Jack Thorne's play The Motive and the Cue, which premiered at the National Theatre, London, in May 2023 and transfers to the Noel Coward Theatre in the West End in December, was named Best Play at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards last night (Sunday 19 November).

The play, which is about the clash between actor Richard Burton and his director John Gielgud during rehearsals for their famous production of Hamlet, was widely acclaimed when it opened earlier this year in Sam Mendes's glittering production.

Also nominated for the Best Play award was Sam Holcroft's A Mirror, which premiered at the Almeida Theatre, London, in August.