WCW: Euphoric ReActions to Richard Armitage’s 2015 Olivier Awards Best Actor Nomination, March 11, 2015 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #717)

February 2015: I know that they must be posting the British 2015 Olivier Award Nominations soon. But when? My fingers and toes are crossed that the exquisitely talented British Actor Richard Armitage (right as John Proctor in The Crucible at The Old Vic; my wallpaper at right) is recognized for his stellar performance as John Proctor in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. And at my age, pretzel twisting body parts is not easily accomplished.

And I have yet to experience viewing The Old Vic’s The Crucible–being patient with video clips until the March 17^th download. But the clips reveal what are sure to be riveting performances by all of the cast–and especially by Richard Armitage. Here is the trailer for the Digital Theatre film of The Crucible (by CinemaLiveInfo):

March 9, 2015: OMG! Both Richard Armitage as Best Actor and the play The Crucible in the Best Revival categories were nominated for 2015 Olivier Awards!!!!! Thanks to the What’s On Stage Tweeted link for Olivier Nom info!  Thanks also to 2015 Olivier Awards tweet for Best Actor Nominations image below and for The Crucible’s Best Revival Olivier Nomination image below!

 

I was so thrilled for Richard Armitage that I think I probably looked like James McAvoy in the cap above left–but without the beard. I wonder if Richard Armitage’s reaction was: a) his usual calm cool demeanor, or b) if he went quizzical and pivoted up on his toes among other astonished expressions, or c) was he restrained but with a bursting ebullient smile peaking out?   All Richard Armitage portrait images below are by the wonderful portrait photographer Sarah Dunn:

a)           b)  c)

And then the flurry of euphoric well wishes and congratulations and thanks poured in across Twitterland to and from Richard Armitage and The Crucible fans and colleagues–none more graciously than The Old Vic’s production of The Crucible’s:

1) esteemed Director Yael Farber,–who in many fans minds should have also been nominated for her brilliant artistic vision and guiding this company of actors to create a much lauded production by critics and fans alike:


2) and, its star, Richard Armitage, who characteristically humbly chose to feature his The Crucible cast mates with an image of a group of them with his tweet of thanks:

Finally, Richard Armitage fan and artist Ann Boudreau (and on Twitter as @AnnBoudreauArt) created a beautiful congratulatory wallpaper (below)–for Richard Armitage as Best Actor Nomination and for The Crucible as Best Revival Nomination (updated 7:30pm, below):

So come Sunday April 12, 2015’s Olivier Awards Ceremony, I and thousands/millions around the world will be glued to our Livestreams–at least, I hope they Livestream the Olivier Awards red carpet–and Twitter feeds to see if our favorites Richard Armitage and The Crucible win 2015 Olivier Awards. Here is a link for the full list of 2015 Olivier Award Nominees.

And I hope that Richard Armitage will attend the April 12^th Olivier Awards ceremony. Because RA’s role as John Proctor is his current role of a lifetime in a long career of memorably stellar character portrayals and performances. And the Olivier Awards are a once in a lifetime experience–with, hopefully, many more nominations to come in his future.

So Richard, call your fashion stylist guru Ilaria Urbinati to style your Olivier Awards Ceremony & press conferences looks–wash those pitts, wax your hair, and brush your teeth. You are going to the Olivier Awards. At least, if I were an “older sister” to him, that is what I would tell him. And of course, as his sister I would insist that he take me as his date. Ha!

And as they always say, it is an honor to be nominated. And like the American Oscars for film and the Tony’s for Theatre, the British Olivier Awards are extremely prestigious with the very best in British Theatre nominated and honored over the years. So Richard Armitage is already a winner in my mind as a nominee!

But it would certainly be lovely if Mr. Armitage as a Best Actor Nominee and the play The Crucible as a Best Revival Nominee won for their respective categories. Okay everyone, start crossing your fingers and toes, lighting candles (under adult supervision only), and clicking the heels of your magical ruby red slippers (right) together three times and chanting three times each day:

And the winner is Richard Armitage, in The Crucible.

And the winner is Richard Armitage, in The Crucible.

And the winner is Richard Armitage, in The Crucible.