Olivier Awards 2026 Winners Announced

Published on 13 April 2026

Summary

  • 50th anniversary Olivier Awards 2026 winners announced at the Royal Albert Hall.
  • Paddington The Musical led with 7 wins, with major honours also for EvitaPunch and Into the Woods.
  • Rosamund Pike and Rachel Zegler were among the major acting winners across a wide-ranging night of theatre, dance and opera.

The winners of the 2026 Olivier Awards have been announced, with Paddington The Musical emerging as the biggest success of the night. The new musical led the ceremony with seven wins, including Best New Musical, Best Director for Luke Sheppard, and acting prizes for James Hameed and Arti Shah, Tom Edden, and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt. The ceremony, hosted by Nick Mohammed, took place at the Royal Albert Hall on 12 April as the awards celebrated 50 years of excellence in London theatre.

Elsewhere, Evita, Kenrex, Punch, Into the Woods, and All My Sons each scored multiple wins, while Rosamund Pike was named Best Actress for Inter Alia. Rachel Zegler also picked up her first Olivier Award for Evita, as Paddington continues its acclaimed West End run at the Savoy Theatre through 2028.

Best New Musical

Here We Are, book by David Ives, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim at National Theatre – Lyttelton

WINNER: Paddington The Musical, music & lyrics by Tom Fletcher & book by Jessica Swale at Savoy Theatre

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 New Play

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

WINNER: Punch by James Graham at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre

Best Revival

WINNER: All My Sons by Arthur Miller at Wyndham's Theatre

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

Best Musical Revival

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

WINNER: Into The Woods, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Lapine at Bridge Theatre

The Producers, music & lyrics by Mel Brooks, book by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan at Garrick Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Hammed Animashaun for Dealer's Choice at Donmar Warehouse

WINNER: Paapa Essiedu for All My Sons at Wyndham's Theatre

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 Actress in a Supporting Role

Isis Hainsworth for Arcadia at The Old Vic

WINNER: Julie Hesmondhalgh for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre

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 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

WINNER: Victoria Hamilton-Barritt for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

Georgina Onuorah for Shucked at Regent's Park Open Air 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

WINNER: 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 Actor in a Musical

Marc Antolin for The Producers at Garrick Theatre

WINNER: James Hameed & Arti Shah for Paddington The Musical at Savoy 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

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

WINNER: Rachel Zegler for Evita at The London Palladium

Best Actress

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

WINNER: Rosamund Pike for Inter Alia at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Rosie Sheehy for Guess How Much I Love You? at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre

Best Actor

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

WINNER: Jack Holden for Kenrex at The Other Palace

David Shields for Punch at Young Vic & Apollo Theatre

Best Director

Jordan Fein for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre

WINNER: 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

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

WINNER: Gabriella Slade (Costume Design) & Tahra Zafar (Paddington Design) for Paddington The Musical at Savoy Theatre

Best Sound Design

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

WINNER: Giles Thomas for Kenrex at The Other Palace

Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play

The Comedy About Spies by Henry Lewis & Henry Shields at Noël Coward Theatre

Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe at @sohoplace

WINNER: Oh, Mary! by Cole Escola at Trafalgar Theatre

Paranormal Activity by Levi Holloway at Ambassadors Theatre

Best Family Show

WINNER: 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 Theatre Choreographer

WINNER: 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 Set Design

Paul Tate dePoo III (Scenic & Projection Design) for The Great Gatsby - A New Musical at London Coliseum

WINNER: 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

WINNER: Aideen Malone (Lighting Design) & Roland Horvath (Video Design) for Into The Woods at Bridge Theatre

Joshua Pharo for Kenrex at The Other Palace

Best New Production in Affiliate Theatre

Ben And Imo by Mark Ravenhill at Orange Tree Theatre

WINNER: 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 Opera Production

  • WINNER: 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

Best New Dance Production

WINNER: 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

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

WINNER: Chris Fenwick (Musical Supervision & Arrangements) & Sean Hayes (Live Piano Performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue) for Good Night, Oscar at Barbican Theatre

Hay Brunsdon

By Hay Brunsdon

I've over 15 years of writing and editorial experience, and starting working in the West End theatre industry in 2012. When not watching or writing about theatre I'm usually swimming, hiking, running, or training for triathlons in the Stroud valleys.