Paddington The Musical wins seven Olivier Awards

The world premiere opened at the Savoy Theatre, London, in November last year with music and lyrics by McFly’s Tom Fletcher. Victoria Hamilton-Barritt and Tom Edden picked up Best Actress/Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for their roles as Millicent Clyde and Mr Curry respectively. You can read our review of the show, inspired by the award-winning 2014 film, here. 

Evita, Kenrex and Punch also had big wins at the Olivier Awards ceremony held at the Royal Albert Hall on 12th April. 

Rachel Zegler picked up Best Actress in a Musical for Evita while Punch, which will do an extended tour in 2027, won Best New Play and Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Julie Hesmondhalgh. Jack Holden won Best Actor for his impressive 35 characters in Kenrex, a true crime thriller and the play also scooped Best Sound Design. 

Arthur Miller’s All My Sons and Into The Woods, which moves from the Bridge Theatre to the Noël Coward Theatre this autumn were also among the award-winners

Special Award recipient Dame Elaine Paige was honoured at the ceremony with a video tribute, before being presented with her statuette by Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber.

It was the 50th anniversary of the awards and there were performances from nominees Evita, Into The Woods, Paddington The Musical and The Producers. There was also a special performance marking 40 years of Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom Of The Opera, and a finale celebrating 20 years of Wicked in the West End. 

The 2026 Olivier Award winners included: 

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 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 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

“Massive congratulation to all of our phenomenal winners and nominees. Their creativity and talent is the reason why the UK is the best place in the world to make and see theatre.” 

Society of London Theatre (SOLT) & UK Theatre Co-CEOs Claire Walker and Hannah Essex 

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 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