Everything you need to know about the Olivier Awards 2023

After the pandemic, the West End began a new era. With daring productions, new audiences and actors itching to get back on the stage, it was a rich year for theatre. And that was reflected in the Olivier Awards 2023.

From incredible revivals to gripping new shows, find out more about the most talked about and celebrated productions and people below.

Everything you need to know about the Olivier Awards 2023

Who hosted the Olivier Awards 2023?

The 2023 Olivier Awards ceremony ushered in a new era as Hannah Waddingham landed the coveted hosting role. The seasoned musical performer - who has an Olivier Award nomination to her name - brought a new joy, wit and glamour to the production. She continued to host the Olivier Awards the following year.

Which show received the most Olivier Awards 2023 nominations?

The Olivier Awards 2023 nominations saw Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro receive nine nominations.

Standing at the Sky’s Edge came a close second with eight nominations for the 2023 Olivier Awards, followed by Oklahoma (seven), A Streetcar Named Desire, The Band’s Visit, To Kill a Mockingbird (all received six nominations), and Prima Facie (five).

Other shows nominated for the Olivier Awards 2023 included: Good, Tammy Faye*, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Jack and the Beanstalk, Patriots, Sylvia, Alcina, The Crucible, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavey, Sibyl, Sister Act, and South Pacific.

Which show had the most Olivier Awards 2023 wins?

The show that stole the show was My Neighbour Totoro which won six of the 2023 Olivier Awards. Among the wins were Best Entertainment or Comedy Play, Best Director (for Phelim McDermott), and Best Set Design.

Other productions that won multiple awards at the 2023 Oliviers are A Streetcar Named Desire (three), Prima Facie, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Oklahoma, and Tammy Faye.

Who won the Best Actress in a Play Award at the Olivier Awards 2023?

Actress of the moment Jodie Comer took home the 2023 Olivier Award for Best Actress for the role of Tessa in Prima Facie.

Who won the Best Actor in a Play Award at the Olivier Awards 2023?

TV and film star Paul Mescal won the award for Best Actor for his turn as Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Who won the Best Actress in a Musical Award at the Olivier Awards 2023?

Katie Brayben won her second Olivier Award for her performance as the eponymous Tammy Faye.

Who won the Best Actor in a Musical Award at the Olivier Awards 2023?

Doctor Who’s Arthur Darvill took home the prized statue for his role in Oklahoma.

Which show won Best New Play at the Olivier Awards 2023?

Suzie Miller won Best New Play with Prima Facie. The one-woman play follows Tessa, a barrister whose views on the legal system are fundamentally changed after she is the victim of sexual assault.

Which show won Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards 2023?

Rock musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge won Best New Musical. The award-winning run transferred from the National Theatre to the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

All the nominees and winners of the Olivier Awards 2023

Best Revival

Nominees: The Crucible, Good, Jerusalem, A Streetcar Named Desire.

Winner: A Streetcar Named Desire*.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Nominees: Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh & Kaine Lawrence (For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy), Will Keen (Patriots), Elliot Levey (Good), David Moorst (To Kill A Mockingbird), and Sule Rimi (BluesFor An Alabama Sky)

Winner: Will Keen (Patriots).

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Nominees: Rose Ayling-Ellis (As You Like It), Pamela Nomvete (To Kill A Mockingbird), Caroline Quentin (Jack Absolute Flies Again), Sharon Small (Good), and Anjana Vasan (A Streetcar Named Desire).

Winner: Anjana Vasan (A Streetcar Named Desire)

Best Set Design

Nominees: Miriam Buether (To Kill A Mockingbird), Tom Pye My Neighbour Totoro, Ben Stones (Standing At The Sky’s Edge), and Mark Walters (Jack And The Beanstalk).

Winner: Tom Pye (RSC’s My Neighbour Totoro).

Best Costume Design

Nominees: Frankie Bradshaw (Blues For An Alabama Sky), Hugh Durrant (Jack And The Beanstalk), Jean Paul Gaultier (Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show), and Kimie Nakano My Neighbour Totoro.

Winner: Kimie Nakano (My Neighbour Totoro).

Best Actress

Nominees: Jodie Comer (Prima Facie), Patsy Ferran (A Streetcar Named Desire), Mei Mac (My Neighbour Totoro), Janet McTeer (Phaedra), and Nicola Walker (The Corn Is Green).

Winner: Jodie Comer (Prima Facie).

Best Actor

Nominees: Tom Hollander (Patriots), Paul Mescal (A Streetcar Named Desire), Rate Spall (To Kill A Mockingbird), David Tennant (Good), and Giles Terera (Blues For An Alabama Sky).

Winner: Paul Mescal (A Streetcar Named Desire).

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

Nominees: Sinead Campbell-Wallace (Tosca), William Kentridge (Sibyl), and Antony McDonald (Alcina).

Winner: William Kentridge (Sibyl).

Best New Opera

Nominees: Alcina, Least Like The Other, Peter Grimes, and Sibyl.

Winner: Alcina.

Best New Play

Nominees: For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, Patriots, Prima Facie, and To Kill A Mockingbird.

Winner: Prima Facie.

Best Director

Nominees: Rebecca Frecknell (A Streetcar Named Desire), Robert Hastier (Standing At The Sky’s Edge), Justin Martin (Prima Facie), Phelim McDermott (My Neighbour Totoro), and Bartlett Sher (To Kill A Mockingbird).

Winner: Phelim McDermott (My Neighbour Totoro).

Affiliate Theatre

Nominees: Age Is A Feeling, Blackout Songs, The P Word, Paradise Now!, and Two Palestinians Go Dogging.

Winner: The P Word.

Best Entertainment or Comedy Play

Nominees: Jack And The Beanstalk, (My Neighbour Totoro), My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?), and One Woman Show.

Winner: My Neighbour Totoro.

Best Family Show

Nominees: Blippi The Musical, Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show, Midsummer Mechanicals, and The Smartest Giant In Town.

Winner: Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show.

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

Nominees: Manuel Liñán (VIVA!), Dickson Mbi (Enowate), Raquel Meseguer Zafe (Lost Dog), and Catrina Nisbett (Spoken Movement).

Winner: Dickson Mbi (Enowate).

Best New Dance production

Nominees: Light Of Passage, Pasionaria, Traplord, and  Triptych (The Missing Door, The Lost Room and The Hidden Floor).

Winner: Traplord.

Best Musical Revival

Nominees: My Fair Lady, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Sister Act, and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific.

Winner: Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!.

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations

Nominees: David Yazbek, Jamshied Sharifi and Andrea Grody (The Band’s Visit), Joe Hisaishi and Will Stuart (My Neighbour Totoro), Daniel Kluger and Nathan Koci (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!), and Richard Hawley and Tom Deering (Standing at the Sky’s Edge).

Winner: Richard Hawley and Tom Deering (Standing at the Sky’s Edge).

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

Nominees: Matt Cole (Disney’s Newies), Lynne Page (*Standing At The Sky’s Edge), Kate Prince (Sylvia), and Basil Twist for Puppetry Direction (My Neighbour Totoro).

Winner: Matt Cole (Disney’s Newies).

Best Lighting Design

Nominees: Natasha Chivers (Prima Facie), Lee Curran (A Streetcar Named Desire), Jessica Hung Han Yun (My Neighbour Totoro), and Tim Lutkin (The Crucible).

Winner: Jessica Hung Han Yun (My Neighbour Totoro).

Best Sound Design

Nominees: Bobby Aitken (Standing At The Sky’s Edge), Tony Gayle (My Neighbour Totoro), Drew Levy (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!), and Ben & Max Ringham (Prima Facie).

Winner: Tony Gayle (My Neighbour Totoro).

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Nominees: Beverley Knight (Sylvia), Maimuna Memon (Standing At The Sky’s Edge), Liza Sadovy (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!), and Marisha Wallace (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!).

Winner: Beverley Knight (Sylvia).

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Nominees: Sharif Afifi (The Band’s Visit), Peter Polycarpour (The Band’s Visit), Clive Rowe (Sister Act), and Zubin Varla (Tammy Faye).

Winner: Zubin Varla (Tammy Faye).

Best Actor in a Musical

Nominees: Alon Moni Aboutboul (The Band’s Visit), Arthur Darvill (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!), Julian Ovenden (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific), and Andrew Rannells (Tammy Faye).

Winner: Arthur Darvill (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!).

Best Actress in a Musical

Nominees: Katie Brayben (Tammy Faye), Anoushka Lucas (Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!), Miri Mesika (The Band’s Visit), and Faith Omole (Standing At The Sky’s Edge).

Winner: Katie Brayben (Tammy Faye).

Best New Musical

Nominees: The Band’s Visit, Standing At The Sky’s Edge, Sylvia, and Tammy Faye.

Winner: Standing At The Sky’s Edge.

See the future Olivier Award winners

Has this look back at the Olivier Awards 2023 got you yearning to see a show? See What’s On and maybe you’ll catch a future winner.