The Critics' Circle Theatre Award, known as the Drama Theatre Award until 1990, are British theatrical awards presented annually for the closing year's theatrical achievements. The winners, from theatre throughout the United Kingdom, are selected via vote by the professional theatre critics of The Critics' Circle.
History The Critics' Circle Theatre Awards were established by the drama section of The Critics' Circle. The Circle were initially against the idea of giving out awards due to the belief that criticisms are a matter of personal opinions, and that minority views would not be represented in a collective pronouncement in the form of an award. A referendum in 1956, voted by roughly 20% of the Circle's members, rejected the idea of the body giving out awards. This was, however, reversed in another referendum in 1980.
The first Critics' Circle Theatre Awards ceremony was held in 1989. A special anniversary ceremony was held for its 25th anniversary in 2014.
Current categories As of 2025, the Critics' Circle Theatre awards include the following categories:
Best Actor Best Actress Best Director Most Promising Playwright Best Designer The Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer: Named after critic Jack Tinker, known for his work at the Daily Mail. The Michael Billington Award for Best New Play: Named after Michael Billington, known for his 50-year tenure as chief critic at The Guardian.
The Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance: Formerly the John and Wendy Trewin Award, after the husband and wife who were seen as leading critics in the UK; later renamed The Trewin Award to honour their son, Ion Trewin, after his passing.
The Peter Hepple Award for Best Musical: Named after Peter Hepple, former editor of The Stage and former Honorary General Secretary of the Critics’ Circle. The Empty Space... Peter Brook Award for Innovative Venue: Named after director Peter Brook and his book, The Empty Space, often dubbed "the seminal text of modern theatre".
Recipients
Best Actor 1980s YearRecipientWorkRef1982Bob HoskinsGuys and Dolls1983Derek JacobiCyrano de Bergerac and Much Ado About Nothing1984Brian CoxRat in the Skull and Strange Interlude Antony SherRichard III1985Anthony HopkinsPravdaGary OldmanThe Pope's Wedding1986Bill FraserWhen We Are MarriedHugh QuarshiThe Great White Hope1987Brian CoxFashion, Taming of the Shrew and Titus Andronicus1988Alex JenningsToo Clever by HalfTom WilkinsonAn Enemy of the People1989Ian McKellenOthello 1990s YearRecipientWorkRef1990Michael GambonMan of the Moment1991Nigel HawthorneThe Madness of George III1992Paul EddingtonNo Man's Land1993Ian HolmMoonlight1994Tom CourtenayMoscow Stations1995Daniel MasseyTaking Sides1996David SuchetWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?1997Ian HolmKing Lear1998Kevin SpaceyThe Iceman Cometh1999Henry GoodmanThe Merchant of Venice 2000s YearRecipientWork2000Michael GambonThe Caretaker2001Ian McDiarmidFaith Healer2002Simon Russell BealeUncle Vanya2003Michael SheenCaligula2004Richard GriffithsThe History Boys2005Simon Russell BealeThe Philanthropist2006Rufus SewellRock 'n' Roll2007Charles DanceShadowlands2008Kenneth BranaghIvanov2009Mark RylanceJerusalem 2010s YearRecipientWorkRef2010David SuchetAll My Sons2011Benedict CumberbatchFrankenstein2012Adrian LesterRed Velvet2013Lenny HenryFences2014Mark StrongA View from the Bridge2015Kenneth CranhamThe Father2016Stephen DillaneFaith Healer2017Bryan CranstonNetwork2018Kyle SollerThe Inheritance2019Andrew ScottPresent Laughter 2020s YearRecipientWorkRef2022Ben DanielsThe Normal Heart2023Giles TereraBlues for an Alabama Sky and Othello 2024Andrew ScottVanya2025Mark StrongOedipus2026Brendan GleesonThe Weir
Best Actress 1980s YearRecipientWorkRef1982Judi DenchThe Importance of Being Earnest and A Kind of Alaska1983Juliet StevensonMeasure for Measure1984Glenda JacksonStrange Interlude1985Vanessa RedgraveThe Seagull1986Joan PlowrightThe House of Bernarda Alba1987Judi DenchAntony and Cleopatra1988Pauline CollinsShirley Valentine1989Fiona ShawElectra and The Good Person of Sichuan 1990s YearRecipientWorkRef1990Josette SimonAfter the Fall1991Fiona ShawHedda Gabler1992Eileen AtkinsThe Night of the Iguana1993Penelope WiltonThe Deep Blue Sea1994Clare HigginsThe Children's Hour and Sweet Bird of Youth1995Claire SkinnerThe Glass Menagerie1996Janet McTeerA Doll's House1997Judi DenchAmy's View1998Sinéad CusackOur Lady of Sligo1999Janie DeeComic Potential 2000s YearRecipientWork2000Victoria HamiltonAs You Like It2001Lindsay DuncanMouth to Mouth and Private Lives2002Clare HigginsVincent in Brixton2003Eve BestMourning Becomes Electra2004Victoria HamiltonSuddenly Last Summer2005Eve BestHedda Gabler2006Kathleen TurnerWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?2007Anne-Marie DuffSaint Joan2008Margaret TyzackThe Chalk Garden2009Rachel WeiszA Streetcar Named Desire 2010s YearRecipientWorkRef2010Jenny JulesRuined2011Sheridan SmithFlare Path2012Hattie MorahanA Doll's House2013Lesley ManvilleGhosts2014Helen McCroryMedea2015Denise GoughPeople, Places and Things2016Billie PiperYerma2017Victoria HamiltonAlbion2018Patsy FerranSummer and Smoke2019Sharon D ClarkeDeath of a SalesmanJuliet StevensonThe Doctor 2020s YearRecipientWorkRef2022Jessie BuckleyCabaret2023Patsy FerranA Streetcar Named Desire2024Sophie OkonedoMedea2025Lesley ManvilleOedipus2026Rosamund PikeInter Alia
Best Designer 1980s YearRecipientWorkRef1982John GunterThe Beggar's Opera and Guys and DollsGrant HicksThe Double Man and True West1983VoytekGreat and Small1984Alison ChittyVenice Preserved 1985William DudleyThe Critic, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Mutiny, The Mysteries and The Real Inspector Hound1986Ezio FrigerioThe House of Bernarda AlbaMaria BjörnsonThe Phantom of the Opera1987FolliesMichael TaylorAttractions1988Richard HudsonThe Old Vic season1989John NapierMiss Saigon 1990s YearRecipientWorkRef1990Mark ThompsonThe Wind in the Willows1991Bob CrowleyMurmuring Judges1992Ian MacNeilAn Inspector Calls1993Machinal1994Mark ThompsonThe Kitchen1995Robin DonThe Winter Guest1996Robert Innes HopkinsThe Comedy of Errors and The Weavers1997John NapierPeter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up 1998Phelim McDermott, Julian Crouch and Graeme GilmourShockheaded PeterRichard HooverNot About Nightingales1999Julie Taymor and Richard HudsonThe Lion King 2000s YearRecipientWorkRef2000Paul BrownCoriolanus, Richard II and The Tempest2001Platonov2002William DudleyThe Coast of Utopia2003Bob CrowleyMourning Becomes Electra2004Christopher OramSuddenly Last Summer2005Timothy Bird and David FarleySunday in the Park with George2006Punchdrunk CompanyFaust2007Rae Smith and Handspring Puppet CompanyWar Horse2008Neil MurrayBrief Encounter2009Christopher OramRed 2010s YearRecipientWorkRef2010Bunny ChristieThe White Guard 2011Mark TildesleyFrankenstein2012Miriam BuetherWild Swans2013Es DevlinChimerica2014The Nether2015Anna FleischleHangmen2016Christine JonesHarry Potter and the Cursed Child2017Vicki MortimerFollies2018Bunny ChristieCompany2019Tom ScuttA Very Expensive Poison 2020s YearRecipientWorkRef2022Tom ScuttCabaret2023Tom PyeMy Neighbour Totoro2024Miriam Buether and 59 ProductionsStranger Things: The First Shadow2025Frankie BradshawBallet Shoes and Dear Octopus2026Tom ScuttInto the Woods
Best Director 1980s YearRecipientWorkRef1982James Roose-Evans84, Charing Cross Road1983Terry HandsCyrano de Bergerac (classical)Giles HavergalMen Should Weep (modern)1984Peter GillFool for Love and Venice Preserved 1985Bill BrydenThe Mysteries1986Mike AlfredsThe Cherry Orchard1987Declan DonnellanTwelfth Night1988Peter BrookThe Mahabharata1989Nicholas HytnerGhetto and Miss Saigon 1990s YearRecipientWorkRef1990Peter HallThe Wild DuckRobert LepageTectonic Plates1991Trevor NunnTimon of Athens1992Stephen DaldryAn Inspector Calls1993Terry HandsTamburlaine the Great1994Sean MathiasDesign for Living and Les Parents terribles1995Sam MendesThe Glass Menagerie1996Richard EyreGuys and Dolls and John Gabriel Borkman1997The Invention of Love and King Lear 1998Howard DaviesFlight and The Iceman Cometh1999Trevor NunnThe Merchant of Venice and Summerfolk 2000s YearRecipientWorkRef2000Michael GrandageAs You Like It, Merrily We Roll Along and Passion Play2001Robert LepageThe Far Side of the Moon2002Sam MendesTwelfth Night and Uncle Vanya2003Howard DaviesMourning Becomes Electra2004Rufus NorrisFesten2005Michael GrandageThe Wild Duck2006John TiffanyBlack Watch2007Rupert GooldMacbeth2008Michael GrandageThe Chalk Garden and Ivanov2009Rupert GooldEnron 2010s YearRecipientWorkRef2010Michael GrandageKing LearThea SharrockAfter the Dance2011Mike LeighGrief2012Benedict AndrewsThree Sisters2013Lyndsey TurnerChimerica2014Ivo van HoveA View from the Bridge2015Robert IckeOresteia2016John TiffanyHarry Potter and the Cursed Child2017Dominic CookeFollies2018Stephen DaldryThe Inheritance2019Jamie LloydBetrayal, Cyrano de Bergerac and Evita 2020s YearRecipientWorkRef2022Rebecca FrecknallCabaret2023Lynette LintonBlues for an Alabama Sky2024Rupert GooldDear England2025Robert IckeOedipus2026Ivo van HoveAll My Sons
Best Musical Known as the 'Peter Hepple Award' from 2016 onwards.
1980s YearWorkRef1982Guys and Dolls1983Blood Brothers1984On Your Toes 1985Me and My Girl1986Chess1987Follies1988South Pacific1989Miss Saigon
1990s YearWork1990Into the Woods1991Carmen Jones1992Assassins1993City of Angels1994She Loves Me1995Company1996Guys and Dolls1997Chicago1998Oklahoma!1999Spend Spend Spend
2000s YearWork2000The Beautiful Game2001Kiss Me, Kate2002Anything Goes2003Jerry Springer: The Opera2004The Producers2005Billy Elliot the Musical2006Caroline, or Change2007Hairspray2008La Cage Aux Folles2009Spring Awakening
2010s YearWorkRef2010Matilda the Musical2011London Road2012Merrily We Roll Along2013The Scottsboro Boys2014Gypsy2015Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical2016Groundhog Day2017Hamilton2018Company2019Come From Away
2020s YearWorkRef2022Spring Awakening2023Oklahoma!2024Guys and Dolls2025Fiddler on the Roof2026Paddington the Musical
Best New Play 1980s YearRecipientWriterRef1982A Kind of AlaskaHarold Pinter1983no awardno award1984One for the RoadHarold Pinter 1985A Chorus of DisapprovalAlan Ayckbourn1986RoadJim Cartwright1987CurtainsStephen BillFashionDoug Lucie1988The Secret RaptureDavid Hare1989GhettoJoshua Sobol 1990s YearRecipientWriter1990Racing DemonDavid Hare1991Three Birds Alighting on a FieldTimberlake Wertenbaker1992Angels in AmericaTony Kushner1993ArcadiaTom Stoppard1994Dead FunnyTerry Johnson1995The Steward of ChristendomSebastian Barry1996Blinded by the SunStephen Poliakoff1997CloserPatrick Marber1998CopenhagenMichael Frayn1999MnemonicSimon McBurney 2000s YearRecipientWriter2000Blue/OrangeJoe Penhall2001Humble BoyCharlotte Jones2002The York RealistPeter Gill2003DemocracyMichael Frayn2004The History BoysAlan Bennett2005HarvestRichard Bean2006Rock'n'RollTom Stoppard2007A Disappearing NumberSimon McBurney and Complicite2008August: Osage CountyTracy Letts2009JerusalemJez Butterworth 2010s YearRecipientWriterRef2010Clybourne ParkBruce Norris2011One Man, Two GuvnorsRichard Bean2012The EffectLucy Prebble2013ChimericaLucy Kirkwood2014King Charles IIIMike Bartlett2015HangmenMartin McDonagh2016The FlickAnnie Baker2017The FerrymanJez Butterworth2018The InheritanceMatthew Lopez2019A Very Expensive PoisonLucy Prebble 2020s YearRecipientWriterRef2022Best of EnemiesJames Graham2023PatriotsPeter Morgan2024The Motive and the CueJack Thorne2025GiantMark Rosenblatt2026PunchJames Graham
Best Shakespearean Performance Known as the 'John and Wendy Trewin Award' from 2000 until 2015, and 'The Trewin Award' from 2016 onwards.
2000s YearRecipientWorkRef2000Simon Russell BealeHamlet2001Samuel WestHamlet2002Mark RylanceTwelfth Night2003Greg HicksCoriolanus2004Paul RhysMeasure for Measure2005Kevin SpaceyRichard II2006Tamsin GreigMuch Ado About Nothing2007Chiwetel EjioforOthelloPatrick StewartMacbeth2008Derek JacobiTwelfth NightDavid TennantHamlet2009Jude LawHamlet 2010s