and changing minds is never easy.

The Ugly Truth

Quiz is a fascinating theatrical experience that provides audiences with frequent laughs and many lingering questions. It’s playful and interactive approach allows it to gently confront audiences with uncomfortable truths about what we believe and just how easily we can be deceived. Quiz is a fun and thoughtful night out combining technology and mass media motifs with classic West End showmanship.

Review by Russell Nelson

Bryan Cranston Wins Best Actor Olivier Award

Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston landed the top acting honour at this year’s Olivier Awards for his star turn in a production of Network at the National Theatre in London. Best known for the 1976 big screen version starring William Holden and Faye Dunaway, the show features a cynical news network exploiting the furious rantings of one of its former anchors for their own profit.

Cranston added his well deserved Olivier statue for Best Actor to his recent win at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards.  Red Carpet News TV spoke to him there about the seemingly timely themes of the production, the magic of the west end stage and working with Wes Anderson on his latest film Isle Of Dogs.

Check Out the full exclusive video interview below:

Olivier Awards 2018 Winners

The Olivier Awards 2018 took place on Sunday 8th April with Historical Hip Hop musical Hamilton sweeping a number of categories, having initially secured a record equalling number of nominations. Other big winners on the night included drama The Ferryman and a Best Actor win for Bryan Cranston. Full list of nominees and winners below with winner highlighted in bold.

Best actor in a supporting role in a musical

• Michael Jibson, Hamilton
• Ross Noble, Young Frankenstein
• Jason Pennycooke, Hamilton
• Cleve September, Hamilton

Best actress in a supporting role in a musical

• Sheila Atim, Girl from the North Country
• Tracie Bennett, Follies
• Rachel John, Hamilton
• Lesley Joseph, Young Frankenstein [pictured]

Outstanding achievement in music

• Hamilton
• Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
• Follies
• Girl from the North Country

Best new dance production

• Flight Pattern
• Goat
• Grand Finale
• Tree of Codes

Outstanding achievement in dance

• Francesca Velicu, Le Sacre du Printemps
• Rocio Molina, Fallen From Heaven
• Zenaida Yanowsky, Symphonic Dances

Best entertainment and family

• Dick Whittington
• David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny [pictured]
• Derren Brown: Underground
• Five Guys Named Moe

Best theatre choreographer

• Andy Blankenbuehler, Hamilton
• Bill Deamer, Follies
• Kate Prince, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
• Randy Skinner, 42nd Street
• Christopher Wheeldon, An American in Paris

Best musical revival

• Follies
• 42nd Street
• On the Town

Best actor in a musical

• Giles Terera, Hamilton
• Ciaran Hinds, Girl from the North Country
• John McCrea, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie [pictured]
• Jamael Westman, Hamilton

Best actress in a musical

• Shirley Henderson, Girl from the North Country
• Janie Dee, Follies
• Imelda Staunton, Follies
• Josie Walker, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie

Best revival

• Angels in America
• Hamlet
• Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
• Witness for the Prosecution

Best new comedy

• Labour of Love
• Dry Powder
• Mischief Movie Night
• The Miser

Outstanding achievement in affiliate theatre

• Killology
• The B*easts
• The Red Lion
• The Revlon Girl

Best lighting design

• Howell Binkley, Hamilton
• Paule Constable, Angels in America
• Paule Constable, Follies
• Jan Versweyveld, Network

Best sound design

• Nevin Steinberg, Hamilton
• Tom Gibbons, Hamlet
• Gareth Owen, Bat Out of Hell
• Eric Sleichim, Network

Best costume design

• Vicki Mortimer, Follies
• Hugh Durrant, Dick Whittington
• Roger Kirk, 42nd Street
• Paul Tazewell, Hamilton

Best set design

• Bob Crowley, An American in Paris
• Bunny Christie, Ink
• Rob Howell, The Ferryman
• Vicki Mortimer, Follies

Best actor in a supporting role

• Bertie Carvel, Ink
• John Hodgkinson, The Ferryman
• James McArdle, Angels in America
• Peter Polycarpou, Oslo

Best actress in a supporting role

• Denise Gough for Angels in America
• Brid Brennan for The Ferryman
• Dearbhla Molloy for The Ferryman
• Imogen Poots for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best new opera production

• Semiramide
• La Boheme
• The Exterminating Angel

Outstanding achievement in opera

• Joyce DiDonato and Daniela Barcellona, Semiramide
• Paul Brown, Iolanthe
• Roderick Williams, The Return Of Ulysses

Best actor

• Bryan Cranston, Network
• Paddy Considine, The Ferryman
• Andrew Garfield, Angels in America
• Andrew Scott, Hamlet

Best actress

• Laura Donnelly, The Ferryman
• Lesley Manville, Long Day’s Journey into Night
• Audra McDonald, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill
• Imelda Staunton, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Best director

• Sam Mendes, The Ferryman
• Dominic Cooke, Follies
• Marianne Elliott, Angels in America
• Rupert Goold, Ink
• Thomas Kail, Hamilton

Best new play

• The Ferryman
• Ink
• Network
• Oslo

Best new musical

• Hamilton
• An American in Paris
• Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
• Girl from the North Country
• Young Frankenstein

 

 

 

Virgin TV British Academy Television Awards 2018 Nominations

This morning the full list of official nominations for the Virgin TV British Academy television Awards 2018 were announced in London. The winners will be revealed at the star studded red carpet ceremony on 13th May. Check out the full list below:

COMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
MURDER IN SUCCESSVILLE Andy Brereton, Avril Spary, James De Frond, Laurence Rickard – Shiny Button Productions / BBC Three
TASKMASTER Andy Cartwright, Andy Devonshire, Alex Horne – Avalon / Dave
THE LAST LEG Production Team – Open Mike Productions / Channel 4
WOULD I LIE TO YOU? Peter Holmes, Rachel Ablett, Ruth Phillips, Adam Copeland – Zeppotron / BBC One

CURRENT AFFAIRS
RAPED: MY STORY Production Team – Lambent Productions / Channel 5
SYRIA’S DISAPPEARED: THE CASE AGAINST ASSAD (DISPATCHES) Sara Afshar, Nicola Cutcher, Callum Macrae – Afshar Films / Channel 4
UNDERCOVER: BRITAIN’S IMMIGRATION SECRETS (PANORAMA) Karen Wightman, Joe Plomin, Callum Tulley, Gary Beelders – BBC Current Affairs / BBC One
WHITE RIGHT: MEETING THE ENEMY (EXPOSURE) Deeyah Khan, Darin Prindle, Andrew Smith, Melanie Quigley – Fuuse Films / ITV

DRAMA SERIES
LINE OF DUTY Production Team – World Productions / BBC One
PEAKY BLINDERS Production Team – Caryn Mandabach Productions / Tiger Aspect Productions / BBC Two
THE CROWN Production Team – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
THE END OF THE F###ING WORLD Production Team – Clerkenwell Films / All 4

ENTERTAINMENT PERFORMANCE
ADAM HILLS The Last Leg – Open Mike Productions / Channel 4
GRAHAM NORTON The Graham Norton Show – So Television / BBC One
MICHAEL McINTYRE Michael McIntyre’s Big Show – Hungry McBear / BBC One
SANDI TOKSVIG QI – QI Ltd / Talkback Thames – BBC Two

ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME (i)
ANT & DEC’S SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEAWAY Pete Ogden, Saul Fearnley, Diego Rincon, Andy Milligan – ITV Studios / Mitre Television / ITV
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT Amelia Brown, Lee McNicholas, Richard Holloway, Charlie Irwin – Thames / Syco / ITV
MICHAEL McINTYRE’S BIG SHOW Dan Baldwin, Claire Horton, Christian Fletcher, Michael McIntyre – Hungry McBear / BBC One
THE VOICE UK Production Team – ITV Studios / Talpa / ITV

FACTUAL SERIES
AMBULANCE Jo Hughes, Bruce Fletcher, Kirsty Cunningham, Simon Ford – Dragonfly / BBC One
CATCHING A KILLER Anna Hall, Jezza Neumann, Erica Gornall, Brian Woods – True Vision / Channel 4
DRUGSLAND Sacha Mirzoeff, Xavier Alford, Bart Corpe, Simon Ford – BBC Studios / BBC Three
HOSPITAL Production Team – Label1 / BBC Two

FEATURES
ANTIQUES ROADSHOW Simon Shaw, Julia Foot, Robert Murphy, Sophie Wogden – BBC Studios / Unscripted Productions / BBC One
CRUISING WITH JANE McDONALD Production Team – Elephant House Studios / Channel 5
NO MORE BOYS AND GIRLS: CAN OUR KIDS GO GENDER FREE? Javid Abdelmoneim, Helen Veale, Jeremy Daldry, Sam Palmer – Outline Productions / BBC Two
THE SECRET LIFE OF THE ZOO Production Team – Blast! Films / Channel 4

FEMALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
ANNA MAXWELL MARTIN Motherland – Delightful Industries / Merman / BBC Two
DAISY MAY COOPER This Country – BBC Studios / BBC Three
SHARON HORGAN Catastrophe – Avalon Television / Merman / Birdbath Productions / Channel 4
SIAN GIBSON Peter Kay’s Car Share – Goodnight Vienna Productions / BBC One

INTERNATIONAL
BIG LITTLE LIES Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Bruna Papandrea, Per Saari – HBO / David E. Kelley Productions / Pacific Standard / Blossom Films / Sky Atlantic
FEUD: BETTE AND JOAN Ryan Murphy, Dede Gardner, Tim Minear, Alexis Martin Woodall – Fox 21 Television Studios / BBC Two
THE HANDMAID’S TALE Bruce Miller, Warren Littlefield, Kari Skogland – MGM / Channel 4
THE VIETNAM WAR Ken Burns, Lynn Novick, Geoffrey C. Ward , Sarah Botstein – BBC / Florentine Films / BBC Four

LEADING ACTOR
JACK ROWAN Born to Kill – World Productions / Channel 4
JOE COLE Hang the DJ (Black Mirror) – House of Tomorrow / Netflix
SEAN BEAN Broken – LA Productions / BBC One
TIM PIGOTT-SMITH King Charles III – Drama Republic / BBC Two

LEADING ACTRESS
CLAIRE FOY The Crown – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix
MOLLY WINDSOR Three Girls – BBC Studios / Studio Lambert / BBC One
SINEAD KEENAN Little Boy Blue – ITV Studios / ITV
THANDIE NEWTON Line of Duty – World Productions / BBC One

LIVE EVENT
ITV NEWS ELECTION 2017 LIVE: THE RESULTS Production Team – ITN / ITV
ONE LOVE MANCHESTER Production Team – BBC Studios / SB Projects / BBC One
WILD ALASKA LIVE Adam White, James Morgan, Roger Webb, Vanessa Coates – BBC Studios / BBC Natural History Unit / PBS / BBC One
WORLD WAR ONE REMEMBERED: PASSCHENDAELE Production Team – BBC Studios / BBC Two

MALE PERFORMANCE IN A COMEDY PROGRAMME
ASIM CHAUDHRY People Just Do Nothing – Roughcut TV / BBC Three
ROB BRYDON The Trip to Spain – Revolution Films / Baby Cow Productions / Small Man Productions / Sky Atlantic
SAMSON KAYO Famalam – BBC Studios / BBC Two
TOBY JONES Detectorists – Channel X North / Treasure Trove Productions / Lola Entertainment / BBC Four

MINI-SERIES
HOWARDS END Kenneth Lonergan, Hettie Macdonald, Laura Hastings-Smith, Sophie Gardiner – Playground Entertainment / BBC One
THE MOORSIDE Neil McKay, Paul Whittington, Ken Horn, Jeff Pope – ITV Studios / BBC One
THE STATE Peter Kosminsky, Steve Clark-Hall, Liza Marshall, Kris Thykier – Archery Pictures / Stonehenge Films / Channel 4
THREE GIRLS Nicole Taylor, Philippa Lowthorpe, Susan Hogg, Simon Lewis – BBC Studios / Studio Lambert / BBC One

NEWS COVERAGE
THE BATTLE FOR MOSUL (SKY NEWS) Production Team – Sky News
THE GRENFELL TOWER FIRE (CHANNEL 4 NEWS) Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Jackie Long, Cathy Newman, Ben de Pear – ITN / Channel 4
THE GRENFELL TOWER FIRE (ITV NEWS AT TEN) Production Team – ITN / ITV
THE ROHINGYA CRISIS (SKY NEWS) Production Team – Sky News

REALITY & CONSTRUCTED FACTUAL
CELEBRITY HUNTED Production Team – Shine TV / Channel 4
LOVE ISLAND Production Team – ITV Studios / Motion Content Group / ITV2
OLD PEOPLE’S HOME FOR 4 YEAR OLDS Trish Powell, Murray Boland, Benjamin Leigh, Belle Borgeaud – CPL Productions / Channel 4
THE REAL FULL MONTY Nick Bullen, Kevin Mundye, Daniela Neumann, Will Yapp – Spun Gold TV / ITV

SCRIPTED COMEDY
CATASTROPHE Sharon Horgan, Rob Delaney, Ben Taylor, Jack Bayles – Avalon Television / Merman / Birdbath Productions / Channel 4
CHEWING GUM Production Team – Retort / E4
THIS COUNTRY Daisy May Cooper, Charlie Cooper, Tom George, Simon Mayhew-Archer – BBC Studios / BBC Three
TIMEWASTERS Daniel Lawrence Taylor, Barunka O’Shaughnessy, Josh Cole, George Kane – Big Talk Productions / ITV2

SHORT FORM PROGRAMME
BRITAIN’S FORGOTTEN MEN Production Team – BBC Three / BBC Three
EATING WITH MY EX Production Team – Shotglass Media / BBC Three
MORGANA ROBINSON’S SUMMER Production Team – Merman / Sky Arts
PLS LIKE Production Team – BBC Three / BBC Three

SINGLE DOCUMENTARY 
CHRIS PACKHAM: ASPERGER’S AND ME Charlie Russell, Lizzie Kempton, Tom Barry, Will Grayburn – Raw TV / BBC Two
LOUIS THEROUX, TALKING TO ANOREXIA Louis Theroux, Ellena Wood, Simon McMahon, Peter Dale – BBC Studios / BBC Two
ONE DEADLY WEEKEND IN AMERICA Sanjay Singhal, Ursula Macfarlane, Jon Alwen, Sarah Hunt – Voltage TV Productions / BBC Three
RIO FERDINAND: BEING MUM AND DAD Rio Ferdinand, Grant Best, Matt Smith, Martin Thompson – Only The Best Productions / BBC One

SINGLE DRAMA
AGAINST THE LAW Aysha Rafaele, Scott Bassett, Fergus O’Brien, Brian Fillis – BBC Studios / BBC Two
HANG THE DJ (BLACK MIRROR) Charlie Brooker, Annabel Jones, Tim Van Patten, Nick Pitt – House of Tomorrow / Netflix
KING CHARLES III Mike Bartlett, Greg Brenman, Rupert Goold, Simon Maloney – Drama Republic / BBC Two
MURDERED FOR BEING DIFFERENT Aysha Rafaele, Scott Bassett, Paul Andrew Williams, Nick Leather – BBC Studios / BBC Three

SOAP & CONTINUING DRAMA
CASUALTY Production Team – BBC Studios / BBC One
CORONATION STREET Production Team – ITV Studios / ITV
EMMERDALE Production Team – ITV Studios / ITV
HOLLYOAKS Bryan Kirkwood, Emily Gascoyne, Vikki Tennant, Colette Chard – Lime Pictures / Channel 4

SPECIALIST FACTUAL
BASQUIAT – RAGE TO RICHES David Shulman, Janet Lee – BBC Studios / BBC Two
BLITZ: THE BOMBS THAT CHANGED BRITAIN Production Team – Wall to Wall Media / BBC Two
BLUE PLANET II Production Team – BBC Studios / BBC Natural History Unit / BBC One
ELIZABETH I’S SECRET AGENTS Chris Durlacher, Bernadette Ross, Julian Jones, Claire Guillon – 72 Films / BBC Two

SPORT
ANTHONY JOSHUA v. WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO Adam Smith, Ed Robinson, Sara Chenery, Jennie Blackmore – Sky Sports / Sky Sports Box Office
SIX NATIONS: WALES v. ENGLAND Production Team – BBC Sport / BBC One
THE GRAND NATIONAL Paul McNamara, Richard Willoughby, Amy Lewin, Tony Cahalane – ITV Sport / ITV
UEFA WOMEN’S EURO SEMI-FINAL: ENGLAND V. NETHERLANDS Sunil Patel, Mark Cole, Kay Satterley, Ian Finch – Whisper Films / Channel 4

SUPPORTING ACTOR
ADRIAN DUNBAR Line of Duty – World Productions / BBC One
ANUPAM KHER The Boy with the Topknot – Kudos / Parti Productions / BBC Two
BRÍAN F. O’BYRNE Little Boy Blue – ITV Studios / ITV
JIMMI SIMPSON USS Callister (Black Mirror) – House of Tomorrow / Netflix

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
ANNA FRIEL Broken – LA Productions / BBC One
JULIE HESMONDHALGH Broadchurch – Kudos / Imaginary Friends / Sister Pictures / ITV
LIV HILL Three Girls – BBC Studios / Studio Lambert / BBC One
VANESSA KIRBY The Crown – Left Bank Pictures / Netflix

VIRGIN TV’S MUST-SEE MOMENT
BLUE PLANET II Mother Pilot Whale Grieves – BBC Studios / BBC Natural History Unit / BBC One
DOCTOR WHO The Thirteenth Doctor Revealed – BBC Studios / BBC One
GAME OF THRONES Viserion is Killed by the Night King – HBO Programming / Bighead, Littlehead / Television 360 / Sky Atlantic
LINE OF DUTY Huntley’s Narrow Escape – World Productions / BBC One
LOVE ISLAND Stormzy Makes a Surprise Appearance – ITV Studios / Motion Content Group – ITV
ONE LOVE MANCHESTER Ariana Grande Sings ‘One Last Time’ – BBC Studios / SB Projects / BBC One