Kevin Spacey is artistic director of The Old Vic

Turner, who starred in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is up for best actress, while Spacey receives a best actor nod.

Eric Idle's irreverent Spamalot is up against Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita in the best musical category.

Frost/Nixon, starring Michael Sheen, has been nominated for four awards. The ceremony will be held at The Savoy, in central London, on 27 November.

Frost/Nixon has been widely praised by theatre critics

In the best actor category, Spacey, artistic director of The Old Vic, is nominated for his role in A Moon for the Misbegotten, Bill Irwin for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Rufus Sewell for Rock'n'Roll.

They face competition from Sheen, who received critical acclaim for his role as David Frost in Frost/Nixon.

The play focuses on Frost's interviews with former US President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal.

Frost/Nixon is also up best director and best design, as well as best play - alongside Sir Tom Stoppard's Rock'n'Roll and The Seafarer.

In the best musical category, Spamalot will compete against Tony Kushner's more sober civil rights musical, Caroline, or Change and West End favourites Evita and Sunday in The Park.

Evita's Elena Roger is up for the outstanding newcomer award

Turner's turn in Edward Albee's classic 1962 drama Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? pits her against fellow actresses Frances O'Connor for Tom and Viv, and Sinead Cusack for Rock'n'Roll