London’s Evening Standard has today revealed the host of actors, directors and productions in contention for its 2009 Theatre Awards, which will be handed out at the end of this month.

The long list, which will be whittled down to a more manageable short list next week, highlights the strength of London theatre over the last 12 months, with international superstars sitting alongside less well known names in the collection of commended performers and practitioners.

David Tennant, whose Hamlet caused a storm last winter, but who rarely performed in the role due to a back injury, appears alongside Mark Rylance, Simon Russell Beale, Kevin Spacey and Ian McKellen, who is included for Waiting For Godot though his co-star Patrick Stewart is not.