Sir Elton to cheer on Billy

Sir Elton John and Gillian Anderson are among the stars who will attend the 51st Evening Standard Theatre Awards at the Savoy on Monday.

Anderson, who is starring as Lady Dedlock in BBC1's adaptation of Charles Dickens's Bleak House, will present the best designer award at the capital's most prestigious theatre event.

Since she quit the hit sci-fi series The X-Files, Anderson has twice appeared on stage in London - in The Sweetest Swing In Baseball and What The Night Is For.

The contenders for the award are Paul Brown for As You Desire Me, Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins and Christopher Oram and Paule Constable, jointly, for Don Carlos.

Sir Elton will be cheering on Billy Elliot, the smash hit show for which he wrote the songs, in the best musical category. He will be joined by the show's executive producer and his partner, David Furnish. Billy Elliot faces competition from Sir Cameron Mackintosh's Mary Poppins and The Big Life.

This year's awards will be presented by Ned Sherrin, marking a welcome return for the writer who last fronted them in 1997.

"It's always my favourite gig," Sherrin said. "It's a great reunion of all the people you want to meet in theatreland. There's a very good list of contenders this year."

Shortlisted for the Sydney Edwards Award for best director are Sir Richard Eyre for Hedda Gabler and Mary Poppins, Michael Grandage for Don Carlos and Grand Hotel and Jonathan Kent for As You Desire Me.

The award will be presented by Joseph Fiennes who is currently starring in the revival of Epitaph For George Dillon, by John Osborne and Anthony Creighton, at the Comedy Theatre. The award for best play will be presented by Sinead Cusack who will soon be seen in BBC1 sitcom Home Again.

In the running for best play are Bloody Sunday by Richard Norton-Taylor, Harvest by Richard Bean, The Home Place by Brian Friel and Two Thousand Years by Mike Leigh. Felicity Kendal will present the best actor award to one of three nominees: Brian Dennehy for Death Of A Salesman, Simon Russell Beale for The Philanthropist and Derek Jacobi for Don Carlos.