Watch the Oliviers nominations LIVE at noon today

Alright, we've got the sideshow of the Oscars out of the way – now it's time for the awards show that the world really cares about.

Yup, this afternoon at noon, live from London, England is the announcement of the shortlists for the biggest and most prestigious date in the London theatre calendar: the 2016 Laurence Olivier Awards, the medium-sized metal statues Mark Rylance was winning years before he'd even heard of the Academy Awards, maybe.

Anyway, it feels like quite a wide-open year, but we're confidently expecting big things for the Royal Court's 'Hangmen' and the National Theatre's 'People, Places and Things'. Plus! Can soon-to-shut musical 'Bend It Like Beckham' wrestle back some awards glory?

You can watch the announcements – hosted by the lovely Michael Ball, ahhh – below, from noon. 

Follow @TimeOutTheatre for our 'hot take' on the nominations, if you can be bothered.

The Olivier Awards will take place on Sunday April 3 at the Royal Opera House, with highlights screened later that evening on ITV.