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Best in the arts is celebrated at Guide Awards ceremony
THE STARS were out last night as The News celebrated the best in entertainment at a glamorous ceremony at the Kings Theatre.
The Southsea venue played host to The News Guide Awards, honouring the best artists in local entertainment with 16 categories.
Voted for by readers of The News, they included Best Exhibition, which saw Portsmouth City Museum presented with both the winner and runner-up trophy.
Winning the title of Best Event for a second year was Southsea Fest, which beat competition from runner-up Bestival.
As well as celebrating the area’s best entertainment, the evening showcased this talent with music, dance, musical theatre and comedy performances.
Schoolboy DJ Ted Lavender entertained the 650-strong crowd during the interval. At just 13 years old, Ted has DJed at Lily Allen’s wedding reception and the Isle of Wight Festival. He even has a residency in Brixton.
Best Band runners-up Huw Olesker and The Barebackers performed a headline slot with a fun set that culminated in the unusual sight of the Kings audience clapping in the air with their shoes on their hands.
Huw said: ‘It was nice to have been nominated alongside some of the biggest names in the city.
‘The Guide Awards are a great way for local people to get the recognition they deserve.’
Esteemed theatre and classical music critic Mike Allen gave the award for Best Professional Production to Jonathan Church, director of Chichester Festival Theatre’s production of Singin’ In The Rain.
Jonathan said: ‘It was the most successful show Chichester has ever staged in terms of the number of people who saw it – about 65,000 – and we are delighted it has been recognised at the Guide Awards. People had great fun with all the water we kicked about the stage and into the auditorium.’
Mike was himself presented with the Special Achievement award for 34 years of championing the arts in Portsmouth, writing more than 3,000 reviews for The News.
Mike, who retired this year, said: ‘I’m shocked, I do think this award is supposed to be for the creators, performers and facilitators.
‘All I’ve done is observe.
‘The most important aspect of the Guide Awards is that they promote arts and entertainment.
‘We must never forget that the arts enrich humanity.’
WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP
BEST EVENT
Winner: Southsea Fest
Runner-up: Bestival
BEST COMEDY
Winner: Sean Collins
Runner-up: Instant SOOP
BEST DJ
Winner: Pete Scathe
Runner-up: Hipshaker DJs
BEST BAND
Winner: The Mojo Filters
Runner-up: Huw Olesker and The Barebackers
BEST SOLO ARTIST
Winner: Under the Laurels (AKA Laurel-Arnell-Cullen)
Runner-up: Hometown Show (AKA Matthew Harrison)
BEST EXHIBITION
Winner: Little Black Dress at Portsmouth City Museum
Runner-up: Football in the City: A space in the heart of Portsmouth at Portsmouth City Museum
BEST RESTAURANT Winner: Jamie’s Italian
Runner-up: Restaurant 27
BEST PUB/WINE BAR
Winner: The Horse & Jockey, Hambledon
Runner-up: The Bird In Hand, Lovedean
BEST FILM
Winner: Blackberry Stains by Roger Goldsmith
Runner-up: We’re Going Crabbing by Martin Chalk
BEST PROFESSIONAL
PRODUCTION
Winner: Singin’ In The Rain, Chichester Festival Theatre
Runner-up: Cowardy Custard, Kings Theatre
BEST AMATEUR DRAMA
PRODUCTION
Winner: The 39 Steps, HumDrum
Runner-up: Swimming With Sharks, CCADS
BEST AMATEUR MUSICAL PRODUCTION
Winner: Our House, CCADS
Runner-up: Jesus Christ Superstar, South Downe Musical Society
BEST AMATEUR ACTOR
Winner: Kevin Redfern, Swimming With Sharks (CCADS)
Runner-up: Sean Fisher, The 39 Steps (HumDrum)
BEST AMATEUR ACTRESS
Winner: Alice Corrigan, Daisy Pulls It Off (Bench)
Runner-up: Lara Hardwick, Romeo And Juliet (SSA)
BEST CLASSICAL MUSIC ACT
Winner: Portsmouth Festival Choir
Runner-up: Karen Kingsley
SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT Recipient: Mike Allen
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Thursday 23 February 2012
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Ronson
Monday, November 21, 2011 at 11:53 PMI believe the reason Jamie Oliver's restaurant won this category is for the same reason that the 3 comments on this article are all with regards to the result! The business serves hundreds of people a day & would therefore generate more votes. Apparently they were not even aware of the local importance of the awards & did not attend due to the majority of local feedback being cynical and generally negative. There are many good restaurants in Portsmouth using local produce & helping raise the profile of a area that is generally a gastronomic desert. Perhaps the organisers should have taken the volume element in to account when counting votes?
southseabeach
Friday, November 18, 2011 at 04:56 PMRunner up Restaurant 27 is as local as you can get! No disgrace coming second to Jamie's - a deserved winner.
monster munch
Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 10:04 AMAn entertaining evening but definitely a bit of a mixed bag, shows the power of tactical voting by family and friends. Jamie's Italian winning best restaurant ? Are there really no local as opposed to TV chef chain restaurants that could've won this category ?
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