The winners of the Theatre Awards UK 2012 were announced yesterday (October 28^th), in a lunchtime ceremony hosted by the Theatrical Management Association. Several NHB authors were among the recipients.

In the Next Room, Sarah Ruhl’s magnetic, nostalgic and gloriously imaginative comedy drama set in an 1800s New York spa town, won Best New Play. It received its UK premiere at the Theatre Royal Bath Ustinov Studio in May.

The award for Best Touring Production was given to English Touring Theatre’s production of Anne Boleyn, Howard Brenton’s engaging historical drama about the wife of Henry VIII. The play originally premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2010. The award was the first ever decided by public vote, with the winner chosen by audiences across the UK.

Howard Brenton’s new play, 55 Days starring Mark Gatiss as Charles I and Douglas Henshall as Oliver Cromwell, is currently showing at Hampstead Theatre.

Also honoured at the ceremony were actors Timothy West and Prunella Scales, who received The Stage Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre ‘in recognition of their longstanding commitment to theatre outside London.’ Their book, So You Want To Be An Actor?, is published by Nick Hern Books.