Winners announced for THE CRITICS’ CIRCLE THEATRE AWARDS 2026
Photo credit: Johan Persson
At a ceremony at the National Theatre today (26 March), the Critics’ Circle announced the winners of the 2026 Theatre Awards, sponsored by Finito. These are the only prizes to be entirely voted for by the professional theatre critics who are members of the Circle.
2026 Chair of the Critics’ Circle Drama Section, Mark 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. Overall - and with the winner of the Empty Space…Peter Brook Award, decided by a separate panel - they show an exhilarating range of work across a vast variety of venues and genres - all achieved in challenging economic times. It is particularly pleasing that the array of talents in the Most Promising Playwright and Best Newcomer categories indicate that the current high quality of theatre here is guaranteed to continue.”
Full list of winners:
THE MICHAEL BILLINGTON AWARD FOR BEST NEW PLAY
James Graham - Punch (from a book by Jacob Dunne) (Young Vic / Apollo Theatre)
BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY OR MUSICAL
All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre)
THE PETER HEPPLE AWARD FOR BEST NEW MUSICAL
Paddington The Musical (Savoy Theatre)
THE 5RB AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR
Ivo Van Hove - All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre)
BEST ENSEMBLE OR CAST
Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre)
MOST PROMISING PLAYWRIGHT
Ava Pickett - 1536 (Almeida Theatre)
BEST ACTOR
Brendan Gleeson - The Weir (Harold Pinter Theatre)
THE NLP AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
Rosamund Pike - Inter Alia (National Theatre)
BEST DESIGNER
Tom Scutt - Into The Woods (Bridge Theatre)
THE TREWIN AWARD FOR BEST SHAKESPEAREAN PERFORMANCE
Hayley Atwell - Much Ado About Nothing (Theatre Royal Drury Lane)
THE JACK TINKER AWARD FOR MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER (SPONSORED BY FINITO)
Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis - Indian Ink (Hampstead Theatre)
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Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees!