Just announced! Full list of 2018 #CriticsCircleAwards winners and production photos

The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards 2018 were hosted today, Tuesday 29 January 2019, by the Critics’ Circle Drama Section’s outgoing Chairman Mark Shenton, at the Prince of Wales Theatre, London.

Headlines from the 2018 Awards include:

• Matthew Lopez’s epic two-part drama The Inheritance is the big winner with three awards: Best New Play, Best Director (Stephen Daldry) and Best Actor
• Marianne Elliott’s gender-swap revival of Sondheim’s Company wins Best Musical and Best Designer (Bunny Christie)
• Just four years after winning Most Promising Newcomer, Patsy Ferran wins Best Actress for Summer & Smoke
• Performance awards also go to Antony & Cleopatra‘s Sophie Okonedo and The Lieutenant of Inishmore‘s Chris Walley
• Actor-turned-writer Natasha Gordon wins Most Promising Playwright for Nine Night, in which she now stars in the West End
• Neil McPherson, Finborough Theatre artistic director since 1999, is presented with the Critics’ Circle Drama Section’s second annual Special Award for services to theatre

Mark Shenton commented:

“Where other award ceremonies prioritise celebrity winners, see the industry rewarding itself or act as a public popularity contest, the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards alone are above the fray with their independence, judged by respected critics whose job it is to see theatre week in, week out, without fear or favour, and who have no other agenda than to celebrate excellence. Critics are invited to reward their favourite contributions to creative excellence equally across plays and musicals.”

The Awards were presented in association with Nyman Libson Paul Chartered Accountants, leading entertainment industry specialists, and supported by Delfont Mackintosh Theatres and The British Theatre Academy, who also staged a sneak-peek performance of its upcoming production of Broadway musical Once on This Island.

To view 2018 Awards speeches from critics and winners, visit our Facebook page.

Best New Play

The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez
Young Vic & Noel Coward Theatres, London
award presented by Matt Trueman, Variety

The Peter Hepple Award for Best Musical

Company
Gielgud Theatre, London
award presented to director Marianne Elliott & producer Chris Harper by Matt Wolf, The Arts Desk

Best Actor

Kyle Soller in The Inheritance
Young Vic & Noel Coward Theatres, London
award presented to Kyle Soller by Henry Hitchings, The Evening Standard

Best Actress

Patsy Ferran in Summer & Smoke
Almeida & Duke of York’s Theatre, London
award presented to Patsy Ferran by Ann Treneman, The Times

The Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance

Sophie Okonedo in Antony & Cleopatra
National Theatre, London
award presented to director Simon Godwin by Lyn Gardner, The Stage & StageDoor

Best Director

Stephen Daldry for The Inheritance
Young Vic & Noel Coward Theatres, London
award presented by Susannah Clapp, The Observer

Best Designer

Bunny Christie for Company
Gielgud Theatre, London
award presented to Bunny Christie by Libby Purves, TheatreCat

Most Promising Playwright

Natasha Gordon for Nine Night
National Theatre & Trafalgar Studios, London
award presented to Natasha Gordon by Michael Billington, The Guardian

The Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer

Chris Walley in The Lieutenant of Inishmore
Noel Coward Theatre, London
award presented to Chris Walley by Michael Arditti, The Sunday Express

Special Award

Neil McPherson, Artistic director
Finborough Theatre, London
award presented to Neil McPherson by Fiona Mountford, The Evening Standard