Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller vie for award

Cumberbatch alternated roles with Lee Miller in Danny Boyle's production. Photos by Catherine Ashmore

Frankenstein actors Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch are to compete against each other at this year's Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

The pair are both up for the best actor honour in Danny Boyle's National Theatre production.

Playwright Richard Bean also receives two nods in the best play category for The Heretic and One Man, Two Guvnors.

The awards will be hosted by Barry Humphries' alter ego Dame Edna Everage at London's Savoy Hotel on 20 November.

Cumberbatch and Miller, who alternated between the two leading roles in Frankenstein, are joined by Bertie Carvel for Matilda the Musical and Charles Edwards for Much Ado About Nothing in the best actor category.

Actress Sheridan Smith receives a nod for best actress for a second year running for her performance as a barmaid-turned-countess in Terrence Rattigan's wartime drama, Flare Path.

Last year Smith was in contention for her role in musical Legally Blonde.

She will be up against Kristin Scott Thomas for the West End revival of Harold Pinters' Betrayal and Samantha Spiro for Chicken Soup With Barley.

The best musical category sees nominations for Betty Blue Eyes, the National's London Road and Matilda, which features music written by Australian comedian Tim Minchin.

Oscar nominee Mike Leigh will compete for best director for the National's production of Grief against Rob Ashford for Anna Christie, Dominic Cooke for Chicken Soup With Barley and Edward Hall for his Propeller productions of Richard III and The Comedy of Errors at the Hampstead Theatre.

The Royal Court and National Theatre dominated the awards shortlist overall, with eight and nine nominations respectively.