I was delighted to be able to vote in the Critics Circle Theatre Awards for the first time this year, a year when member critics were invited to make selections from both longlists and shortlists in each category.
I’ve put the shows I have seen in italics, but of course my vote(s) must remain confidential! The private awards ceremony is on 26 Mar 2026 – good luck to all the nominees!
Nominations
THE MICHAEL BILLINGTON AWARD FOR BEST NEW PLAY
- David Adjmi – Stereophonic (Duke of York’s Theatre)
- Alice Birch – Romans A Novel (Almeida Theatre)
- Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian – Kenrex (The Other Palace)
- James Graham – Punch (from a book by Jacob Dunne) (Young Vic / Apollo Theatre)
- David Ireland – The Fifth Step (@sohoplace)
- Suzie Miller – Inter Alia (National Theatre)
- Joe Murphy & Joe Robertson – Kyoto (@sohoplace)
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY OR MUSICAL
- All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre)
- Brigadoon (Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park)
- Evita (London Palladium)
- Intimate Apparel (Donmar Warehouse)
- Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre)
- Indian Ink (Hampstead Theatre)
- The Weir (Harold Pinter Theatre)
THE PETER HEPPLE AWARD FOR BEST NEW MUSICAL
- Cable Street (Southwark Playhouse)
- Here We Are (National Theatre)
- Paddington The Musical (Savoy Theatre)
- Shucked (Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park)
- Sing Street (Lyric Hammersmith)
- Titanique (Criterion Theatre)
THE 5RB AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
- Daniel Aukin – Stereophonic (Duke of York’s Theatre)
- Jordan Fein – Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre)
- Lynette Linton – Intimate Apparel (Donmar Warehouse)
- Jamie Lloyd – Evita (London Palladium) and Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
- Luke Sheppard – Paddington The Musical (Savoy Theatre)
- Ivo van Hove – All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre)
BEST ENSEMBLE OR CAST
- 1536 (Almeida Theatre)
- Here We Are (National Theatre)
- Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre)
- Stereophonic (Duke of York’s Theatre)
- The Weir (Harold Pinter Theatre)
- When We Are Married (Donmar Warehouse)
MOST PROMISING PLAYWRIGHT
- Jamie Armitage – A Ghost in Your Ear (Hampstead Theatre) and An Interrogation (Hampstead Theatre)
- Sophia Chetin-Leuner – Porn Play (Royal Court)
- Hannah Doran – The Meat Kings! (Inc) of Brooklyn Heights (Park Theatre)
- Sophia Griffin – After Sunday (Bush Theatre)
- Katherine Moar – Ragdoll (Jermyn Street Theatre)
- Ava Pickett – 1536 (Almeida Theatre)
- Shaan Sahota – The Estate (National Theatre)
BEST ACTOR
- Adeel Akhtar – The Estate (National Theatre)
- Bryan Cranston – All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre)
- Paapa Essiedu – All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre)
- Brendan Gleeson – The Weir (Harold Pinter Theatre)
- Sean Hayes – Goodnight, Oscar (Barbican Theatre)
- James Hameed & Arti Shah – Paddington (Savoy Theatre)
- David Shields – Punch (Young Vic / Apollo Theatre)
THE NLP AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
- Kate Fleetwood – Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre)
- Julie Hesmondhalgh – Punch (Young Vic / Apollo Theatre)
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste – All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre)
- Rosamund Pike – Inter Alia (National Theatre)
- Nicola Walker – The Unbelievers (Royal Court)
- Samira Wiley – Intimate Apparel (Donmar Warehouse)
- Rachel Zegler – Evita (The London Palladium)
BEST DESIGNER
- Miriam Buether – Kyoto (@sohoplace) and The Land of the Living (National Theatre)
- Lizzie Clachan – The Lady From The Sea (The Bridge)
- Soutra Gilmour – Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and Evita (The London Palladium)
- Tom Pye – Paddington The Musical (Savoy Theatre)
- Tom Scutt – Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre)
- David Zinn – Stereophonic (Duke of York’s) and Here We Are (National Theatre)
THE TREWIN AWARD FOR BEST SHAKESPEAREAN PERFORMANCE
- Hayley Atwell – Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
- Jonathan Bailey – Richard II (Bridge Theatre)
- David Harewood – Othello (Theatre Royal Haymarket)
- Tom Hiddleston – Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
- Francesca Mills – Hamlet (National Theatre)
- Samuel West – Twelfth Night (Barbican)
THE JACK TINKER AWARD FOR MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER (SPONSORED BY FINITO)
- Isobel Akuwudike – The Lady From The Sea (The Bridge)
- Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis – Indian Ink (Hampstead Theatre)
- Asa Butterfield – Second Best (Riverside Studios)
- Kate Phillips – The Weir (Harold Pinter Theatre)
- Diego Andres Rodriguez – Evita (The London Palladium)
- Jasper Talbot – Inter Alia (National Theatre)
- Artie Wilkinson-Hunt – The Land of the Living (National Theatre)
The Empty Space… Peter Brook Award, which was incorporated into the awards four years ago and was founded by the late Blanche Marvin MBE, who died last month, recognises a theatre that embodies the spirit of Peter Brook, both in its use of space and in its relationship to its locality.
Blanche’s daughter, Niki Marvin, an Oscar-nominated director/producer, has taken over the running of the award, sponsored by Nica Burns. From this year, the award has been renamed The Empty Space…Peter Brook Award (In Memory of Blanche Marvin), decided by a separate panel of critics chosen by the Marvin family.
Empty Space… Peter Brook Award
- Orange Tree Theatre by Fiona Mountford – Chief Theatre Critic, The I Paper
- Red Rose Chain, Ipswich by Dominic Cavendish – Chief Theatre Critic, The Telegraph
- Royal Court Upstairs by Andrzej Lukowski – Theatre & Dance Editor, Uk, Time Out Media
- The Other Palace Studio by Mark Shenton – Editor, Shentonstage Theatre Newsletter
- Wonder Fools by Lyn Gardner – Associate Editor, The Stage