Olivier Awards 2025: Celebrating the Brilliance of British Theatre

The 2025 Olivier Awards lit up the Royal Albert Hall with glamour, applause, and unforgettable moments, celebrating the very best of British theatre. This year’s star-studded ceremony, hosted by the ever-charismatic Billy Porter and the soulful Beverley Knight, brought the magic of the stage to life as fans, critics, and performers united under one roof.

From riveting dramas to mesmerizing musicals, the night honored a rich spectrum of talent, both on stage and behind the scenes. Productions like Fiddler on the Roof, Giant, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button led the winners list, with each sweeping multiple categories.

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Major Winners of the Night

• Fiddler on the Roof – 3 Awards (Best Musical Revival, Best Sound Design, Best Set Design)
• Giant – 3 Awards (Best New Play, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor)
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – 3 Awards (Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical, Outstanding Musical Contribution)
• The Years – 2 Awards (Best Director, Best Supporting Actress)
• Oedipus – 2 Awards (Best Revival, Best Actress)

Let’s dive into the full list of winners from theatre’s biggest night:

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Performance Awards

Best Actor

• Winner: John Lithgow – Giant
  Nominees:
• Paapa Essiedu – Hamlet
• Mark Strong – A View from the Bridge
• Michael Sheen – Faith Healer

Best Actress

• Winner: Lesley Manville – Oedipus
  Nominees:
• Sophie Okonedo – Antigone
• Ruth Wilson – The Glass Menagerie
• Patsy Ferran – Portia Coughlan

Best Supporting Actor

• Winner: Elliot Levey – Giant
  Nominees:
• Alfred Enoch – Othello
• Rory Kinnear – King Lear
• Tom Glynn-Carney – Dear England

Best Supporting Actress

• Winner: Romola Garai – The Years
  Nominees:
• Lia Williams – The Homecoming
• Hayley Atwell – Rosmersholm
• Indira Varma – A Doll’s House

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Musical Performance Awards

Best Actor in a Musical

• Winner: John Dagleish – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  Nominees:
• Eddie Redmayne – Cabaret
• Julian Ovenden – South Pacific
• Jamie Muscato – Bonnie & Clyde

Best Actress in a Musical

• Winner: Imelda Staunton – Hello, Dolly!
  Nominees:
• Samantha Barks – Frozen
• Anoushka Lucas – Oklahoma!
• Jessie Buckley – Sunset Boulevard

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

• Winner: Layton Williams – Titanique
  Nominees:
• Hugh Coles – Back to the Future
• Alistair Brammer – Miss Saigon
• Matt Henry – The Drifters Girl

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical

• Winner: Maimuna Memon – Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
  Nominees:
• Beverley Knight – Sylvia
• Grace Hodgett Young – Cabaret
• Laura Pitt-Pulford – The Secret Garden

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Play and Musical Categories

Best New Play

• Winner: Giant
  Nominees:
• Dear England
• The Motive and the Cue
• The Hills of California

Best New Musical

• Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  Nominees:
• Sylvia
• Rebecca
• The Time Traveller’s Wife

Best Revival

• Winner: Oedipus
  Nominees:
• Faith Healer
• A View from the Bridge
• Hamlet

Best Musical Revival

• Winner: Fiddler on the Roof
  Nominees:
• Cabaret
• Oklahoma!
• Hello, Dolly!

Best Entertainment or Comedy Play

• Winner: Titanique
  Nominees:
• One Woman Show
• Peter Pan Goes Wrong
• The Play That Goes Wrong

Best Family Show

• Winner: Brainiac Live
  Nominees:
• The Tiger Who Came to Tea
• Zog and the Flying Doctors
• Stick Man

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Creative and Technical Awards

Best Director

• Winner: Eline Arbo – The Years
  Nominees:
• Nicholas Hytner – Giant
• Michael Grandage – The Motive and the Cue
• Sam Mendes – The Hills of California

Best Theatre Choreographer

• Winner: Christopher Wheeldon – MJ The Musical

Best Set Design

• Winner: Tom Scutt – Fiddler on the Roof

Best Costume Design

• Winner: Gabriella Slade – Starlight Express

Best Lighting Design

• Winner: Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs – Oliver!

Best Sound Design

• Winner: Nick Lidster – Fiddler on the Roof

Outstanding Musical Contribution

• Winner: Darren Clark and Mark Aspinall – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

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Opera and Dance Awards

Best New Opera Production

• Winner: Festen

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

• Winner: Allan Clayton – Festen

Best New Dance Production

• Winner: Assembly Hall

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

• Winner: Eva Yerbabuena – Yerbabuena

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Affiliate Theatre and Emerging Talent

Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre

• Winner: Boys on the Verge of Tears – Soho Theatre

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Final Thoughts

The 2025 Olivier Awards were not just an award show—they were a celebration of what makes theatre magical: powerful performances, boundary-pushing storytelling, and the unique ability to move audiences night after night.

From John Lithgow’s commanding performance in Giant to Eline Arbo’s visionary direction in The Years, this year’s winners proved that British theatre is as dynamic and daring as ever. Here’s to another incredible year on stage!