BroadwayWorld UK's Olivier Awards 2025 Predictions

Established in 1976, the Olivier Awards celebrate the world-class status of London theatre, and are Britain’s most prestigious stage honours. Leading the way this year is Tom Scutt's Fiddler on the Roof which matches Hamilton's record-breaking 13 nominations, represented in every acting and creative category.

The Oliviers has always been a broad(ish) church. Even though dear old Larry was hardly best known for being a song-and-dance man, musical theatre is included. The clue’s right there in the name. But what about circus? We must be the only country on earth that has birthed a modern art form with huge global success yet fails to celebrate it ourselves in a meaningful and regular way. 

And then there’s immersive theatre where the UK is now a global leader (due in no large part to Arts Council funding or mainstream media coverage). Some would question whether it deserves a place at the Oliviers at all, to which we say: the clue’s in the name.

This year, the Olivier Awards 2025 will take place on Sunday 6 April at the iconic Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Beverley Knight and Billy Porter. As the most important awards in UK theatre approach, some of our critics – Aliya Al-Hassan, Kat Mokrynski, Franco Milazzo, Gary Naylor, Kerrie Nicholson and Christiana Rose- share their thoughts about who and what will triumph on the night, as well as who should win each category.

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Mastercard Best New Musical 

• The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, music & lyrics by Darren Clark, book & lyrics by Jethro Compton at Ambassadors Theatre  
• MJ The Musical, book by Lynn Nottage at Prince Edward Theatre  
• Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, music, lyrics & book by Dave Malloy at Donmar Warehouse  
• Why Am I So Single?, music, lyrics & book by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss at Garrick Theatre 

Kerrie Nicholson: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: [As a wheelchair user] I’m perpetually “late to the party” when it comes to shows that come to mean a lot to me or give me amazing experiences, and Benjamin Button is no exception.

Although I didn’t see either of its Southwark Playhouse iterations (2019 and 2023), the show was always in my orbit due to the buzz and joy I kept seeing on social media, and I hoped I would get the opportunity to see it one day. It actually kicked off my theatre for this year, and I’ve a return visit soon, with hopefully more to come. Coming to the show completely fresh knowing only a little about how it’s developed between versions has been really powerful, and I regret not being able to be present in its journey from the beginning. I laughed, cried (multiple times), and was thinking about what’s important to me, all the while being entranced by a glorious actor-muso ensemble and folk inspired score.

Kat Mokrynski: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I am torn between choosing Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, two of my favourite shows of the past year, but have to go with Benjamin Button on this one. It feels like the successor to Come From Away with its set design and usage of actor-musos (13 actors playing 30 instruments!) but it also stands on its own as a powerful adaptation of the classic work. 

Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design 

• Jon Bausor for Set Design, Toby Olié & Daisy Beattie for Puppetry Design and Satoshi Kuriyama for Projection Design for Spirited Away at London Coliseum  
• Frankie Bradshaw for Set Design for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre - Olivier  
• Es Devlin for Set Design for Coriolanus at National Theatre – Olivier  
• Tom Scutt for Set Design for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre 

Gary Naylor: Spirited Away. A fiddler on the roof for Fiddler On The Roof? It seemed too cliched but, like so much else in this production soon to enjoy a second life on tour, it worked perfectly in the unique venue that is Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. The set, dominated by its extraordinary curving thatched canopy, was both sympathetic to the space, especially as the sun set, and a continual reminder of the shtetl’s rural location. It also yielded an unforgettable last scene, sending us into our own uncertain night with the perspective we needed.

National Theatre’s Olivier Stage can be a daunting space to fill, a yawning maw that can devour actors and set alike. There was little chance of that in Coriolanus, as a convincing modern day museum provided much of the backdrop for the show’s politicking and violence. But it’s a very thin line between a visually stimulating design and one that distracts from the main matter at hand - I’m not sure that balance was struck in this instance, too many antiquities emerging from the floor.

Spirited Away has legions of fans, many spilling over into obsessive superfans, who nervously trooped into the Coliseum excited to see Studio Ghibli’s masterpiece realised theatrically, but fearful of its delicate beauty being lost, made bland or, worst of all, Disneyfied. Within moments, the world on stage convinced entirely, its dizzying otherness rendered with sympathy and love. We relaxed knowing that Sen, No Face and Yubaba were in good hands.

Kat Mokrynski: Spirited Away. As a fan of the film Spirited Away, I was curious as to how the stage version would bring audiences into the world Hayao Miyazaki had created. Of course, this wasn’t the first time a Studio Ghibli film had been brought to life on stage, with My Neighbor Totoro appearing at the Barbican in London, but the world of Spirited Away is much more complicated with fantastical spirits and a magical dragon. The combination of Jon Bausor’s set, Toby Olié and Daisy Beattie puppets and Satoshi Kuriyama’s projections makes for a world that truly feels fleshed out and lived in. It is truly an accomplishment to not simply copy what has been done on the screen, but to adapt it in a way that works for a live audience, bringing in some surprises for both fans and newcomers alike. 

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design 

• Paule Constable & Ben Jacobs for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre  
• Howard Hudson for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse  
• Howard Hudson for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre  
• Aideen Malone for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Aideen Malone for Fiddler On The Roof. I conceed that it may be a little unfair to believe this award should go to someone who had large amounts of help from Mother Nature to achieve such lighting heights as these. However, you must have had stone in place of your heart not to be hugely impacted by the sight of the slowly setting sun illuminating Tom Scutt's incredible design in this production.

Adapting lighting in an outdoor setting adds another dimension to a skill not given enough recognition in theatre. That said, I think that Paule Constable (with Ben Jacobs) is likely to take the award for beautiful work on Oliver!, as Constable has just announced her retirement.

Gary Naylor: Aideen Malone for Fiddler On The Roof. Lighting Regent's Park Open Air Theatre must be one of the toughest assignments in theatre - roll in a song titled “Sunrise, Sunset” and the phrase “No Pressure” comes to mind. Not only did Aideen Malone rise to the technical challenge of dealing with day - dusk - dark, she told the story of Fiddler on the Roof, especially in the unforgettable heartrending final scene when the villagers of Anatevka leave for various destinations, some destined to live, some destined not to.

TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production 

• Duke Bluebeard's Castle by English National Opera at London Coliseum   
• Festen by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House  
• L'Olimpiade by Irish National Opera & The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House  
• The Tales Of Hoffmann by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House 

Gary Naylor: The Tales Of Hoffmann. Opera is always strange (I mean, why are they singing and why like that?) and it often works best when the director leans into that uneasiness. Few operas come stranger than Béla Bartók’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, and this semi-staged production by English National Opera had that quality dialled all the way to 11. It worked though, blood and all.

L’Olimpiade by Irish National Opera, The Royal Opera & Nouvel Opéra Fribourg was not as stunning as last year’s offering in The Linbury from the INO, the searing Least Like The Other, Searching For Rosemary Kennedy. This work, based on writing by Herodotus, took its time to get going and proved tricky to follow, but delivered on its confident artistic vision.

The Tales Of Hoffmann is an open goal for a company with the resources to deliver it and The Royal Opera did not let us down. Offenbach’s sprawling near four hours episodic work packed with fine singing, great melodies and visual delight after visual delight. Surely this scale of production is set to become rarer and rarer in real life (maybe streamers can do it, but IT’S NOT THE SAME AS REAL LIFE) so we should treasure them while we still can.

Outstanding Achievement in Opera 

• Aigul Akhmetshina for her performance in Carmen at Royal Opera House   
• Allan Clayton for his performance in Festen at Royal Opera House  
• Jung Young-doo for his direction of Lear at Barbican Theatre 

Gary Naylor: Aigul Akhmetshina. If Aigul Akhmetshina is not a superstar already, she will be very soon and likely to find grand opera’s corner in culture too small to contain her, despite the feverish demands for her services. Her Carmen at the Royal Opera House was young enough, sexy enough and starry enough to command one of the UK’s largest stages and her voice filled the auditorium with irresistible passion. It’s rare to see talent like that at an early stage and I feel privileged to have done so.

Best Family Show 

• Brainiac Live at Marylebone Theatre  
• Maddie Moate's Very Curious Christmas at Apollo Theatre   
• The Nutcracker at Polka Theatre  
• Rough Magic at Shakespeare's Globe - Sam Wanamaker Playhouse 

Christiana Rose: Rough Magic. Children’s theatre is no easy feat, as the audience are usually spritely with a somewhat limited attention span. The dynamic range of family theatre over the last year has been exemplary at capturing the right balance, with the added thankful benefit of entertaining the accompanying adults.

My top marks go to Rough Magic at Shakespeare’s Globe. The commitment to the telling of the Three Witch’s story post Macbeth’s unravelling was imagined with gusto, relish and downright joy. Particularly captivating was the genius of performer Kerry Frampton who was gloriously engaging and effortlessly watchable as Henry IX. The play is deserving of the win, concerned with Nona’s plight, working through the key message that mistakes are inevitable, but having integrity and working to resolve misdemeanours are key.

In with an excellent chance is Maddie Moate’s Very Curious Christmas, due to Maddie and the gang’s energy, educational dedication and commitment to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.) The use of close-up video projections to focus on the visually explosive experiments, brought a sense of fascination in the wonder of chemistry with fantastic audience involvement and an epic pre-show quiz. Maddie’s approach was fabulous in blending the world of science with musical theatre and is very worthy of acclaim.

In with a shot is Brainiac Live at Marylebone Theatre, well known for showcasing an energetic science show exploring the mysteries of science, engaging in the type of experiments on stage which are too messy to do at home.

The Nutcracker at Polka Theatre also has a good chance of a win, due to the vivacious storytelling and infectious energy. Entertaining and humorous, the show deserves an award for their excellent accessibility resources, bringing clarity and assistance in widening participation.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role 

• Jorge Bosch for Kyoto at @sohoplace  
• Tom Edden for Waiting For Godot at Theatre Royal Haymarket  
• Elliot Levey for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  
• Ben Whishaw for Bluets at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre 

Kerrie Nicholson: Elliot Levey. I’ve had the immense privilege and joy of seeing Elliot Levey in all three of his Olivier nominated performances, and I am hoping he makes it a double win with his portrayal of Tom Maschler in Giant. The play was amongst my favourite theatre I saw last year (and am looking forward to seeing again during the transfer run) as I found it really powerful, provocative and challenging as someone who grew up  and enjoyed reading Dahl’s books, and for whom this play helped give me greater context for why the author and his views are problematic.

I enjoyed being challenged in that way very much though, and of course a play of such quality can only be lifted by its cast, and Elliot brought with him all the nuance,  emotional depth and subtle wit that I associate with and love so dearly about his work. His scenes with an equally magnetic John Lithgow as Roald Dahl were a marvel, and I’ll never forget the ripples of laughter and shocked gasps they elicited from a rapt audience.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role 

• Sharon D. Clarke for The Importance Of Being Earnest at National Theatre – Lyttelton  
• Romola Garai for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  
• Romola Garai for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre  
• Gina McKee for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Romola Garai for The Years. Sharon D. Clarke was a wonderfully funny and deadpan Lady Bracknell in The National Theatre's The Importance Of Being Earnest, bringing more meaning to the word 'handbag' than few have ever achieved before her. But it really has been Romola Garai’s year, with fantastic performances in both The Years and Giant.

I am opting for The Years, in which Gina McKee also deserves huge praise, as Garai handled the graphic scene of backstreet abortion with hugely realistic distress and heartbreaking sadness. A vital and important performance that deserved to be seen. 

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer 

• Matthew Bourne for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre   
• Julia Cheng for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Hofesh Shechter for Oedipus at The Old Vic  
• Christopher Wheeldon for MJ The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Matthew Bourne for Oliver!. With four worthy nominations in this category, two stand out. Julia Cheng's wonderful work on Fiddler On The Roof was energetic and propulsive, particularly Jerome Robbins's hilarious inebriated Bottle Dance.

However, Matthew Bourne gave Oliver! breathtaking energy, deftly executed crowd scenes that seemed to appear from nowhere and wonderfully clever use of Lez Brotherston's fantastic set. Bourne is no stranger to awards success and is a record-breaking nine time Olivier Award winner. This year should continue his epic run.

Best Costume Design 

• Hugh Durrant for Robin Hood at The London Palladium  
• Sachiko Nakahara for Spirited Away at London Coliseum  
• Tom Scutt for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Gabriella Slade for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Gabriella Slade for Starlight Express. Although it is a glaring omission to have forgotten Rae Smith’s spectacular costumes for The Importance of Being Earnest in this category, Gabriella Slade's industrial designs were a eye-catching delight in Starlight Express, cleverly using reflective and dazzling fabrics to create a visual spectacle as the cast zip around the Troubadour. A heady mixture of sci-fi fantasy, meets Power Rangers, meets Drag Race in space, with a hint of steampunk thrown in. Each character is so carefully defined by their outfit, the show really wouldn't be the same without these designs.

d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design 

• Nick Lidster for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Christopher Shutt for Oedipus at The Old Vic  
• Thijs van Vuure for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre  
• Koichi Yamamoto for Spirited Away at London Coliseum 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Nick Lidster for Fiddler On The Roof. None seem obvious winners here, but the use of music within The Years and Fiddler On The Roof resonated deeply. It's a little confusing to nominate both plays and musicals in sound design, as the work is completely different. If pushed, I would say Nick Lidster's work on Fiddler On The Roof, particularly the haunting quality of the lone fiddler, stayed with me the longest. 

Outstanding Musical Contribution 

• Mark Aspinall for Musical Supervision & Additional Orchestrations for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Darren Clark for Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements and Mark Aspinall for Musical Direction, Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre  
• Dave Malloy for Orchestrations and Nicholas Skilbeck for Musical Supervision for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse  
• Asaf Zohar for Compositions and Gavin Sutherland for Dance Arrangements & Orchestration for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre – Olivier 

Kat Mokrynski: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 was robbed when it was eligible for the Tony Awards on Broadway in 2017, and I hope that The Donmar Warehouse production does not suffer the same fate at this year’s Olivier Awards. Dave Malloy’s orchestrations are truly stunning and new life is breathed into them through the musical supervision of Nicholas Skilbeck in a version where, instead of actor-musos, the musicians sit on the edges of the stage, in costume and observing what is happening around them.

It works perfectly in the setting of The Donmar Warehouse and only enhances the feelings of immersiveness and intimacy. Some songs, including “Dust and Ashes” (Declan Bennett should have been nominated for Best Actor!) are brought to a new level through this production and I believe it is due to the musical choices made. 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical 

• Liv Andrusier for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Amy Di Bartolomeo for The Devil Wears Prada at Dominion Theatre  
• Beverley Klein for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Maimuna Memon for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Amy Di Bartolomeo for The Devil Wears Prada. I particularly loved Liv Andrusier's performance as Tzeitel in Fiddler On The Roof; defiant and steely in her determination to go against convention; her staged dream sequence was dazzling. Beverley Klein was also very amusing as The Matchmaker. 

Maimuna Memon, earning her second nomination in three years, was beautifully poised as Sonya in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, but, perhaps controversially, I believe Amy Di Bartolomeo should take this one home.

Controversial because the stage version of The Devil Wears Prada had little else to recommend it. Disappointing and vacuous to say the least, but Di Bartolomeo is a shining light amid a fairly awful production. Uptight, vain and incredibly funny, Di Bartolomeo stole the stage whenever she appeared. Her main character energy was astounding and she deserves recognition, even if the show does not.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical 

• Andy Nyman for Hello, Dolly! at The London Palladium  
• Raphael Papo for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Layton Williams for Titanique at Criterion Theatre  
• Tom Xander for Mean Girls at Savoy Theatre 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Layton Williams for Titanique. Although it is likely that Fiddler On The Roof will walk away with an armful of trophies and Tom Xander is show-stopping in Mean Girls, Layton Williams displays such manic energy in Titanique that I think he will pip Papo to the post. In a frenziedly camp fever dream of a show, Williams stands out as living his best and campest life for all he's worth. It's a huge career moment for him and it would be great to see him add Olivier Award winner to his list of accomplishments.

Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play 

• Ballet Shoes adapted by Kendall Feaver at National Theatre – Olivier  
• Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright by Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith at Wyndham's Theatre  
• Spirited Away adapted by John Caird & co-adapted by Maoko Imai at London Coliseum  
• Titanique by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle & Constantine Rousouli at Criterion Theatre 

Franco Milazzo: Ballet Shoes. And so to Entertainment and Comedy Play. This is normally the category where the gathered thesps and critics pop out for a smoke, check their emails or admire the inside of their eyelids. On paper, this may be the hardest award category to judge by a country mile: every comedy play worth a nomination is (we hope) entertaining and the definition of “entertainment” itself is at least as wide as the smile on the face of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s accountant every time his client announces a new Jamie Lloyd collab.

Ultimately, this award should be the Oliviers' golden chance to celebrate works and entire genres of entertainment which are not eligible elsewhere while not stepping on the toes of other categories. So, as long as the nominations are not dramatic plays, musicals or operas, we’re good to go. How hard can that be?

Let’s start with Titanique from Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli, a work featuring many of Celine Dion’s songs and 25 separate musical numbers. I’m going to go with my gut (and every review written) and call it a musical.

Then there’s Stage/Fright from the creators of BBC's Inside No. 9, Steve Pemberton and Reece Sheersmith. Sure, as with the TV series, there are plenty of comedy moments, but they are all derived from stories that show levels of writing, acting and direction that would shame the average dramatic play. Furthermore, each of those laughs are there not as pure entertainment but to lubricate the way: firstly for the darker elements to slide into place, and then to prepare us for the final twist of the knife. 

The stage adaptation of Spirited Away captured a lot of hearts last year when it filled the Coliseum's summer slot. I suspect it’s only here to fill the Oliviers' My Neighbour Totoro-shaped gap from 2022 after the Phelim McDermott production walked off with six awards. It’s brilliant to see ambitious shows on this scale get a mention even if it is destined to lose out to the next nominee.

Is The National Theatre’s Ballet Shoes very entertaining? Very much so. Is it a play? Again, very much so. Is it a comedy play? Hardly. Could or should it have been nominated in the Best New Play category? Probably. So what is it doing in this category? Not a clue. Will it win? Of course.

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director 

• Eline Arbo for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre  
• Jordan Fein for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Nicholas Hytner for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  
• Robert Icke for Oedipus at Wyndham's Theatre 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Eline Arbo for The Years. Matthew Bourne seems a glaring omission here, whose direction of Oliver! is nothing short of sublime. The actual nominees all deserve praise. Jordan Fein's Fiddler On The Roof was particularly wonderful, but after last year’s all male nominees in this category, it would be highly satisfying to see the award go to Eline Arbo. Not for tokenism; The Years is a masterful piece of theatre and creatively it is deserving of this one. Best Director and Best Play often go hand-in-hand, so watch this space.

Best Actress 

• Heather Agyepong for Shifters at Duke of York's Theatre  
• Lesley Manville for Oedipus at Wyndham's Theatre  
• Rosie Sheehy for Machinal at The Old Vic  
• Meera Syal for A Tupperware Of Ashes at National Theatre – Dorfman  
• Indira Varma for Oedipus at The Old Vic 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Heather Agyepong for Shifters. The Critics' Circle made a great choice for winner of Best Actress with Lesley Manville's bravura performance in Oedipus and it is probably that she will triumph again here. However, although it is highly unlikely that Agyepong will win, I think she deserves the prize for the delicate and highly nuanced performance as Des in Shifters. In fairness, much of her success was down to the incredible chemistry between her and on-off love Tosin Cole who played Dre, but Agyepong showed a hidden lack of self-confidence behind her spiky exterior. Not a showy performance by any means, but a subtly brillant one nonetheless.

Best Actor 

• Adrien Brody for The Fear Of 13 at Donmar Warehouse  
• Billy Crudup for Harry Clarke at Ambassadors Theatre  
• Paapa Essiedu for Death Of England: Delroy at @sohoplace  
• John Lithgow for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  
• Mark Strong for Oedipus at Wyndham's Theatre 

Aliya Al-Hassan: John Lithgow for Giant. This is an incredibly strong category and every nominee would be deserving of this award. Adrien Brody may have harmed his chances with his obnoxious Oscars speech. Mark Strong took Best Actor at the Critics' Choice Awards and was fabulous in Oedipus. Paapa Essiedu and Billy Crudup held audiences in the palm of their hands with hugely charismatic performances, but I am opting for John Lithgow, who was utterly compelling and chillingly brilliant as Roald Dahl in Giant.

Cunard Best Revival 

• The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde at National Theatre – Lyttelton  
• Machinal by Sophie Treadwell at The Old Vic  
• Oedipus by Robert Icke at Wyndham's Theatre  
• Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett at Theatre Royal Haymarket 

Aliya Al-Hassan: Oedipus​​​​. ​​​I'm not totally convinced of its inclusion in the revival category, but having just announced its Broadway transfer, Oedipus is both the most likely and worthy to take this one. It was a piece of brilliantly compelling and horrifying  theatre, with incredible performances from Lesley Manville and Mark Strong. Our reviewer Cindy Marcolina called it "a devastating success" and I completely agree.

Piper-Heidsieck Award for Best Musical Revival 

• Fiddler On The Roof, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Hello, Dolly!, music & lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Michael Stewart at The London Palladium  
• Oliver!, book, music & lyrics by Lionel Bart, new material & revisions by Cameron Mackintosh at Gielgud Theatre  
• Starlight Express, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Richard Stilgoe at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre 

Kerrie Nicholson: Fiddler on the Roof. I heard wonderful things about Hello Dolly!, and the Oliver! revival is still up there on my “must see” list, I couldn’t in good conscience throw my hat in for anything other than Fiddler on the Roof for this category.

After missing out on the 2019 Menier Chocolate Factory production and transfer and therein creating one of my biggest theatrical regrets, I learned my lesson and snapped up a ticket for Regent’s Park Open Air as quickly as I was able; and for me everything about it was pitch perfect: some stellar performances, always clever set design from Tom Scutt, choreography from Julia Cheng that both honoured the original yet imbued it with a fresh spin, and some spine tingling orchestrations. L’chaim to life, indeed!

Best Actor in a Musical 

• John Dagleish for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre  
• Adam Dannheisser for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Myles Frost for MJ The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre  
• Simon Lipkin for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre  
• Jamie Muscato for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse 

Kerrie Nicholson: Adam Dannheisser. Just hearing Simon Lipkin’s take on Fagin on the cast recording of this revival of Oliver! made me grin from ear to ear, as did seeing Andy Nyman recognised, but it’s Adam Dannheisser here for me.

I was captivated by the presence, warmth and wit he gave Tevye; he made my heart full to bursting and broke it in equal measure! I actually knew of Adam thanks to the 2016 Broadway cast recording of the show alongside another favourite of mine Danny Burstein, where Adam played Lazar Wolf. A friend in the States later informed me that Adam was also Danny’s understudy for Tevye, so it fills me with joy that he was my Tevye here and I always smile in light of both of these things whenever I return to that album.  

Gary Naylor: Adam Dannheisser faced the dilemma that any actor filling the shoes of a legend, even one most of the audience will not have seen, confronts - how do I make this role mine? He delivered a beautifully nuanced performance, with enough of Topol’s domination of the space to pay homage to Fiddler's Tevye 60 years on, but also vested the milkman patriarch with small gestures, wry humour and an entirely convincing charisma all of his own. 

Kat Mokrynski: John Dagleish. Aging backwards seems like an impossible thing, yet somehow, John Dagleish is able to do it in front of our very eyes in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button using only costumes and acting abilities. I particularly enjoyed Dagleish’s performance as an old man with the mind of a child in the beginning of the story, perfectly capturing the naivety of youth while also hobbling around the stage to represent the aged body. He also gets to show off some guitar skills, making for an excellent actor-muso performance.

Best Actress in a Musical 

• Chumisa Dornford-May for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse  
• Lauren Drew for Titanique at Criterion Theatre  
• Clare Foster for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre  
• Lara Pulver for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre  
• Imelda Staunton for Hello, Dolly! at The London Palladium 

Kerrie Nicholson: Clare Foster. The toughest category for me personally as I have had my theatre life enriched by seeing four of these ladies work, either in these shows and otherwise.

Lara Pulver brought shades and depth to Golde I was delighted by, I hear nothing but joy and praise heaped upon Lauren Drew for her turn in Titanique (of which I don’t doubt for a moment she is worthy of having had her as one of my original line up of Queens in SIX), and Imelda is ever a force to behold, but I am so thrilled to see Clare Foster in the mix and I’m so happy she got a nod for her portrayal of Elowyn in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; she is radiant in it and it’s easily my favourite role I’ve seen her do.

Elowyn is funny and feisty, but the character also has some of the most touching and profound moments in the show, and Clare navigates that journey with such ease and charm. She and her co-star John Dagleish share some of the most palpable and endearing chemistry I’ve seen onstage recently: they had me laughing and shedding tears throughout and are one of the many reasons I hope audiences continue to embrace the show as they have been.

Kat Mokrynski: Hearing Imelda Staunton utter the words “I’m home at last” as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! at the London Palladium was truly a magical moment as the actress made a triumphant return to the West End stage. Staunton took the character of Dolly to the next level, really exploring how she transforms her grief into joy through matchmaking around the town. Her banter with Andy Nyman as Horace Vandergelder was delightful and she truly seemed to lead the entire cast. 

The Londoner Award for Best New Play 

• The Fear Of 13 by Lindsey Ferrentino at Donmar Warehouse  
• Giant by Mark Rosenblatt at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  
• Kyoto by Joe Murphy & Joe Robertson at @sohoplace  
• Shifters by Benedict Lombe at Duke of York's Theatre  
• The Years adapted by Eline Arbo, in an English version by Stephanie Bain at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre 

Aliya Al-Hassan: The Years. Kyoto is such an urgent and important production; Giant won big at the Critics' Choice Awards and I have a real soft spot for the beautifully realised Shifters. However, The Years should be singled out mainly as it does not follow a traditional structure, pushing boundaries of what a play can and should be. The performances are sublime, the direction pitch-perfect. This is the play that has been most discussed in theatrical circles; tragic, powerful and arresting, this is the one to beat.

The Olivier Awards are at the Royal Albert Hall on 4 April

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