BOLTON theatre director David Thacker has been honoured with a special achievement award at the Manchester Theatre Awards.

It topped off his final year as artistic director at Bolton’s Octagon Theatre.

A further six awards went to Octagon productions.

The theatre's other winners included Colin Connor, Barbara Drennan, and Natasha Davidson in A View From The Bridge, which also won best production; David Birrell in An Enemy Of The People; and Noises Off was named best ensemble.

Theatres across the region were among the nominees in the annual Manchester Theatre Awards shortlist for 20 categories, chosen by a panel of 10 of the region’s leading theatre critics.

For the second year there was also a youth panel award, chosen by a team of young city theatre enthusiasts.

The red carpet event was held at HOME, the city’s newest arts venue, and attended by a glittering array of stage stars, both national and local.

Bolton actress Maxine Peake, a previous winner of a leading actress trophy, was narrowly beaten in that category this year, but also found her first self-penned play Beryl, about champion cyclist Beryl Burton, nominated in both the visiting production and new play categories.

The city’s Opera House and Palace Theatre venues were guaranteed a winner in the Musical category since all nominees were from shows they had staged.

In the event it was The Bodyguard — The Musical that took first prize. The Opera House was also the setting for the winner of this year’s Design award, which went to the Manchester International Festival production of Tree of Codes. The spectacular production just missed out in the Dance category, which was won by English National Ballet’s Lest We Forget.

Two of the stars of the current Manchester Royal Exchange production of Husbands & Sons — Joe Armstrong and Louise Brealey — found themselves winners of the Visiting Actor and Actress trophies for their appearance in Constellations at the Lowry last year. The play also won Best Visiting Production.

Other awards covered nominations for Opera and Special Entertainment performances and the city’s vigorous fringe and studio theatre scenes were honoured across four categories.

A capacity audience was welcomed to the event by MTA chairman Kevin Bourke and the awards ceremony was again hosted by comedian Justin Moorhouse.

Other entertainment was served up by comedian and animator Howard Read; Jessica Parker and Josh Tevendale from the musical Avenue Q, which comes to the Palace Theatre in May; and Manchester folk singer Jennifer Reid.