The nominations for the 2004 Laurence Olivier Awards, the most prestigious awards of the West End calendar, have been announced, with a production by the Lyric Theatre among the nominations.

Directed and designed by the Lyric's artistic director Neil Bartlett, the play Pericles, shown last October, was nominated in the category Outstanding Achievement in an affiliate theatre. The other three nominees competing with the Lyric are: The Young Vic for an audacious season under the artistic direction of David Lan, Tanika Gupta for Fragile Land at Hampstead Theatre and her adaptation of Hobson's Choice at the Young Vic and The Almeida Theatre for The Lady from the Sea.

Last year, another play at the Lyric won the Evening Standard Theatre Award (see Play at the Lyric wins theatre award). Polly Teale has won the award as Best Director for Shared Experience production of After Mrs Rochester. The play was transferred to the Duke of York's Theatre from the Lyric Hammersmith where it became the surprise hit of the last summer season in the West End.

The winners of the 2004 Olivier Awards will be announced in a ceremony at the Hilton, Park Lane, on 22 February. The Laurence Olivier Awards is one of the most prestigious awards in London theatre. They were established in 1976 as The Society of West End Theatre Awards, and Lord Olivier agreed to have his name associated with them in 1984. They are presented each year by the Society Of London Theatre.

This year, Jerry Springer The Opera, Ragtime and Pacific Overtures have each received eight nominations across a number of categories. Jerry Springer The Opera and Ragtime were both nominated for Best New Musical with Pacific Overtures nominated for Outstanding Musical Production. The nominations for Best Actress in a Musical, Best Actor in a Musical and Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical are shared between the three productions, along with Thoroughly Modern Millie and High Society. All three also feature alongside Caligula in the category of Best Director.

In the categories of Best Actress and Best Actor, ten different productions and six different theatres are represented. Kenneth Branagh is nominated for Best Actor for the title role in Edmond at the National Olivier alongside Roger Allam, who won this category in 2002, and Greg Hicks, Matthew Kelly and Michael Sheen who are all hoping to win their first Olivier. The Best Actress Award will be between four veterans of the stage and one rather newer star. Kelly Reilly, for whom 2003 could be considered a breakthrough year, is nominated along with Kristin Scott Thomas, Eileen Atkins, Helen Mirren and Ann Mitchell.

Nicholas Hytner's decision to make the National's Cottesloe Theatre exclusive to new writing has paid off, as it receives three of the four nominations for Best New Play. Michael Frayn's Democracy, Kwame Kwei-Armah's Elmina's Kitchen and Martin McDonagh's The Pillowman are nominated along with Terry Johnson's Hitchcock Blonde, which was seen at both the Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Downstairs and the Lyric.

The Laurence Olivier Awards Web site

The Lyric Web site