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The cream of Britain's thespian talent is vying for prizes at America's top theatre awards, the Tonys. British actors Patrick Stewart, Rufus Sewell, Mark Rylance and Ben Daniels have all been nominated for best actor, while Eve Best and Kate Fleetwood will compete for the title of best actress.
Three out of the four nominations for best play are for shows that were first staged in London before moving to Broadway, including Rock 'n' Roll, The Seafarer and The 39 Steps.
Boeing-Boeing and Macbeth, which made their debut in Britain, are also nominated for best revival of a play in the awards ceremony that takes place at New York's Radio City Music Hall on June 15. Best has been nominated for her role in the recent New York production of Harold Pinter's The Homecoming, while Fleetwood gets the nod for her performance as Lady Macbeth.
Macbeth, which transferred to Broadway after an award-winning run in the West End, received six nominations, including best actor for Stewart as the play's flawed hero.
His competition includes Sewell, nominated for his role in Tom Stoppard's Rock 'n' Roll. Marc Camoletti's farce Boeing-Boeing scooped six nominations, including best actor for Rylance as the sexually timid Robert who succumbs to the advances of a libidinous air hostess. Also up for best actor is Daniels, for his Broadway debut playing opposite Laura Linney as the Vicomte de Valmont in Les Liaisons Dangereuses.
- INDEPENDENT
