The nominations for the 2026 Olivier Awards, the most prestigious annual event in British theatre, have been announced, showcasing a mix of celebrated productions and notable performances.
Leading the nominations is Paddington the Musical, which has garnered a total of 11 nominations, including the coveted Best New Musical award. This production has been widely anticipated to secure numerous accolades, and it is expected to perform well at the ceremony. Interestingly, the nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Musical is shared between James Hameed and Arti Shah, the latter being a female performer. Despite the unconventional nomination, the live adaptation of Paddington is widely regarded as deserving of recognition.
Celebrity Nominations and Notable Snubs
Among the nominees are several high-profile celebrities, including Cate Blanchett, Tom Hiddleston, Rachel Zegler, Bryan Cranston, and Rosamund Pike. However, the list also features talented non-celebrities, such as Rosie Sheehy for her role in Guess How Much I Love You? and Jack Holden for his compelling true crime monologue KENREX.
Other productions that have performed well in the nominations include All My Sons, Stereophonic, and KENREX, each receiving six nominations. Additionally, the Bridge Theatre’s lavish revival of Into the Woods matches Paddington’s total with 11 nominations.
This raises an intriguing question regarding the nominations: while Into the Woods has received significant recognition, it is surprising that it outperformed Evita, directed by Jamie Lloyd, which was one of the most discussed musicals of the previous year.
Jamie Lloyd’s Mixed Reception
Despite the acclaim for Lloyd’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, it has only received two nominations: one for Best Revival and another for Best Actor (Hiddleston). Given that Lloyd is regarded as one of the most successful theatre directors globally, the absence of a nomination for his direction in two of the most critically acclaimed West End shows of 2025 raises eyebrows. The lack of recognition for designer Soutra Gilmour and Hiddleston’s co-star Hayley Atwell is particularly puzzling.
This situation prompts speculation about whether the Society of London Theatre, which oversees the Olivier Awards, has a bias against Jamie Lloyd. The outcome of the awards will provide further insight.
Details of the 2026 Olivier Awards
The 2026 Olivier Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday, April 12. The event will be broadcast live on BBC Two and iPlayer, with highlights available on BBC Radio 2.
Complete List of Nominations
- Best New Musical
- Here We Are – National Theatre, Lyttelton
- Paddington the Musical – Savoy Theatre
- Shucked – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
- The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry – Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Best Musical Revival
- American Psycho – Almeida Theatre
- Evita – London Palladium
- Into the Woods – Bridge Theatre
- The Producers – Garrick Theatre
- Best New Play
- 1536 – Almeida Theatre
- Inter Alia – National Theatre, Lyttelton
- KENREX – The Other Palace
- Punch – Young Vic and Apollo Theatre
- Best Revival
- All My Sons – Wyndham’s Theatre
- Arcadia – The Old Vic
- Much Ado About Nothing – Theatre Royal Drury Lane
- The Seagull – Barbican Theatre
- Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play
- The Comedy About Spies – Noël Coward Theatre
- Every Brilliant Thing – @sohoplace
- Oh, Mary! – Trafalgar Theatre
- Paranormal Activity – Ambassadors Theatre
- Best Actress
- Cate Blanchett for The Seagull – Barbican Theatre
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste for All My Sons – Wyndham’s Theatre
- Julia McDermott for Weather Girl – Soho Theatre
- Rosamund Pike for Inter Alia – National Theatre, Lyttelton
- Rosie Sheehy for Guess How Much I Love You? – Royal Court Theatre
- Best Actor
- Bryan Cranston for All My Sons – Wyndham’s Theatre
- Sean Hayes for Good Night, Oscar – Barbican Theatre
- Tom Hiddleston for Much Ado About Nothing – Theatre Royal Drury Lane
- Jack Holden for KENREX – The Other Palace
- David Shields for Punch – Young Vic and Apollo Theatre
- Best Actor in a Musical
- Marc Antolin for The Producers – Garrick Theatre
- James Hameed & Arti Shah for Paddington The Musical – Savoy Theatre
- Andy Nyman for The Producers – Garrick Theatre
- Jamie Parker for Into The Woods – Bridge Theatre
- Diego Andres Rodriguez for Evita – London Palladium
- Best Actress in a Musical
- Katie Brayben for Into The Woods – Bridge Theatre
- Danielle Fiamanya & Georgina Onuorah for Brigadoon – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
- Jane Krakowski for Here We Are – National Theatre, Lyttelton
- Jenna Russell for The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry – Theatre Royal Haymarket
- Rachel Zegler for Evita – London Palladium
- Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Isis Hainsworth for Arcadia – The Old Vic
- Julie Hesmondhalgh for Punch – Young Vic and Apollo Theatre
- Lucy Karczewski for Stereophonic – Duke of York’s Theatre
- Hayley Squires for All My Sons – Wyndham’s Theatre
- Sophie Thompson for When We Are Married – Donmar Warehouse
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Hammed Animashaun for Dealer’s Choice – Donmar Warehouse
- Paapa Essiedu for All My Sons – Wyndham’s Theatre
- Zachary Hart for The Seagull – Barbican Theatre
- Zachary Hart for Stereophonic – Duke of York’s Theatre
- Giles Terera for Oh, Mary! – Trafalgar Theatre
- Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
- Trevor Ashley for The Producers at Garrick Theatre
- Corbin Bleu for The Great Gatsby – A New Musical at London Coliseum
- Tom Edden for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
- 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
- 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
- Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
- Georgina Onuorah for Shucked at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
- Best Director
- Jordan Fein for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
- Luke Sheppard for Paddington The Musical at Savoy 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
- Fabian Aloise for Evita at The London Palladium
- 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
- 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
- Gabriella Slade (Costume Design) & Tahra Zafar (Paddington Design) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
- Best Set Design supported by Blue-i Theatre Technology
- Paul Tate dePoo III (Scenic & Projection Design) for The Great Gatsby – A New Musical at London Coliseum
- Tom Pye (Set Design) & Ash J Woodward (Video Design) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre
- Tom Scutt for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
- David Zinn for Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre
- Best Lighting Design
- Robbie Butler for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre
- Jon Clark for Evita at The London Palladium
- Aideen Malone (Lighting Design) & Roland Horvath (Video Design) for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre
- Joshua Pharo for KENREX at The Other Palace
- Best Sound Design supported by d&b audiotechnik
- 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
- Giles Thomas for KENREX at The Other Palace
- Outstanding Musical Contribution
- 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
- Chris Fenwick (Musical Supervision & Arrangements) & Sean Hayes (Live Piano Performance of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue) for Good Night, Oscar at Barbican Theatre
- Best Family Show
- The Boy At The Back Of The Class, adapted by Nick Ahad at Rose Theatre
- 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
- Ben And Imo by Mark Ravenhill at Orange Tree Theatre
- The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams at The Yard 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
- Into The Hairy by Sharon Eyal for S-E-D at Sadler’s Wells
- 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
- Dead Man Walking by English National Opera at London Coliseum
- 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
As the anticipation builds for the awards, theatre enthusiasts are encouraged to stay informed about the latest developments and performances in London’s vibrant theatre scene. Für weitere Informationen über die Theaterlandschaft in London, siehe In London: Theatre Attendance Rises Despite Drop in New Play Openings.
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