Star booking - Jann Parry takes top prize at Theatre Book Prize award ceremony

Published: 30 April 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM

WEST End stars were at the Drury Lane Theatre on Tuesday – not to tread the boards, but to present a prestigious award honouring this year’s best books about the stage.

Sheila Hancock, who is starring in Sister Act the Musical at the London Palladium, joined the actor Timothy West and his wife Prunella Scales at the Theatre Book Prize award ceremony, at which writer Jann Parry walked off with the award for her biography of the choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, Different Drummer (Faber £30). 

Critic Mark Shenton addressed the audience of journalists and thespians, as did West End Extra critic Howard Loxton, who chaired the judges panel. 

Timothy West said the the prize encouraged more publishers to print books about the theatre, adding: “There are more books about theatre now even than there are about food or the royal family.”