Since 1999

Trusted News & Reviews

25

years

best of british theatre

Official
tickets

Pick
your seats

Since 1999

25 years

Official tickets

Pick seats

Olivier Awards 2020 - Full Winners List

Published on

October 26, 2020

By

douglasmayo

The winners of the Olivier Awards 2020 have been announced in a special ceremony hosted by Jason Manford at the London Palladium. & Juliet and Dear Evan Hansen were the big winners on the night.

Sam Tutty Dear Evan Hansen

Sam Tutty in Dear Evan Hansen

The Olivier Awards 2020 were held last night in a special ceremony that was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The awards were hosted by Jason Manford at the London Palladium and featured performances from Miriam Teak Lee, Sharon D Clarke and Sam Tutty.

New musicals, & Juliet and Dear Evan Hansen were awarded three awards each. Andrew Scott won Best New Actor for his performance in Present Laughter at the Old Vic commenting that humour is “something that’s helped us all survive in the past couple of months during this really arduous time”.

Whilst the awards highlighted the new talents in the British theatre, it also saw wins by two of our most consistent and admired artists. Sharon D Clarke's award for Best Actress for her performance in Death Of A Salesman joins her awards for previous wins as Supporting Actress in 2014 and Best Actress in a Musical in 2019 for Caroline, Or Change. In her acceptance speech, Sharon commented “We must know our worth in this industry, and what our incredible industry brings not only to the coffers but to the soul of our nation. Keep the faith people. We will be back.”

The night saw Sir Matthew Bourne break shatter Olivier Awards records with his win for Mary Poppins (co-awarded with Stephen Mear). The award made Sir Matthew the most successful individual in the history of the awards.

Sir Ian McKellen was celebrated with a special award (his seventh Olivier win) for this 80th Birthday Tour which saw him tour theatres across the UK raising much-needed funds for theatres across the country.

Julian Bird, the executive producer of the Olivier Awards and chief executive of the Society of London Theatre, said: “This is not how we had originally planned to celebrate this year’s outstanding Olivier nominees, but like so many others we have adapted to these challenging times. I am thrilled that we have been able to safely pull together this programme that will hopefully engage and inspire audiences at home while reminding them of the talent and vibrancy within our theatre industry.”

You can watch the Olivier Awards 2020 in full here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cswnSCjhsS4

OLIVIER AWARDS 2020  - THE FULL WINNERS LIST OLIVIER AWARDS 2020 - SPECIAL AWARDS

Sir Ian McKellen

Don  Black

Best new play           

A Very Expensive Poison at The Old Vic

The Doctor at Almeida Theatre Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre London - WINNER

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman

Best new musical  

& Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Amélie The Musical at The Other Palace

Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre - WINNER Waitress at Adelphi Theatre Best actor         

Toby Jones for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre

James McAvoy for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre

Wendell Pierce for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre

Andrew Scott for Present Laughter at The Old Vic - WINNER Best actress

Hayley Atwell for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre

Sharon D. Clarke for Death Of A Salesman at Piccadilly Theatre - WINNER

Juliet Stevenson for The Doctor at Almeida Theatre

Phoebe Waller-Bridge for Fleabag at Wyndham’s Theatre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I44s8MzP8P8

Best actor in a musical     

Andy Nyman for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre

Charlie Stemp for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre

Sam Tutty for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre - WINNER

Jac Yarrow for Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium

Best actress in a musical

Audrey Brisson for Amélie The Musical at The Other Palace

Judy Kuhn for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre

Miriam-Teak Lee for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre - WINNER

Zizi Strallen for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre

Best actor in a supporting role

Arinzé Kene for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic

Colin Morgan for All My Sons at The Old Vic

Adrian Scarborough for Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre - WINNER

Reece Shearsmith for A Very Expensive Poison at The Old Vic

Best actress in a supporting role

Michele Austin for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre

Sophie Thompson for Present Laughter at The Old Vic

Indira Varma for Present Laughter at The Old Vic - WINNER

Josie Walker for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman

Best actor in a supporting role in a musical           David Bedella for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre - WINNER

Stewart Clarke for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre

Jack Loxton for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

Rupert Young for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

Best actress in a supporting role in a musical

Lucy Anderson for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

Petula Clark for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre

Cassidy Janson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre - WINNER

Lauren Ward for Dear Evan Hansen at Noël Coward Theatre

Best revival               Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre - WINNER

Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre

Present Laughter at The Old Vic

Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre

Best musical revival           

Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre - WINNER

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium

Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for best director Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell for Death Of A Salesman at Young Vic and Piccadilly Theatre - WINNER

Jamie Lloyd for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre

Trevor Nunn for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre

Ian Rickson for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClR3j0L6dGE

Best original score or new orchestrations     

& Juliet – New Orchestrations by Bill Sherman and Dominic Fallacaro at Shaftesbury Theatre

Amélie The Musical – Musical Supervisor and Arrangements by Barnaby Race at The Other Palace

Dear Evan Hansen – Music and Lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Orchestration by Alex Lacamoire at Noël Coward - WINNER

Theatre

Fiddler On The Roof – New Orchestrations by Jason Carr at Playhouse Theatre

Waitress – Music and Lyrics by Sara Bareilles at Adelphi Theatre

Best lighting design        

Neil Austin for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre

Paule Constable for The Ocean At The End Of The Lane at National Theatre – Dorfman - WINNER

Howard Hudson for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Bruno Poet for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre

Best sound design

Gregory Clarke for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre

Emma Laxton for Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre - WINNER

Ben and Max Ringham for ANNA at National Theatre – Dorfman

Ben and Max Ringham for Cyrano De Bergerac at Playhouse Theatre

Best costume design      

Hugh Durrant for Goldilocks And The Three Bears at The London Palladium

Jonathan Lipman for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre

Joanna Scotcher for Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre - WINNER

Paloma Young for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Best set design       Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre - WINNER

Soutra Gilmour for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Rae Smith for Rosmersholm at Duke of York’s Theatre

Rae Smith for Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre

Best theatre choreographer               

Fabian Aloise for Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear for Mary Poppins at Prince Edward Theatre - WINNER

Jerome Robbins and Matt Cole for Fiddler On The Roof at Playhouse Theatre

Jennifer Weber for & Juliet at Shaftesbury Theatre

Noel Coward award for best entertainment or comedy play Emilia at Vaudeville Theatre - WINNER

Fleabag at Wyndham’s Theatre

Magic Goes Wrong at Vaudeville Theatre

The Upstart Crow at Gielgud Theatre

Best family show

Mr Gum And The Dancing Bear – The Musical! at National Theatre – Dorfman

Oi Frog & Friends! at Lyric Theatre

To The Moon And Back at Barbican Theatre

The Worst Witch at Vaudeville Theatre -WINNER Outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre Baby Reindeer at Bush Theatre - WINNER

Blues In The Night at Kiln Theatre

Our Lady Of Kibeho at Theatre Royal Stratford East

Seven Methods Of Killing Kylie Jenner at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre

Warheads at Park Theatre

Best new dance production

La Fiesta by Israel Galván at Sadler’s Wells

Ingoma by Mthuthuzeli November for Ballet Black at Royal Opera House – Linbury - WINNER

Theatre

MÁM by Michael Keegan-Dolan for Teaċ Daṁsa at  Sadler’s Wells

Vessel by Damien Jalet & Kohei Nawa at  Sadler’s Wells

Outstanding achievement in dance Sara Baras for her choreography and performance in Ballet Flamenco – Sombras at Sadler’s Wells - WINNER

Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for her performance in Mitten Wir Im Leben Sind/Bach6Cellosuiten at Sadler’s Wells

Gisèle Vienne for her choreography of Crowd, presented by Dance Umbrella at Sadler’s Wells

Best new opera production

Berenice at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre

Billy Budd at Royal Opera House

Hansel And Gretel at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre - WINNER

Noye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford East

Outstanding achievement in opera

Jette Parker Young Artists for their performances in Berenice, Death In Venice and Phaedra at Royal Opera House

The Children’s Ensemble for their performance in Noye’s Fludde at Theatre Royal Stratford -WINNER

East

Martyn Brabbins and James Henshaw for their conducting of The Mask Of Orpheus for English National Opera at London Coliseum

Join our Mailing List to be kept updated with theatre news.

The BritishTheatre.com website was created to celebrate the rich and diverse theatrical culture of the United Kingdom. Our mission is to provide the latest UK theatre news, West End reviews, and insights into both regional theatre and London theatre tickets, ensuring enthusiasts can stay up to date with everything from the biggest West End musicals to cutting-edge fringe theatre. We are passionate about encouraging and nurturing the performing arts in all their forms.

The spirit of theatre is alive and thriving, and BritishTheatre.com is at the forefront of delivering timely, authoritative news and information to theatre lovers. Our dedicated team of theatre journalists and critics works tirelessly to cover every production and event, making it easy for you to access the latest reviews and book London theatre tickets for must-see shows.