On this day...

Two of William Shakespeare's best loved plays had their first recorded performance - 'Othello' in 1604, and 'The Tempest' in 1611. Both were performed at Whitehall Palace, and although it is conceivable that this was not the plays' debut performance, it is certainly the first that was documented.

'Othello' was noted as, 'A Play in the Banketinge house at Whit Hall Called The Moor of Venis' and was attributed to 'Shaxberd'. 'The Tempest' was similarly performed in front of King James I on Hallowmas night, and was later included as one of the eight plays acted at court in celebration of the marriage of Princess Elizabeth.

What's on stage?...

Nominations for Whatsonstage.com Theatre Awards have been announced. Lenny Henry, who won a London Evening Standard Theatre Award last month for his performance as Othello, has been nominated for best newcomer, along with previous X Factor finalist Diana Vickers, who plays the lead in 'The Rise and Fall of Little Voice'. Fellow Standard winner Rachel Weisz is nominated for best actress, due to her role in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'; a category also including famous film actress Helen Mirren, nominated for 'Phedre'. Other notable nominations include, Jude Law for best actor, following his success in Hamlet and former Spice Girl Melanie C for best takeover role in 'Blood Brothers'. The winners will be announced on February 14th.

Weisz of the right standard...

The winners of the London Evening Standard theatre awards were announced yesterday. After the nominations earlier this month, Lenny Henry won the Outstanding Newcomer prize for his portrayal of Shakespeare's Othello. At the ceremony, Henry joked, 'I must be the oldest newcomer there has ever been - which means there is hope for Bruce Forsyth's King Lear'. The accolade of Best Actress went to a 'thrilled and honoured' Rachel Weisz for her performance in Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire'; an award named after the late Natasha Richardson and presented by her mother Vanessa Redgrave. Sir Ian McKellen was the recipient of a special honour for his contribution to theatre, whose resume includes numerous plays by Shakespeare, Chekhov and Shaw respectively. Alexander Lebedev, owner of the Standard precised the ceremony by saying, 'What we have seen in the past year in London's theatres is innovative and inspiring.'

51 and still young...

The nominations for the London Evening Standard's theatre awards were released yesterday. Among the most notable, is Lenny Henry in the category of 'Outstanding Newcomer', despite being 51 years of age. He made his stage debut as Othello last year, first appearing at Northern Broadsides theatre, and currently, following remarkable success, is performing at Trafalgar Studios. Critics have called his performance 'one of the most astonishing debuts in Shakespeare...it is impossible to praise too highly Henry's courage in taking on so demanding and exposed a role, and then performing it with such authority and feeling.' Also nominated is Rachel Weisz for 'Best Actress', for her performance in Tennessee Williams' 'A Streetcar Named Desire' at the Donmar Warehouse. The full list of nominations can be found here. The winners will be announced on the November 23rd.