Dundee Rep again shone in Scotland’s theatre awards by winning the prize for the best male performance and sharing the honour for the best music and sound both with the acclaimed production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.
David Birrell triumphed in the best male performance category, with Mark Fisher, co-convener of the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland, saying, “Played by David Birrell, Sweeney Todd was a figure of unruffled determination; cool, enigmatic and self-contained.
“He was all the more chilling because he took no pleasure in his victories. And he sang beautifully,” he added.
Hilary Brooks picked up a second award for Dundee Rep and Sweeney Todd, sharing the best music and sound prize with Alasdair Macrae for his work on the National Theatre of Scotland’s The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart penned by David Greig.
Judge Robert Dawson Scott, said, “How do you separate the challenge that Hilary Brooks had at Dundee, faced with one of the most demanding scores in all musical theatre, to the challenge of writing new music, and combining that with much-loved existing music to make something as wittily brilliant and contextually clever as Alasdair Macrae managed for Prudencia Hart?
“In the end, they were both tremendous achievements and we have decided that the best music and sound category this year should be shared between Hilary Brooks and Ally Macrae.”
Dundee Rep received a total of five nominations, all for its performance of Sweeney Todd.
The winners were announced on Sunday night at a ceremony at Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre. The awards were hosted by the Scottish entertainer Clare Grogan.
Catherine Wheels, the children’s theatre specialists, emerged as the leader at this year’s awards with an impressive three of the 10 categories overall with their show White winning best production for children and young people, best technical presentation and best design.
Established as a highlight in the theatrical calendar north of the border, the event was attended by some of the leading figures in Scottish theatre who celebrated alongside passionate theatre lovers.
Mark Fisher said, “The range of winners demonstrates the breadth and ambition of high-quality theatre in Scotland.
“The list embraces musicals, site-specific drama, children’s shows and main stage theatre-each winner brilliant in their own distinctive way.”
He went on to thank the sponsors, without whom the awards would not be possible.