At the 33rd U.K. Critics' Circle Theatre Awards, Andrew Scott, David Tennant, and Sophie Okonedo emerged as the standout winners in their respective categories. Scott clinched the best actor award for his remarkable performance in 'Vanya,' a solo adaptation of Chekov's work where he skillfully portrayed eight distinct characters engaging in conversations with each other. This win marked a significant achievement for Scott, who had previously secured the best actor accolade at the Critics' Circle film awards earlier in the year, making him the first-ever double winner across both the Film and Theatre Awards under the U.K. Critics' Circle umbrella.
Sophie Okonedo was honored with the best actress award for her portrayal of the lead character in @sohoplace's production of 'Medea.' Meanwhile, David Tennant's exceptional rendition in the Donmar Warehouse's rendition of 'Macbeth' earned him the prestigious Trewin Award for best Shakespearean performance. Rupert Goold's directorial prowess in the James Graham-penned play 'Dear England' at the National Theatre earned him the best director title.
The award for most promising playwright was jointly bestowed upon Marcelo dos Santos for 'Backstairs Billy' and Matilda Feyi?ay? Ibini for 'Sleepova,' a coming-of-age play that featured BAFTA Rising Star winner Bukky Bakray in her stage debut at the Bush Theatre. 'Guys & Dolls,' under the direction of Nicholas Hytner, secured The Peter Hepple Award for best musical.
Jack Wolfe, for his role in the rock musical 'Next to Normal' at the Donmar Theatre, shared the Jack Tinker Award for most promising newcomer with Louis McCartney, who currently leads the cast of 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow,' a stage adaptation of the popular Netflix series. The play also clinched the best designer award, attributed to Miriam Buether in collaboration with 59 Productions.
'The Motive and the Cue,' a production by Jack Thorne exploring the dynamics between John Gielgud and Richard Burton during the rehearsal of 'Hamlet' in 1964, secured The Michael Billington Award for best new play. The Sam Mendes-directed play starred Johnny Flynn as Burton and Mark Gatiss as Gielgud and received critical acclaim during its run at the National Theatre before transferring to the West End.
The 2024 Empty Space Peter Brook Award for an innovative venue was presented to the Orange Tree in Richmond, a tribute to the late theater director Peter Brook. This award, curated by founder Blanche Marvin, recognized the Orange Tree's innovative contributions to the theater landscape. The awards, which honored work produced in 2023, celebrated excellence and talent across various categories in the U.K. theater scene.
