Olivier Awards 2026 winners announced

The winners of the Olivier Awards 2026 with Cunard were announced at London’s Royal Albert Hall, in a star-studded ceremony hosted by Nick Mohammed, marking the 50th anniversary of this celebration.

As partners of the awards, this year’s celebration shone a spotlight on the incredible breadth of talent across the capital’s stages, from blockbuster musicals to powerful new plays and standout creative teams, highlighting why London remains one of the greatest theatre capitals in the world.

Leading the night was Paddington the Musical, which emerged as the most awarded production with an impressive seven wins, including the coveted Best New Musical. The show also picked up major performance and creative awards, cementing its place as one of the year’s biggest theatrical successes.

Across the musical categories, Evita and Into the Woods each took home two awards. Rachel Zegler was recognised for her headline-making performance in Evita, while Into the Woods was celebrated as Best Musical Revival.

In the plays categories, All My Sons, Kenrex and Punch each secured two awards. Punch was named Best New Play, while a major acting win went to Rosamund Pike for her performance in Inter Alia, following its recent West End transfer.

A wide range of productions were recognised, highlighting the diversity of London’s theatre scene, from family shows and new writing to dance and opera. Notable winners included The Boy at The Back of the Class (Best Family Show), Oh, Mary! (Best Entertainment or Comedy Play), and The Glass Menagerie (Best Affiliate Theatre production).

The ceremony also honoured outstanding contributions to the industry, with Dame Elaine Paige receiving a Special Award, alongside recognition for leading figures in dance and opera.

The evening itself was a celebration in every sense, featuring live performances from nominated shows and special moments marking major anniversaries, including 40 years of The Phantom of the Opera and 20 years of Wicked in the West End.

As headline partner, Cunard joined the Olivier Awards in their milestone year, reinforcing a long-standing connection between world-class theatre and cultural experiences both on land and at sea.

Winners & Nominees

Cunard Best New Musical

WINNER: Paddington The Musical, music & lyrics by Tom Fletcher & book by Jessica Swale at Savoy Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Here We Are, book by David Ives, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim at National Theatre – Lyttelton
• Shucked, book by Robert Horn, music & lyrics by Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry, book by Rachel Joyce, music & lyrics by Passenger at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Best Musical Revival supported by Piper-Heidsieck

WINNER: Into The Woods, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim & book by James Lapine at Bridge Theatre

NOMINATED:

• American Psycho, book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, music & lyrics by Duncan Sheik, based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis at Almeida Theatre
• Evita, lyrics by Tim Rice, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber at The London Palladium
• The Producers, music & lyrics by Mel Brooks, book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan at Garrick Theatre

Best New Play supported by The Londoner

WINNER: Punch by James Graham at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre

NOMINATED:

• 1536 by Ava Pickett at Almeida Theatre
• Inter Alia by Suzie Miller at National Theatre – Lyttelton
• Kenrex by Jack Holden & Ed Stambollouian at The Other Palace

Best Revival

WINNER: All My Sons by Arthur Miller at Wyndham's Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Arcadia by Tom Stoppard at The Old Vic
• Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• The Seagull by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Duncan Macmillan & Thomas Ostermeier at Barbican Theatre

Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play

WINNER: Oh, Mary! by Cole Escola at Trafalgar Theatre

NOMINATED:

• The Comedy About Spies by Henry Lewis & Henry Shields at Noël Coward Theatre
• Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe at @sohoplace
• Paranormal Activity by Levi Holloway at Ambassadors Theatre

Best Actress

WINNER: Rosamund Pike for Inter Alia at National Theatre – Lyttelton

NOMINATED:

• Cate Blanchett for The Seagull at Barbican Theatre
• Marianne Jean-Baptiste for All My Sons at Wyndham's Theatre
• Julia McDermott for Weather Girl at Soho Theatre
• Rosie Sheehy for Guess How Much I Love You? at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Best Actor

WINNER: Jack Holden for Kenrex at The Other Palace

NOMINATED:

• Bryan Cranston for All My Sons at Wyndham's Theatre
• Sean Hayes for Good Night, Oscar at Barbican Theatre
  Tom Hiddleston for Much Ado About Nothing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
• David Shields for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical

WINNER: James Hameed & Arti Shah for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Marc Antolin for The Producers at Garrick Theatre
• Andy Nyman for The Producers at Garrick Theatre
• Jamie Parker for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
• Diego Andres Rodriguez for Evita at The London Palladium

Best Actress in a Musical

WINNER: Rachel Zegler for Evita at The London Palladium

NOMINATED:

• Katie Brayben for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
• Danielle Fiamanya & Georgina Onuorah for Brigadoon at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• Jane Krakowski for Here We Are at National Theatre – Lyttelton
• Jenna Russell for The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

WINNER: Julie Hesmondhalgh for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Isis Hainsworth for Arcadia at The Old Vic
• Lucy Karczewski for Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre
• Hayley Squires for All My Sons at Wyndham’s Theatre
• Sophie Thompson for When We Are Married at Donmar Warehouse

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

WINNER: Paapa Essiedu for All My Sons at Wyndham's Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Hammed Animashaun for Dealer's Choice at Donmar Warehouse
• Zachary Hart for The Seagull at Barbican Theatre
• Zachary Hart for Stereophonic at Duke of York's Theatre
• Giles Terera for Oh, Mary! at Trafalgar Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

WINNER: Tom Edden for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Trevor Ashley for The Producers at Garrick Theatre
• Corbin Bleu for The Great Gatsby - A New Musical at London Coliseum
• Jo Foster for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
• Oliver Savile for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

WINNER: Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Tracie Bennett for Here We Are at National Theatre – Lyttelton
• Amy Booth-Steel for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
• Kate Fleetwood for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
• Georgina Onuorah for Shucked at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

WINNER: Luke Sheppard for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Jordan Fein for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
• Ed Stambollouian for Kenrex at The Other Palace
• Lyndsey Turner for 1536 at Almeida Theatre
• Ivo van Hove for All My Sons at Wyndham's Theatre

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

WINNER: Fabian Aloise for Evita at The London Palladium

NOMINATED:

• Ellen Kane for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
• Drew McOnie for Brigadoon at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
• Lynne Page for American Psycho at Almeida Theatre

Best Costume Design

WINNER: Gabriella Slade (Costume Design) & Tahra Zafar (Paddington Design) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Enver Chakartash for Stereophonic at Duke of York's Theatre
• Linda Cho for The Great Gatsby - A New Musical at London Coliseum
• Tom Scutt for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre

Best Set Design supported by Blue-i Theatre Technology

WINNER: Tom Pye (Set Design) & Ash J Woodward (Video Design) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Paul Tate dePoo III (Scenic & Projection Design) for The Great Gatsby - A New Musical at London Coliseum
• Tom Scutt for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
• David Zinn for Stereophonic at Duke of York's Theatre

Best Lighting Design

WINNER: Aideen Malone (Lighting Design) & Roland Horvath (Video Design) for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Robbie Butler for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre
• Jon Clark for Evita at The London Palladium
• Joshua Pharo for Kenrex at The Other Palace

Best Sound Design supported by d&b audiotechnik

WINNER: Giles Thomas for Kenrex at The Other Palace

NOMINATED:

• Adam Fisher for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
• Gareth Owen for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
• Ryan Rumery for Stereophonic at Duke of York's Theatre

Outstanding Musical Contribution

WINNER: Chris Fenwick (Musical Supervision & Arrangements) & Sean Hayes (Live Piano Performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue) for Good Night, Oscar at Barbican Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Matt Brind (Orchestrations & Arrangements) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
• Will Butler (Original Songs & Orchestrations) & Justin Craig (Orchestrations) for Stereophonic at Duke of York's Theatre
• John Patrick Elliott (Composition) for Kenrex at The Other Palace

Best Family Show

WINNER: The Boy At The Back Of The Class, adapted by Nick Ahad at Rose Theatre

NOMINATED:

• The Boy With Wings, adapted by Arvind Ethan David at Polka Theatre
• The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, adapted by Jude Christian at Polka Theatre
• The Three Little Pigs, music by George Stiles, book & lyrics by Anthony Drewe at Unicorn Theatre

Best New Production in Affiliate Theatre

WINNER: The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams at The Yard Theatre

NOMINATED:

• Ben And Imo by Mark Ravenhill at Orange Tree Theatre
• The Ministry Of Lesbian Affairs by Iman Qureshi at Kiln Theatre
• Miss Myrtle’s Garden by Danny James King at Bush Theatre
• The Shitheads by Jack Nicholls at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Best New Dance Production

WINNER: Into The Hairy by Sharon Eyal for S-E-D at Sadler's Wells

NOMINATED:

• Mimi’s Shebeen by Alesandra Seutin & KVS at Sadler's Wells East
• Random Taranto by María del Mar Suárez (La Chachi) as part of Dance Umbrella: Change Tempo at The Pit at Barbican
• She’s Auspicious by Mythili Prakash at Sadler’s Wells East

Best New Opera Production supported by TAIT

WINNER: Dead Man Walking by English National Opera at London Coliseum

NOMINATED:

• The Makropulos Case by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
• Tosca by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
• Die Walküre by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan