Stars turn out in force for theatre's big night

From Sir Sam Mendes to Nicole Scherzinger, this was a joyful tribute to the capital's utterly unparalleled stage talent, says Nick Curtis

- Nick Curtis

IT'S hard to single out the best moment of the 67th Evening Standard Theatre Awards, co-hosted by the Standard's owner Lord Lebedev and Ian McKellen at Claridge's last night. Was it when Nicole Scherzinger said "I'm lowkey crapping myself right now" on accepting her best musical performance award for Sunset Boulevard? Was it Sir Sam Mendes describing the theatre world as the family he never had growing up? Sir Elton John declaring it "the gayest moment ever" when he was presented with a special award by Boy George and Jake Shears?

Whichever moment tickled your particular fancy, this was a joyful event where London's newspaper celebrated the talent, the self-mocking humour and above all the camaraderie of London theatre. It began with presenter Susan Wokoma spoofing the dressing-room to-stage video sequence that features in Sunset Boulevard.

And it ended, in formal terms at least, with a tribute to the unsung and often unseen contribution musicians make to shows, at which a band hidden in the crowd sprang to life for a musical medley. The after party and the after-after party went on into the small hours. As well as recognising excellence, the UK's oldest drama awards are a chance for a lot of glorious, glamorous people to come together and have fun.

Scherzinger spoke emotionally about how she had been accepted by London's theatre community when she was cast as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard by Jamie Lloyd, who took the Milton Shulman award for best director. Lloyd said his leading lady "given us a performance for the ages".

Sunset Boulevard was pipped to the best musical award, however, by Nicholas Hytner's breathtaking revival of Guys & Dolls.