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CRITICS' AWARDS FOR THEATRE IN SCOTLAND
CATS AWARDS 2017
WINNERS & NOMINEES
The 2017 CATS winners were announced at the Festival Theatre Edinburgh, on Sun 11 June where special guest presenter Still Game’s Gavin Mitchell presented the awards.
Here are the winners and nominees for the Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland 2017.
Guest Presenter Gavin Mitchel
Best Male Performance
Brian Ferguson (Bernard 1, 2 and Michael Black)
A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
Image © Aly Wight
Image © Aly Wight
Robert Jack (Benedick)
Much Ado About Nothing, Dundee Rep Ensemble
Image © Tommy Ga Ken Wan
Image © Tommy Ga Ken Wan
Billy Mack (Willy Loman)
Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
WINNER - Best Male Performer
“Billy Mack’s performance as Willy Loman was unforgettable. He movingly ran the gamut of Willy’s emotions, raging against what life has done to him,·bursting into unfounded optimism and finally, heartbreakingly, the realisation that it has all been for nothing.”
Joy Watters, Across the Arts
Image © Jane Hobson
WINNER - Best Male Performer
“Billy Mack’s performance as Willy Loman was unforgettable. He movingly ran the gamut of Willy’s emotions, raging against what life has done to him,·bursting into unfounded optimism and finally, heartbreakingly, the realisation that it has all been for nothing.”
Joy Watters, Across the Arts
Image © Jane Hobson
Gerry Mulgrew (Krapp)
Krapp’s Last Tape, Tron Theatre, Glasgow and Paul Brotherston
Image ©
Image ©
Best Female Performance
Lucy Briggs-Owen (Lydia Languish)
The Rivals, Citizens Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
Image © Mark Douet
Image © Mark Douet
Nicole Cooper (Coriolanus)
Coriolanus, Bard in the Botanics
WINNER - Best Female Performance
“As Coriolanus in Bard in the Botanics’ stripped-back production of Shakespeare’s war-time classic, Nicole Cooper took on a role usually associated with unhinged machismo and stomped her way through the Kibble Palace with a whirlwind-like ferocity. This not only gave the play a fresh edge of femininity in a still contemporary work, but pointed to a major actor, who can tackle big roles with a mix of fearlessness and sensitivity.”
Neil Cooper, The Herald
Image © Tommy Ga Ken Wan
WINNER - Best Female Performance
“As Coriolanus in Bard in the Botanics’ stripped-back production of Shakespeare’s war-time classic, Nicole Cooper took on a role usually associated with unhinged machismo and stomped her way through the Kibble Palace with a whirlwind-like ferocity. This not only gave the play a fresh edge of femininity in a still contemporary work, but pointed to a major actor, who can tackle big roles with a mix of fearlessness and sensitivity.”
Neil Cooper, The Herald
Image © Tommy Ga Ken Wan
Louise McCarthy (Bernadette)
Cuttin’ a Rug, Citizens Theatre
Image © Tim Morozzo
Image © Tim Morozzo
Gemma McElhinney (Kelly Butcher)
GamePlan, (Rosie Seymore) FlatSpin and (Paige Petite) RolePlay, Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Image © Douglas McBride
Image © Douglas McBride
Best Ensemble
Death of a Salesman
Dundee Rep Ensemble
WINNER - Best Ensemble
“The best productions of Death of a Salesman put Willy Loman in context, and that’s what the ensemble do here. His sons, wife, neighbour and uncle all prop up Willy’s pain and·amplify his situation. The cast worked together to do this selflessly and brilliantly.”
Anna Burnside, Daily Record
Image © Jane Hobson
WINNER - Best Ensemble
“The best productions of Death of a Salesman put Willy Loman in context, and that’s what the ensemble do here. His sons, wife, neighbour and uncle all prop up Willy’s pain and·amplify his situation. The cast worked together to do this selflessly and brilliantly.”
Anna Burnside, Daily Record
Image © Jane Hobson
The Lonesome West
Tron Theatre, Glasgow
Image © John Johnstone
Image © John Johnstone
A Number
Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
Image © Aly Wight
Image © Aly Wight
The Rivals
Citizens Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse
Image © Mark Douet
Image © Mark Douet
Best Director
Ian Cameron, Andy Cannon, Andy Manley and Shona Reppe
Black Beauty, Red Bridge and Traverse Theatre Company
Image © Mihaela Bodlovic
Image © Mihaela Bodlovic
Joe Douglas
Death of a Salesman, Dundee Rep Ensemble
Image © Jane Hobson
Image © Jane Hobson
Zinnie Harris
A Number, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in partnership with Edinburgh International Science Festival
WINNER - Best Director
“Zinnie Harris’s production of Caryl Churchill’s futuristic drama about cloning reflected brilliantly the careful, sharp-yet-nuanced structure of the play itself. Like a great, modernist concerto, her direction combined enthralling dissonance with a deep emotional and psychological connection.”
Mark Brown, Sunday Herald/The Telegraph
Image © Aly Wight
WINNER - Best Director
“Zinnie Harris’s production of Caryl Churchill’s futuristic drama about cloning reflected brilliantly the careful, sharp-yet-nuanced structure of the play itself. Like a great, modernist concerto, her direction combined enthralling dissonance with a deep emotional and psychological connection.”
Mark Brown, Sunday Herald/The Telegraph
Image © Aly Wight
Wils Wilson
Wind Resistance, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh in association with Edinburgh International Festival and supported through the Scottish Government’s Edinburgh Festivals Expo Fund
Image © Aly Wight
Image © Aly Wight