Royal Court and Watermill Named Theatres of the Year at The Stage Awards 2026

This year’s ceremony took place on 12 January at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre in London, marking the 16th year of the prestigious awards.

Joint winners of Theatre of the Year were London’s Royal Court Theatre and Newbury’s Watermill Theatre. The Royal Court claimed its first win in 15 years, recognised for a series of critically acclaimed productions under new artistic leadership. The Watermill impressed judges with record-breaking shows, including its revival of Jesus Christ Superstar and international transfers of Calamity Jane, Fanny, Barnum and The Lord of the Rings.

Other major winners included Soho Theatre Walthamstow, which took Theatre Building of the Year for its transformation of a 1930s Granada cinema into a 960-seat venue, and Wessex Grove, named Producer of the Year for productions such as The Seagull at the Barbican and the New York transfer of Vanya.

Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre won Fringe Theatre of the Year, celebrating its 10th anniversary and bold new producing model, while Common/Wealth received the Community Award for its site-specific work in Bradford and Cardiff.

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Hull Truck Theatre was recognised with the Innovation Award for its pioneering GP training scheme using drama techniques, and Foreign Affairs claimed the International Award for championing plays in translation and cross-cultural storytelling.

Campaign of the Year went to Brixton House and PlayWell Productions for Black Power Desk, praised for its creative marketing and audience engagement. Lyric Theatre Belfast’s Scene Shop team won Team of the Year for its sustainable scenic production, while Eugene Ju-Pierre, stage door manager at the Royal Ballet and Opera, received the Unsung Hero award for more than 25 years of service.

The Judges’ Award honoured publisher Nick Hern for over five decades of contribution to British theatre, including championing new writing and transforming theatre publishing.

Summing up the winners, The Stage editor Alistair Smith said:
“This year’s winners show theatre at its most confident and outward-looking, combining artistic ambition with a clear sense of purpose. From major institutions to independent innovators, they demonstrate how strong leadership, deep community roots and creative risk-taking can deliver real impact on stage and beyond it.”

The Stage Awards 2026 Winners in Full

Theatre of the Year

More information can be found here.