In The Room Where It Happens

So, Maggie & Me didn’t win at the WhatsOnStageAwards on Sunday.

BUT we were in the room - well, the London Palladium! I mean, THE ACTUAL LONDON PALLADIUM.

TBH, I had no clue it would be so properly red carpet fancy. I lost count of the stars I spotted on and off stage - Imelda Staunton, Tina Fey, half the cast of Slow Horses. I finally met Mark Bonnar in person after having him as a guest on Shelf Isolation (my BBC culture show made during lockdown). Can confirm Mark gives amazing hugs and I’m no shirker in this dept. Thrillingly, Cush Jumbo was sat in front of us all night.

We were up for Best Set Design and Best Sound Design. Everybody who came to see the play loved the sets, designed by the brilliant Kenneth MacLeod. His set was the first thing you saw and he brought the whole story to life in an amazingly detailed, beautiful and highly kinetic way. Susan Bear was up for Best Sound Design - she created a soundtrack that brought the 1980s back! But she also capture the dynamics of the characters and, in fact, created the character Logan purely from sound because I didn’t want to see that man in any kind of flesh ever again. I owe Kenneth and Susan so much and I am so proud of them and their work.

It was a belting night out! And joyful to be reunited with Kenneth and Susan and our genius director Suba Das—truly, he worked actual magic. He should be up for every award going! Enjoy his style in the pic above (right).

We were the only show from Scotland to make it to the finals. Thanks to National Theatre of Scotland for reuniting us all and to Jack Oliver for herding cats on the night. Thanks to WhatsonStage for a stunning night and congratulations to everybody shortlisted and to all the winners. Biggest thanks of all goes to everybody who came to see Maggie & Me on tour and who voted us into that room!

I very much hope the play returns soon to a stage near you ;)