The highlights from the 2026 Olivier awards

The big winner at London’s most prestigious theatre awards was not an actor, director or theatre but a 4ft anthropomorphic bear. Paddington the Musical – the stage show based on the stories created by Michael Bond – dominated this year’s Olivier awards with Cunard, taking home seven of its 11 nominations, including awards for direction, set design and costumes, three acting prizes, and the coveted best new musical award. In one of the most moving moments of Sunday night’s ceremony, accepting their joint award for best actor in a musical, Arti Shah, who has pseudoachondroplasia and performs inside the bear suit, told her young son, “I will keep showing you that being different is a good thing”, and James Hameed, who provides Paddington’s speaking and singing voice from mostly off-stage, thanked “my dad, my very own Paddington, who came to this country to have his own dream of building a life in this wonderful city of London”.

Other acting awards went to Rosamund Pike, who beat Cate Blanchett and Marianne Jean-Baptiste for her lead role in Suzie Miller’s feminist play Inter Alia; on stage, she thanked her “amazing team of men”, and noted that “the irony is, here I am doing a play about the juggle of being a woman, of being a professional, working woman with a family and a job, and the fact is I’m only able to do this performance because I have a wonderful man at home who is looking after our children”. Julie Hesmondhalgh won best supporting actress for her role in James Graham’s Punch, while Rachel Zegler won best actress in a musical for her leading role in Jamie Lloyd’s blockbuster production of Evita, which also won best choreographer for Fabian Aloise. Zegler gave a goosebump-inducing performance of Don’t Cry for Me Argentina on stage.

Paapa Essiedu, accepting his best supporting actor award for his role in All My Sons, which also won best revival, gave one of the most powerful and impassioned speeches of the night. “Growing up I never really went to the theatre, I didn’t go to youth theatre, I hadn’t heard of the Oliviers, and I didn’t have access to it. I only got access to the theatre because of the Frantic Assembly, which is specifically aimed towards young people from backgrounds who do not have previous acting or theatre experience,” he said. “Even though I didn’t have the language, I didn’t have the vocabulary, hadn’t been to the theatres, my creativity was still celebrated, nurtured, and valued. There are amazing organisations all over the country… but as we all know, their funding has been cut year on year on year. I urge everyone in this room, everyone watching at home, and everyone at governmental level, to continue funding these organisations to make sure that the next generation of theatre-makers had the opportunities that I had.”

One of the underdog success stories of their year’s awards was the small production Kenrex, staged at the tiny Other Palace, which took home two of its six nominations, including best actor for Jack Holden, who beat Tom Hiddleston and Bryan Cranston to the prize, and joked, “Most people watching this at home won’t know who I am, which is quite funny… but that’s the reality of our theatre ecosystem. There are thousands of people working whose names you don’t know, who are the backbone of British theatre.”

The Bridge theatre’s Into the Woods, which was nominated for 11 awards, took home two: best musical revival and best lighting. One of the most moving moments of the night came when British playwright and screenwriter James Graham accepted his award for best new play for Punch, which tells the real-life story of the death of James Hodgkinson, who died when he was punched by Jacob Dunne, and the extraordinary act of forgiveness Dunne received from Hodgkinson’s mother Joan Scourfield through a restorative justice programme. Graham brought Dunne and Scourfield on stage, and the pair embraced behind him as he thanked them for their generosity. Cole Escola’s Broadway hit Oh, Mary! won best new entertainment or comedy play, with Escola joking, “I want to thank my husband – who doesn’t exist, but that’s ok!”

The 50th anniversary edition of the awards, broadcast on BBC Two, was held at the Royal Albert Hall and hosted by Nick Mohammed, who joked to the crowd that everyone – including his own agent – has been asking him how he managed to book such a prestigious gig. Highlights from the ceremony included an appearance from Helen Mirren and Ian McKellen, who struggled to read the autocue and spoke spontaneously, with McKellen joking that he would do a Shakespeare monologue instead. Mohammed also teased actor Tom Hiddleston, asking him to take a picture of him and Bryan Cranston, before getting him to hold his cue cards.

The Observer is proud to be the media partner of the 2026 Olivier awards with Cunard.

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 and 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 and arrangements) & Sean Hayes (live piano performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue) for Good Night, Oscar at Barbican theatre

NOMINATED
Matt Brind (orchestrations and arrangements) for Paddington the Musical at Savoy theatre
Will Butler (original songs and 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

Photographs by Kashfi Khan