Olivier Awards 2025: A night of triumph for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fiddler on the Roof and Giant at Royal Albert Hall

7^th April 2025

The editorial unit

The editorial unit

7 April 2025

On the evening of 6^th April 2025, the Olivier Awards with Mastercard celebrated the pinnacle of theatrical achievement at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Hosted by Beverley Knight and Billy Porter, the ceremony honored a diverse array of talents in British theatre. Among the top winners of the night were The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Fiddler On The Roof and Giant, each clinching three awards.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button emerged as a significant victor, securing the Mastercard Best New Musical, with John Dagleish winning Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of the title character. The musical also received the award for Outstanding Musical Contribution, credited to Darren Clark and Mark Aspinall for their roles in music and lyrics.

Equally successful was the revival of Fiddler On The Roof, which won the Piper-Heidsieck Award for Best Musical Revival. The production was further recognised for its technical excellence, with Tom Scutt and Nick Lidster winning awards for Best Set Design and Best Sound Design, respectively.

Giant stood out in the play categories, winning The Londoner Award for Best New Play. John Lithgow was awarded Best Actor for his portrayal of Roald Dahl, and Elliot Levey received Best Actor in a Supporting Role, marking his second Olivier Award.

Lesley Manville won Best Actress for her role in Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre, which also won the Cunard Best Revival. Imelda Staunton celebrated her fifth Olivier Award, winning Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Hello, Dolly!

Supporting actress accolades went to Romola Garai for The Years, and Eline Arbo received the Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director for the same play, marking her as the sixth woman to win this category.

In the technical categories, Paule Constable, a notable figure in Olivier Awards history with 17 nominations, won her sixth award for Best Lighting Design for Oliver!, alongside Ben Jacobs.

The ceremony was not just about awards but also featured performances from nominated musicals, including Les Misérables, which celebrated its 40^th anniversary with a special performance.

Kash Bennett, President of the Society of London Theatre, commented on the event, stating, “The Olivier Awards have once again been a spectacular celebration of the very best of British theatre, showcasing the incredible talent of our performers and creatives. Huge congratulations to all the brilliant winners and nominees, who embody the creativity, passion, and magic that make our industry so extraordinary.”

The event concluded with tributes and acknowledgments, including a video tribute to Rufus Norris, marking his decade as Director of the National Theatre. The ceremony highlights will be broadcast on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player, ensuring that the celebrations can be relived by theatre enthusiasts. You can find the full list of winners below.

The editorial unit
Photo: Marc Brenner

Olivier Awards 2025 took place on 6^th April 2025. For further information, visit the website here.

Full list of winners for Olivier Awards 2025 with Mastercard: 

Mastercard Best New Musical

WINNER: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, music & lyrics by Darren Clark, book & lyrics by Jethro Compton at Ambassadors Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• MJ The Musical, book by Lynn Nottage at Prince Edward Theatre  
• Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, music, lyrics & book by Dave Malloy at Donmar Warehouse  
• Why Am I So Single?, music, lyrics & book by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss at Garrick Theatre 

Cunard Best Revival 

WINNER: Oedipus by Robert Icke at Wyndham’s Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde at National Theatre – Lyttelton  
• Machinal by Sophie Treadwell at The Old Vic  
• Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett at Theatre Royal Haymarket 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role 

WINNER: Elliot Levey for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Jorge Bosch for Kyoto at @sohoplace  
• Tom Edden for Waiting For Godot at Theatre Royal Haymarket  
• Ben Whishaw for Bluets at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role 

WINNER: Romola Garai for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Sharon D. Clarke for The Importance Of Being Earnest at National Theatre – Lyttelton  
• Romola Garai for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  
• Gina McKee for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre 

Best Costume Design 

WINNER: Gabriella Slade for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre 

NOMINATED: 

• Hugh Durrant for Robin Hood at The London Palladium  
• Sachiko Nakahara for Spirited Away at London Coliseum  
• Tom Scutt for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  

Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design 

WINNER: Tom Scutt for Set Design for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre 

NOMINATED: 

• Jon Bausor for Set Design, Toby Olié & Daisy Beattie for Puppetry Design and Satoshi Kuriyama for Projection Design for Spirited Away at London Coliseum  
• Frankie Bradshaw for Set Design for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre – Olivier  
• Es Devlin for Set Design for Coriolanus at National Theatre – Olivier  

Best Actress 

WINNER: Lesley Manville for Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Heather Agyepong for Shifters at Duke of York’s Theatre  
• Rosie Sheehy for Machinal at The Old Vic  
• Meera Syal for A Tupperware Of Ashes at National Theatre – Dorfman  
• Indira Varma for Oedipus at The Old Vic 

Best Actor 

WINNER: John Lithgow for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Adrien Brody for The Fear Of 13 at Donmar Warehouse  
• Billy Crudup for Harry Clarke at Ambassadors Theatre  
• Paapa Essiedu for Death Of England: Delroy at @sohoplace  
• Mark Strong for Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre 

Outstanding Achievement in Opera 

WINNER: Allan Clayton for his performance in Festen at Royal Opera House  

NOMINATED: 

• Aigul Akhmetshina for her performance in Carmen at Royal Opera House   
• Jung Young-doo for his direction of Lear at Barbican Theatre 

TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production 

WINNER: Festen by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House  

NOMINATED: 

• Duke Bluebeard’s Castle by English National Opera at London Coliseum   
• L’Olimpiade by Irish National Opera, The Royal Opera & Nouvel Opéra Fribourg at Royal Opera House  
• The Tales Of Hoffmann by The Royal Opera at Royal Opera House 

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director 

WINNER: Eline Arbo for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Jordan Fein for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  
• Nicholas Hytner for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  
• Robert Icke for Oedipus at Wyndham’s Theatre 

Best New Production in Affiliate Theatre 

WINNER: Boys On The Verge Of Tears by Sam Grabiner at Soho Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Animal Farm at Theatre Royal Stratford East by George Orwell, adapted by Tatty Hennessy 
• English by Sanaz Toossi at Kiln Theatre  
• Now, I See by Lanre Malaolu at Theatre Royal Stratford East  
• What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank by Nathan Englander at Marylebone Theatre 

The Londoner Award for Best New Play 

WINNER: Giant by Mark Rosenblatt at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• The Fear Of 13 by Lindsey Ferrentino at Donmar Warehouse  
• Kyoto by Joe Murphy & Joe Robertson at @sohoplace  
• Shifters by Benedict Lombe at Duke of York’s Theatre  
• The Years adapted by Eline Arbo, in an English version by Stephanie Bain at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre 

Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play 

WINNER: Titanique by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle & Constantine Rousouli at Criterion Theatre 

NOMINATED: 

• Ballet Shoes adapted by Kendall Feaver at National Theatre – Olivier  
• Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright by Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith at Wyndham’s Theatre  
• Spirited Away adapted by John Caird & co-adapted by Maoko Imai at London Coliseum  

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer 

WINNER: Christopher Wheeldon for MJ The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre 

NOMINATED: 

• Matthew Bourne for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre   
• Julia Cheng for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  
• Hofesh Shechter for Oedipus at The Old Vic  

Best Family Show 

WINNER: Brainiac Live at Marylebone Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Maddie Moate’s Very Curious Christmas at Apollo Theatre   
• The Nutcracker at Polka Theatre  
• Rough Magic at Shakespeare’s Globe – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse 

Outstanding Achievement in Dance  

WINNER: Eva Yerbabuena for her performance in Yerbagüena at Sadler’s Wells   

NOMINATED: 

• Sarah Chun for her performance in Three Short Ballets at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre   
• Tom Visser & Jay Gower Taylor for lighting concept and design of Angels’ Atlas as part of Frontiers: Choreographers Of Canada – Pite/Kudelka/Portner at Sadler’s Wells  

Best New Dance Production 

WINNER: Assembly Hall by Kidd Pivot, Crystal Pite & Jonathon Young at Sadler’s Wells  

NOMINATED: 

• Frontiers: Choreographers Of Canada – Pite/Kudelka/Portner by The National Ballet Of Canada at Sadler’s Wells   
• Theatre Of Dreams by Hofesh Shechter Company at Sadler’s Wells  
• An Untitled Love by A.I.M by Kyle Abraham at Sadler’s Wells 

Outstanding Musical Contribution 

WINNER: Darren Clark for Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements and Mark Aspinall for Musical Direction, Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Mark Aspinall for Musical Supervision & Additional Orchestrations for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  
• Dave Malloy for Orchestrations and Nicholas Skilbeck for Musical Supervision for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse  
• Asaf Zohar for Compositions and Gavin Sutherland for Dance Arrangements & Orchestration for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre – Olivier 

Piper-Heidsieck Award for Best Musical Revival 

WINNER: Fiddler On The Roof, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Hello, Dolly!, music & lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Michael Stewart at The London Palladium  
• Oliver!, book, music & lyrics by Lionel Bart, new material & revisions by Cameron Mackintosh at Gielgud Theatre  
• Starlight Express, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Richard Stilgoe at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre 

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design 

WINNER: Paule Constable & Ben Jacobs for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Howard Hudson for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse  
• Howard Hudson for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre  
• Aideen Malone for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre 

d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design 

WINNER: Nick Lidster for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Christopher Shutt for Oedipus at The Old Vic  
• Thijs van Vuure for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre  
• Koichi Yamamoto for Spirited Away at London Coliseum 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical 

WINNER: Maimuna Memon for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse 

NOMINATED: 

• Liv Andrusier for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  
• Amy Di Bartolomeo for The Devil Wears Prada at Dominion Theatre  
• Beverley Klein for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical 

WINNER: Layton Williams for Titanique at Criterion Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Andy Nyman for Hello, Dolly! at The London Palladium  
• Raphael Papo for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  
• Tom Xander for Mean Girls at Savoy Theatre 

Best Actor in a Musical 

WINNER: John Dagleish for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre  

NOMINATED: 

• Adam Dannheisser for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre  
• Myles Frost for MJ The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre  
• Simon Lipkin for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre  
• Jamie Muscato for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse 

Best Actress in a Musical 

WINNER: Imelda Staunton for Hello, Dolly! at The London Palladium 

NOMINATED: 

• Chumisa Dornford-May for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse  
• Lauren Drew for Titanique at Criterion Theatre  
• Clare Foster for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre  
• Lara Pulver for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre