2026 Critics’ Circle Theatre Award Winners

Big wins at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards after introducing shortlists for the first time in its 37-year history

After much anticipation, the winners of this year’s Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards were revealed at a lively ceremony held on March 26 in the Buffini Chao Deck at the National Theatre. With nominees including Hayley Atwell, Tom Fletcher, James Graham, Ivo Van Hove and Paapa Essiedu in attendance, the proceedings – kindly sponsored by Finito Education – were hosted with customary dry wit by Acting Section Chair Mark Lawson and warmly introduced by the National Theatre’s Artistic Director, Indhu Rubasingham. It was a timely reminder of the strong sense of community, collaboration and support of the arts that exists within the broader theatre industry – whether actor, writer, director, designer or critic.

These are the only awards to be entirely voted for by the Circle’s membership of professional theatre critics. Before the event, Lawson said: “In the first year that our members voted from long lists and shortlists – an attempt to extend the range of work considered – around 250 candidates were considered across the process, of which 179 received at least one vote. These came down to the 11 winners honoured today. Some categories were won by a landslide, but others were tight five-or six-way contests eventually decided after a recount, suggesting strong quality among the quantity.”

This was also the fourth year of the acclaimed The Empty Space… Peter Brook Award being part of the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. Founded by Blanche Marvin MBE, who died just before her 101st birthday earlier this year, the award, voted on by a separate panel of critics, was created to recognise a theatre embodying the spirit of the legendary director Peter Brook, both in its use of space and in its relationship with its locality. Blanche’s daughter, Niki Marvin, an Oscar-nominated director and producer, has taken over the running of the award, which has been renamed The Empty Space… Peter Brook Award (In Memory of Blanche Marvin) in honour of the indomitable – and much missed – Blanche.

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)
WINNER: 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

WINNER: 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)
WINNER: 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)
WINNER: Ivo van Hove – All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre)

BEST ENSEMBLE OR CAST

1536 (Almeida Theatre)
Here We Are (National Theatre)
WINNER: 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)
WINNER: 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)
WINNER: 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 Theatr
WINNER: 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)