Critics' Circle Theatre Award

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The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, known as the Drama Theatre Awards until 1990, are British theatrical awards presented annually for the closing year's theatrical achievements. [1] The winners, from theatre throughout the United Kingdom, are selected via vote by the professional theatre critics of The Critics' Circle. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Recipients

Best Actor

1980s

YearRecipientWorkRef
1982 Bob Hoskins Guys and Dolls [7]
1983 Derek Jacobi Cyrano de Bergerac and Much Ado About Nothing [8]
1984 Brian Cox Rat in the Skull and Strange Interlude
Antony Sher Richard III
1985 Anthony Hopkins Pravda
Gary Oldman The Pope's Wedding
1986 Bill Fraser When We Are Married
Hugh Quarshi The Great White Hope
1987Brian CoxFashion, Taming of the Shrew and Titus Andronicus
1988 Alex Jennings Too Clever by Half
Tom Wilkinson An Enemy of the People
1989 Ian McKellen Othello

1990s

YearRecipientWork
1990 Michael Gambon Man of the Moment
1991 Nigel Hawthorne The Madness of George III
1992 Paul Eddington No Man's Land
1993 Ian Holm Moonlight
1994 Tom Courtenay Moscow Stations
1995 Daniel Massey Taking Sides
1996 David Suchet Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
1997Ian Holm King Lear
1998 Kevin Spacey The Iceman Cometh
1999 Henry Goodman The Merchant of Venice

2000s

YearRecipientWork
2000 Michael Gambon The Caretaker
2001 Ian McDiarmid Faith Healer
2002 Simon Russell Beale Uncle Vanya
2003 Michael Sheen Caligula
2004 Richard Griffiths The History Boys
2005Simon Russell Beale The Philanthropist
2006 Rufus Sewell Rock 'n' Roll
2007 Charles Dance Shadowlands
2008 Kenneth Branagh Ivanov
2009 Mark Rylance Jerusalem

2010s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2010 David Suchet All My Sons [9]
2011 Benedict Cumberbatch Frankenstein [10]
2012 Adrian Lester Red Velvet [11]
2013 Lenny Henry Fences [12]
2014 Mark Strong A View from the Bridge [13]
2015 Kenneth Cranham The Father [14]
2016 Stephen Dillane Faith Healer [15]
2017 Bryan Cranston Network [16]
2018 Kyle Soller The Inheritance [17]
2019 Andrew Scott Present Laughter [5]

2020s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2022 Ben Daniels The Normal Heart [18]
2023 Giles Terera Blues for an Alabama Sky and Othello [19]
2024 Andrew Scott Vanya [20]
2025 Mark Strong Oedipus [21]

Best Actress

1980s

YearRecipientWorkRef
1982 Judi Dench The Importance of Being Earnest and A Kind of Alaska [7]
1983 Juliet Stevenson Measure for Measure [8]
1984 Glenda Jackson Strange Interlude
1985 Vanessa Redgrave The Seagull
1986 Joan Plowright The House of Bernarda Alba
1987 Judi Dench Antony and Cleopatra
1988 Pauline Collins Shirley Valentine
1989 Fiona Shaw Electra and The Good Person of Sichuan

1990s

YearRecipientWork
1990 Josette Simon After the Fall
1991 Fiona Shaw Hedda Gabler
1992 Eileen Atkins The Night of the Iguana
1993 Penelope Wilton The Deep Blue Sea
1994 Clare Higgins The Children's Hour and Sweet Bird of Youth
1995 Claire Skinner The Glass Menagerie
1996 Janet McTeer A Doll's House
1997 Judi Dench Amy's View
1998 Sinéad Cusack Our Lady of Sligo
1999 Janie Dee Comic Potential

2000s

YearRecipientWork
2000 Victoria Hamilton As You Like It
2001 Lindsay Duncan Mouth to Mouth and Private Lives
2002 Clare Higgins Vincent in Brixton
2003 Eve Best Mourning Becomes Electra
2004 Victoria Hamilton Suddenly Last Summer
2005 Eve Best Hedda Gabler
2006 Kathleen Turner Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
2007 Anne-Marie Duff Saint Joan
2008 Margaret Tyzack The Chalk Garden
2009 Rachel Weisz A Streetcar Named Desire

2010s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2010 Jenny Jules Ruined [9]
2011 Sheridan Smith Flare Path [10]
2012 Hattie Morahan A Doll's House [11]
2013 Lesley Manville Ghosts [12]
2014 Helen McCrory Medea [13]
2015 Denise Gough People, Places and Things [14]
2016 Billie Piper Yerma [15]
2017 Victoria Hamilton Albion [16]
2018 Patsy Ferran Summer and Smoke [17]
2019 Sharon D Clarke Death of a Salesman [5]
Juliet Stevenson The Doctor

2020s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2022 Jessie Buckley Cabaret [18]
2023 Patsy Ferran A Streetcar Named Desire [19]
2024 Sophie Okonedo Medea [20]
2025 Lesley Manville Oedipus [21]

Best Designer

1980s

YearRecipientWorkRef
1982John Gunter The Beggar's Opera and Guys and Dolls [7]
Grant HicksThe Double Man and True West
1983 Voytek Great and Small [8]
1984 Alison Chitty Venice Preserved
1985 William Dudley The Critic, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Mutiny, The Mysteries and The Real Inspector Hound
1986 Ezio Frigerio The House of Bernarda Alba
Maria Björnson The Phantom of the Opera
1987 Follies
Michael TaylorAttractions
1988 Richard Hudson The Old Vic season
1989 John Napier Miss Saigon

1990s

YearRecipientWork
1990Mark Thompson The Wind in the Willows
1991 Bob Crowley Murmuring Judges
1992 Ian MacNeil An Inspector Calls
1993 Machinal
1994Mark Thompson The Kitchen
1995Robin DonThe Winter Guest
1996Robert Innes Hopkins The Comedy of Errors and The Weavers
1997 John Napier Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up
1998 Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch and Graeme Gilmour Shockheaded Peter
Richard Hoover Not About Nightingales
1999 Julie Taymor and Richard Hudson The Lion King

2000s

YearRecipientWork
2000Paul Brown Coriolanus , Richard II and The Tempest
2001 Platonov
2002 William Dudley The Coast of Utopia
2003 Bob Crowley Mourning Becomes Electra
2004 Christopher Oram Suddenly Last Summer
2005Timothy Bird and David Farley Sunday in the Park with George
2006 Punchdrunk Company Faust
2007 Rae Smith and Handspring Puppet Company War Horse
2008Neil Murray Brief Encounter
2009Christopher Oram Red

2010s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2010 Bunny Christie The White Guard [9]
2011Mark Tildesley Frankenstein [10]
2012 Miriam Buether Wild Swans [11]
2013 Es Devlin Chimerica [12]
2014 The Nether [13]
2015 Anna Fleischle Hangmen [14]
2016 Christine Jones Harry Potter and the Cursed Child [15]
2017Vicki Mortimer Follies [16]
2018 Bunny Christie Company [17]
2019Tom ScuttA Very Expensive Poison [5]

2020s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2022Tom Scutt Cabaret [18]
2023Tom Pye My Neighbour Totoro [19]
2024 Miriam Buether and 59 Productions Stranger Things: The First Shadow [20]
2025Frankie Bradshaw Ballet Shoes and Dear Octopus [21]

Best Director

1980s

YearRecipientWorkRef
1982 James Roose-Evans 84, Charing Cross Road [7]
1983 Terry Hands Cyrano de Bergerac (classical) [8]
Giles Havergal Men Should Weep (modern)
1984 Peter Gill Fool for Love and Venice Preserved
1985 Bill Bryden The Mysteries
1986 Mike Alfreds The Cherry Orchard
1987 Declan Donnellan Twelfth Night
1988 Peter Brook The Mahabharata
1989 Nicholas Hytner Ghetto and Miss Saigon

1990s

YearRecipientWork
1990 Peter Hall The Wild Duck
Robert Lepage Tectonic Plates
1991 Trevor Nunn Timon of Athens
1992 Stephen Daldry An Inspector Calls
1993 Terry Hands Tamburlaine the Great
1994 Sean Mathias Design for Living and Les Parents terribles
1995 Sam Mendes The Glass Menagerie
1996 Richard Eyre Guys and Dolls and John Gabriel Borkman
1997 The Invention of Love and King Lear
1998 Howard Davies Flight and The Iceman Cometh
1999Trevor Nunn The Merchant of Venice and Summerfolk

2000s

YearRecipientWork
2000 Michael Grandage As You Like It , Merrily We Roll Along and Passion Play
2001 Robert Lepage The Far Side of the Moon
2002 Sam Mendes Twelfth Night and Uncle Vanya
2003 Howard Davies Mourning Becomes Electra
2004 Rufus Norris Festen
2005Michael Grandage The Wild Duck
2006 John Tiffany Black Watch
2007 Rupert Goold Macbeth
2008Michael Grandage The Chalk Garden and Ivanov
2009Rupert Goold Enron

2010s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2010 Michael Grandage King Lear [9]
Thea Sharrock After the Dance
2011 Mike Leigh Grief [10]
2012 Benedict Andrews Three Sisters [11]
2013Lyndsey Turner Chimerica [12]
2014 Ivo van Hove A View from the Bridge [13]
2015 Robert Icke Oresteia [14]
2016 John Tiffany Harry Potter and the Cursed Child [15]
2017 Dominic Cooke Follies [16]
2018 Stephen Daldry The Inheritance [17]
2019 Jamie Lloyd Betrayal , Cyrano de Bergerac and Evita [5]

2020s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2022 Rebecca Frecknall Cabaret [18]
2023 Lynette Linton Blues for an Alabama Sky [19]
2024 Rupert Goold Dear England [20]
2025 Robert Icke Oedipus [21]

Best Musical

Known as the 'Peter Hepple Award' from 2016 onwards.

1980s

YearWorkRef
1982 Guys and Dolls [7]
1983 Blood Brothers [8]
1984 On Your Toes
1985 Me and My Girl
1986 Chess
1987 Follies
1988 South Pacific
1989 Miss Saigon

1990s

YearWork
1990 Into the Woods
1991 Carmen Jones
1992 Assassins
1993 City of Angels
1994 She Loves Me
1995 Company
1996 Guys and Dolls
1997 Chicago
1998 Oklahoma!
1999 Spend Spend Spend

2000s

YearWork
2000 The Beautiful Game
2001 Kiss Me, Kate
2002 Anything Goes
2003 Jerry Springer: The Opera
2004 The Producers
2005 Billy Elliot the Musical
2006 Caroline, or Change
2007 Hairspray
2008 La Cage Aux Folles
2009 Spring Awakening

2010s

YearWorkRef
2010 Matilda the Musical [9]
2011 London Road [10]
2012 Merrily We Roll Along [11]
2013 The Scottsboro Boys [12]
2014 Gypsy [13]
2015 Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical [14]
2016 Groundhog Day [15]
2017 Hamilton [16]
2018 Company [17]
2019 Come From Away [5]

2020s

YearWorkRef
2022 Spring Awakening [18]
2023 Oklahoma! [19]
2024 Guys and Dolls [20]
2025 Fiddler on the Roof [21]

Best New Play

1980s

YearRecipientWriterRef
1982 A Kind of Alaska Harold Pinter [7]
1983no awardno award [8]
1984 One for the Road Harold Pinter
1985 A Chorus of Disapproval Alan Ayckbourn
1986 Road Jim Cartwright
1987CurtainsStephen Bill
Fashion Doug Lucie
1988 The Secret Rapture David Hare
1989 Ghetto Joshua Sobol

1990s

YearRecipientWriter
1990 Racing Demon David Hare
1991 Three Birds Alighting on a Field Timberlake Wertenbaker
1992 Angels in America Tony Kushner
1993 Arcadia Tom Stoppard
1994 Dead Funny Terry Johnson
1995 The Steward of Christendom Sebastian Barry
1996 Blinded by the Sun Stephen Poliakoff
1997 Closer Patrick Marber
1998 Copenhagen Michael Frayn
1999 Mnemonic Simon McBurney

2000s

YearRecipientWriter
2000 Blue/Orange Joe Penhall
2001 Humble Boy Charlotte Jones
2002 The York Realist Peter Gill
2003 Democracy Michael Frayn
2004 The History Boys Alan Bennett
2005Harvest Richard Bean
2006 Rock'n'Roll Tom Stoppard
2007 A Disappearing Number Simon McBurney and Complicite
2008 August: Osage County Tracy Letts
2009 Jerusalem Jez Butterworth

2010s

YearRecipientWriterRef
2010 Clybourne Park Bruce Norris [9]
2011 One Man, Two Guvnors Richard Bean [10]
2012 The Effect Lucy Prebble [11]
2013 Chimerica Lucy Kirkwood [12]
2014 King Charles III Mike Bartlett [13]
2015 Hangmen Martin McDonagh [14]
2016 The Flick Annie Baker [15]
2017 The Ferryman Jez Butterworth [16]
2018 The Inheritance Matthew Lopez [17]
2019A Very Expensive Poison Lucy Prebble [5]

2020s

YearRecipientWriterRef
2022 Best of Enemies James Graham [18]
2023 Patriots Peter Morgan [19]
2024 The Motive and the Cue Jack Thorne [20]
2025 Giant Mark Rosenblatt [21]

Best Shakespearean Performance

Known as the 'John and Wendy Trewin Award' from 2000 until 2015, and 'The Trewin Award' from 2016 onwards.

2000s

YearRecipientWork
2000 Simon Russell Beale Hamlet
2001 Samuel West Hamlet
2002 Mark Rylance Twelfth Night
2003 Greg Hicks Coriolanus
2004 Paul Rhys Measure for Measure
2005 Kevin Spacey Richard II
2006 Tamsin Greig Much Ado About Nothing
2007 Chiwetel Ejiofor Othello
Patrick Stewart Macbeth
2008 Derek Jacobi Twelfth Night
David Tennant Hamlet
2009 Jude Law Hamlet

2010s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2010 Derek Jacobi King Lear [9]
2011 Eddie Redmayne Richard II [10]
2012 Simon Russell Beale Timon of Athens [11]
2013 Rory Kinnear Othello [12]
2014 Antony Sher Henry IV [13]
2015 Judi Dench The Winter's Tale [14]
2016 Glenda Jackson King Lear [15]
2017 Andrew Scott Hamlet [16]
2018 Sophie Okonedo Antony and Cleopatra [17]
2019 Hammed Animashaun A Midsummer Night's Dream [5]

2020s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2022 Cush Jumbo Hamlet [18]
2023 Arthur Hughes Richard III [19]
2024 David Tennant Macbeth [20]
2025 Danny Sapani King Lear [21]

Most Promising Newcomer

Known as the 'Jack Tinker Award' from 1996 onwards.

1980s

YearRecipientWork
1989 Sam Mendes Artistic direction at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester
Julia Ormond Faith, Hope and Charity

1990s

YearRecipientWork
1990 Sara Crow Private Lives
1991 Lia Williams The Revengers' Comedies
1992 Rufus Sewell Making It Better
1993 Emma Fielding Arcadia and The School for Wives
1994 Rachel Weisz Design for Living
1995 Victoria Hamilton The Master Builder and Retreat
1996 James Callis Old Wicked Songs
1997 Liza Walker Closer
1998 Mick Gordon Gate Theatre, London
1999 Eve Best 'Tis Pity She's a Whore

2000s

YearRecipientWork
2000 Chiwetel Ejiofor Blue/Orange
2001 Lyndsey Marshal Boston Marriage and Redundant
2002 Alison Pargeter Damsels in Distress
2003 Lisa Dillon Iphigenia and The Master Builder
2004 Eddie Redmayne The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?
2005 Mariah Gale 'Tis Pity She's a Whore
2006 Andrew Garfield Citizenship and The Overwhelming
2007 Leanne Jones Hairspray
2008 Ella Smith Fat Pig
2009 Tom Sturridge Punk Rock

2010s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2010 Daniel Kaluuya Sucker Punch [9]
2011Blanche McIntyre Accolade and Foxfinder [10]
2012 Denise Gough Desire Under the Elms and Our New Girl [11]
2013 Kate O'Flynn Port [12]
2014 Patsy Ferran Blithe Spirit and Treasure Island [13]
2015David MoorstViolence and Son [14]
2016 Anthony Boyle Harry Potter and the Cursed Child [15]
2017 Sheila Atim Girl From the North Country [16]
John McCrea Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
2018 Chris Walley The Lieutenant of Inishmore [17]
2019 Sam Tutty Dear Evan Hansen [5]

2020s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2022Samuel Creasy The Book of Dust:La Belle Sauvage [18]
Stuart Thompson Spring Awakening [18]
2023 Lizzie Annis The Glass Menagerie [19]
2024 Louis McCartney Stranger Things: The First Shadow [20]
Jack Wolfe Next to Normal [20]
2025 Francesca Amewudah-Rivers Romeo and Juliet [21]

Most Promising Playwright

1980s

YearRecipientWork
1989 Stephen Jeffreys Valued Friends

1990s

YearRecipientWork
1990 Clare McIntyre My Heart's a Suitcase
1991 Rona Munro Bold Girls
1992 Philip Ridley The Fastest Clock in the Universe
1993Simon DonaldTheatre of Stuff
1994 Kevin Elyot My Night With Reg
1995 Jez Butterworth Mojo
1996 Martin McDonagh The Beauty Queen of Leenane
1997 Conor McPherson The Weir
1998 Rebecca Prichard Yard Gal
1999 Charlotte Jones Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis

2000s

YearRecipientWork
2000 Joanna Laurens The Three Birds
2001 Gregory Burke Gagarin Way
2002Charlotte EilenbergThe Lucky Ones
2003 Lucy Prebble The Sugar Syndrome
2004 Rebecca Lenkiewicz The Night Season
2005 Laura Wade Breathing Corpses and Colder Than Here
2006 Nina Raine Rabbit
2007 Polly Stenham That Face
2008 Alexi Kaye Campbell The Pride
2009 Alia Bano Shades

2010s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2010 Anya Reiss Spur of the Moment [9]
2011Tom WellsThe Kitchen Sink [10]
2012 Lolita Chakrabarti Red Velvet [11]
2013 Rory Kinnear The Herd [12]
Phoebe Waller-Bridge Fleabag
2014 Barney Norris Visitors [13]
2015 James Fritz Four Minutes Twelve Seconds [14]
2016 Charlene James Cuttin’ It [15]
2017 Branden Jacobs-Jenkins Gloria and An Octoroon [16]
2018 Natasha Gordon Nine Night [17]
2019Jasmine Lee-JonesSeven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner [5]

2020s

YearRecipientWorkRef
2022Igor MemicOld Bridge [18]
Zadie Smith The Wife of Willesden [18]
2023Tyrell WilliamsRed Pitch [19]
2024 Marcelo Dos Santos Backstairs Billy [20]
Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini Sleepova [20]
2025Mark Rosenblatt Giant [21]

Special awards

YearRecipientNotesRef
2017 David Lan Commendation for artistic direction at the Young Vic [16]
2018 Neil McPherson Commendation for artistic direction at the Finborough Theatre [17]
2019 Paule Constable Commendation for lighting design [5]
2022 Jermyn Street Theatre Commendations for exceptional theatre-making during lockdown [18]
National Theatre
Nica Burns
The Old Vic
Original Theatre Company
2023 New Diorama Theatre Recipient of the Peter Brook Award for an innovative venue [19]
2024 Orange Tree Theatre Recipient of the Peter Brook Award for an innovative venue [20]
2025 The Yard Theatre Recipient of the Peter Brook Award for an innovative venue [21]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Theatre Awards". Albemarle-London.com. Albemarle of London. Archived from the original on 7 June 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  2. ↑ William Russell (31 January 2018). "The Critics' Circle Drama Awards: New Special Award for Services to the Theatre". Critics' Circle. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  3. ↑ "Just announced! Full list of 2017 #CriticsCircleAwards winners and production photos". Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  4. ↑ "Results". Critics' Circle Theatre Awards. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Just announced! Full list of 2019 Critics' Circle Awards winners and production photos". Critics' Circle Theatre Awards. 11 February 2020. Archived from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
  6. ↑ Ramachandran, Naman (2024-03-25). "Andrew Scott, David Tennant, Sophie Okonedo Win Acting Prizes at U.K. Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". Variety. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Critics Circle Awards - 1982". Albemarle of London. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Critics Circle Awards 1983". Albemarle London. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Leith, Alex (2011-01-25). "The 2010 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Leith, Alex (2012-01-24). "The 2011 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Leith, Alex (2013-01-16). "The 2012 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Leith, Alex (2014-02-01). "The 2013 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Leith, Alex (2015-01-30). "The 2014 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Leith, Alex (2016-01-28). "The 2015 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 2025-05-03.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Leith, Alex (2017-02-01). "The 2016 Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Russell, William (2018-01-31). "Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2017: The Winners". The Critics' Circle. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Critics Circle Theatre Awards 2018 – Society for Theatre Research". The Society for Theatre Research. 20 January 2019. Retrieved 2025-05-03.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Snow, Georgia (2 April 2022). "Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2022: the winners in full". The Stage. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Body, Jamie (17 April 2023). "Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2023: the winners in full". The Stage. Retrieved 2025-05-03.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Luckhurst, Georgia (25 March 2024). "Critics' Circle Theatre Awards 2024: the winners in full". The Stage. Retrieved 2025-05-03.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Wood, Alex (2025-03-27). "Winners announced for Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved 2025-05-01.
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