Critics are an essential part of the theatre ecosystem, and in a world where personal opinion and bendable facts lead governments, critics offer a standard of independent, measured feedback that the theatre industry values enormously. Well, we would say that, but these are the words from some of the winners of the 2026 Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards that took place at the National Theatre on 26 March, hosted by Mark Lawson as Acting Chair of the Drama Section. Offering awards in 12 separate categories celebrating all kinds of contributions to production and performance in the calendar year 2025, it included a new Best Ensemble Award, which, as Director Ivo van Hove noted, is unique in awards around the world.
Despite its illustrious heritage – the Drama Section was founded in 1913 – this year’s Awards sought to celebrate the new, not only with its regular Most Promising Playwright Award given to Ava Pickett for the astounding 1536 (Almeida Theatre) and surely everyone’s pick for a win at the Oliviers ahead of it’s hugely deserved West End transfer, but also in the pioneering Best Ensemble award distributed for the first time, recognising theatremaking as a “team sport,” a phrase used independently by two winners at the event.
This is also the first year that members of the Critics’ Circle have voted using a longlist and shortlist process with members of the Into the Woods cast beating 1536, Here We Are (National Theatre), Stereophonic (Duke of York’s Theatre), The Weir (Harold Pinter Theatre) and When We Are Married (Donmar Warehouse) to become the first Best Ensemble winners before rushing down the Southbank to make their matinee at the Bridge Theatre. Tom Scutt gave Into the Woods its second win as Best Designer.
In the performance categories, the winner of the Best Actor award also celebrated a different kind of newness, recognising a performer making his West End debut at the age of 70, Brendan Gleeson, whose heartbreaking role in the revival of Conor McPherson’s The Weir was hugely acclaimed. He appeared via video from the set of a film version involving the full cast of the Harold Pinter Theatre production.
Meanwhile back in the room, Hayley Atwell deservedly beat her co-star Tom Hiddleston and serious rivalry from other beloved male stars including Jonathan Bailey (Richard II, Bridge Theatre) and David Harewood (Othello, Theatre Royal Haymarket), to win the Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance for her memorable turn as Beatrice in Jamie Lloyd’s electric and very pink Much Ado About Nothing, collecting her award in person and dedicating it to her husband who looked after their five-month old baby while she went on stage at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane every night.
Another brilliant female performance, a clearly overwhelmed Rosamund Pike also accepted her Best Actress award via video link for Suzie Miller’s superb Inter Alia, another new play recognised by the Circle, as Pike deferred to the support received from everyone at the National Theatre and now the Wyndhams Theatre, where she was about to begin a matinee performance. Miller, however, lost out in the Michael Billington Best New Play category to James Graham for Punch (Young Vic and Apollo Theatre) in a tough category that also included David Ireland’s ferocious The Fifth Step (@sohoplace). Alice Birch’s Romans: A Novel (Almeida Theatre) and Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian’s Kenrex (The Other Palace)
With Best Director and Best Revival going to Ivo van Hove’s searing All My Sons (Wyndham’s Theatre) and no surprises as Paddington (Savoy Theatre) won Best New Musical, many will see the Critics’ Circle Award as a forerunner for the Olivier Awards next month. Yet, despite many of the same creatives vying for those awards too, with new performers, new writers and new ways of celebrating their achievements, the Critics’ Circle Awards showcased an industry that is constantly renewing itself by working together with critics, and cares deeply about delivering the highest standards of performance to audiences.
The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards took place at the National Theatre on 26 March 2026.
