The Olivier Awards 2024 with Mastercard, theatre’s most prestigious honours, has announced its nominations. The annual awards will take place on Sunday 14 April at the iconic Royal Albert Hall with a highlights package broadcast on ITV that evening.
The competition for nominations has been fierce during an outstanding year for theatre with significantly more productions than last year. There has been a record-breaking number of new plays gracing the stage and a stunning array of on-screen stars treading the boards – including those in striking one-person performances. The nominees in the craft awards have stunned with their groundbreaking creativity.
The National Theatre has had an excellent year with a total of 15 nominations, with “Dear England” “The Motive And The Cue”, “Till The Stars Come Down” and “The Effect” all in the running for various accolades. The National Theatre’s footballing drama “Dear England” is the most nominated play with a total of nine nominations including Joseph Fiennes for Best Actor, Will Close for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Gina McKee for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Rupert Goold for Best Director and The Londoner Award for Best New Play. This is alongside nominations for the Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design (Es Devlin), White Light Award for Best Lighting Design (Jon Clark) and d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design (Dan Balfour & Tom Gibbons). “Dear England” is also the only play with a nomination for Best Theatre Choreographer (Ellen Kane & Hannes Langolf).
This year’s most nominated production is Jamie Lloyd’s musical “Sunset Boulevard”, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ballad to Hollywood starring Nicole Scherzinger (Best Actress in a Musical nominee) and Tom Francis (Best Actor in a Musical nominee). The production also received nominations for all acting categories in a musical including Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for David Thaxton and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Grace Hodgett Young, as well as recognition for Best Musical Revival, the Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director for Jamie Lloyd and an Outstanding Musical Contribution nomination for Alan Williams for Musical Supervision & Musical Direction. Further to these accolades are the production team nominations including Jack Knowles nominated for White Light Award for Best Lighting Design, Adam Fisher nominated for d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design, Soutra Gilmour nominated for Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design and Fabian Aloise nominated for Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer.
Hollywood has descended on this year’s nominations, with TV, film and music stars receiving recognition including , Sarah Jessica Parker’s first Olivier Award nomination for her razor sharp performance in “Plaza Suite”, James Norton for “A Little Life” and Nicole Scherzinger (previously nominated for Best Supporting Actress in 2015) for the beautiful “Sunset Boulevard”. Further acclaimed performers in the running for Best Actor and Actress follow their remarkable appearances in one-person plays including Sarah Snook’s first Olivier Award nomination for “The Picture Of Dorian Gray”, Andrew Scott for “Vanya” and Sheridan Smith for “Shirley Valentine”.
Haydn Gwynne has been posthumously nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in “When Winston Went To War With The Wireless” at Donmar Warehouse.
Lorraine Ashbourne (“Till The Stars Come Down”), Priyanga Burford (“An Enemy Of The People”), Gina McKee (“Dear England”) and Tanya Reynolds (“A Mirror”) have also been nominated in the category of Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
The Best Musical Revival category has also seen a swell of strong favourites including The Old Vic’s “Groundhog Day” which won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2017, alongside The Bridge Theatre’s spectacularly immersive “Guys & Dolls”, epic “Hadestown” at Lyric Theatre and the stunning “Sunset Boulevard” at the Savoy Theatre.
Eleanor Worthington-Cox has been nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her performance in “Next To Normal” at Donmar Warehouse. In 2012, at just 10 years old, Eleanor was the youngest ever Olivier Award winner when she won Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, alongside her co-starring Matildas.
The Olivier Awards nominations were announced from midday, Tuesday 12 March on Official London Theatre’s TikTok. The Olivier Awards on Sunday 14 April will be hosted by Hannah Waddingham and broadcast via ITV. Further details of the ceremony will be announced soon.
The Olivier Awards 2024 Nominations in Full:
Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play
Accidental Death Of An Anarchist by Dario Fo & Franca Rame, adapted by Tom Basden at the Lyric Hammersmith & Theatre Royal Haymarket
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim at the Gielgud Theatre
Stranger Things: The First Shadow by Kate Trefry at the Phoenix Theatre
Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial, adapted by Liv Hennessy at the Ambassadors Theatre
Best Family Show
Bluey’s Big Play by Joe Brumm at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall
Dinosaur World Live by Derek Bond at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
The House With Chicken Legs, book by Sophie Anderson, adapted by Oliver Lansley at
Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Smeds And The Smoos, book by Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler, adapted by Tall
Stories at the Lyric Theatre
Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer
Fabian Aloise for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Ellen Kane & Hannes Langolf for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Arlene Phillips with James Cousins for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Mark Smith for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace
Susan Stroman for Crazy For You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre
Mithridate Award for Best Costume Design
Bunny Christie & Deborah Andrews for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Ryan Dawson Laight for La Cage Aux Folles at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Hugh Durrant for Peter Pan at The London Palladium
Marg Horwell for The Picture Of Dorian Gray at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Cunard Best Revival
The Effect by Lucy Prebble at the National Theatre – Lyttelton
Macbeth by William Shakespeare at the Donmar Warehouse
Shirley Valentine by Willy Russell at the Duke Of York’s Theatre
Vanya by Anton Chekhov, adapted by Simon Stephens at the Duke Of York’s Theatre
Best Musical Revival
Groundhog Day, music & lyrics by Tim Minchin, book by Danny Rubin at The Old Vic
Guys & Dolls, music & lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Jo Swerling & Abe Burrows at the Bridge Theatre
Hadestown, music, lyrics & book by Anaïs Mitchell at the Lyric Theatre
Sunset Boulevard, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics & book by Don Black & Christopher Hampton at the Savoy Theatre
d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design
Paul Arditti for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Dan Balfour & Tom Gibbons for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Adam Fisher for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Gareth Fry for Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse
Outstanding Musical Contribution
Tom Brady for Musical Supervision & Arrangements and Charlie Rosen for Orchestrations for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Matt Brind for Musical Supervision, Arrangements & Orchestrations for Just For One Day at The Old Vic
Steve Sidwell for Orchestrations & Joe Bunker for Musical Direction for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Alan Williams for Musical Supervision & Musical Direction for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Will Close for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Paul Hilton for An Enemy Of The People at the Duke Of York’s Theatre
Giles Terera for Clyde’s at the Donmar Warehouse
Luke Thompson for A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre & Savoy Theatre
Zubin Varla for A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre & Savoy Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Lorraine Ashbourne for Till The Stars Come Down at the National Theatre – Dorfman
Priyanga Burford for An Enemy Of The People at the Duke Of York’s Theatre
Haydn Gwynne for When Winston Went To War With The Wireless at the Donmar Warehouse
Gina McKee for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier
Tanya Reynolds for A Mirror at the Almeida Theatre & Trafalgar Theatre
Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Miriam Buether for Set Design & 59 Productions for Video Design for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Bunny Christie for Set Design for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Es Devlin for Set Design & Ash J Woodward for Video Design for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Soutra Gilmour for Set Design and Nathan Amzi & Joe Ransom for Video Design for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Jon Clark for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Jon Clark for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Paule Constable for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Jack Knowles for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role In a Musical
Grace Hodgett Young for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Zoë Roberts for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Amy Trigg for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace
Eleanor Worthington-Cox for Next To Normal at the Donmar Warehouse
Best Actor in a Supporting Role In a Musical
Jak Malone for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Cedric Neal for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
David Thaxton for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Jack Wolfe for Next To Normal at the Donmar Warehouse
TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production
Blue by the English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Innocence by the Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House
Picture A Day Like This by the Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
The Rhinegold by the English National Opera at the London Coliseum
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Antonio Pappano for his role as Musical Director of the Royal Opera House
Belarus Free Theatre Company for King Stakh’s Wild Hunt at the Barbican Theatre
Marina Abramović for her concept and design of 7 Deaths Of Maria Callas at the London Coliseum
Best Actor in a Musical
David Cumming for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Tom Francis for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Daniel Mays for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Charlie Stemp for Crazy For You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre
Best Actress in a Musical
Natasha Hodgson for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Caissie Levy for Next To Normal at the Donmar Warehouse
Nicole Scherzinger for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Marisha Wallace for Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Best New Dance Production
Broken Chord by Gregory Maqoma & Thuthuka Sibisi at Sadler’s Wells
The Rite Of Spring by Seeta Patel at Sadler’s Wells
La Ruta by Gabriela Carrizo, part of Nederlands Dans Theater – NDT 1 at Sadler’s Wells
Time Spell by Michelle Dorrance, Jillian Meyers & Tiler Peck, part of Turn It Out With Tiler Peck & Friends at Sadler’s Wells
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Isabela Coracy for her performance in NINA: By Whatever Means, part of Ballet Black: Pioneers at the Barbican Theatre
Jonzi D for his artistic direction of Breakin’ Convention 2023 International Festival Of Hip Hop Dance Theatre at Sadler’s Wells
Rhiannon Faith for her community focussed conception of Lay Down Your Burdens at The Pit at Barbican
Unusual Rigging Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
Blue Mist by Mohamed-Zain Dada at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
A Playlist For The Revolution by AJ Yi at the Bush Theatre
Sleepova by Matilda Feyişayo at the Bush Theatre
The Swell by Isley Lynn at the Orange Tree Theatre
The Time Machine: A Comedy by Steven Canny and John Nicholson at the Park Theatre
Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director
Stephen Daldry & Justin Martin for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Rupert Goold for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Jamie Lloyd for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Sam Mendes for The Motive And The Cue at the National Theatre – Lyttelton & Noël Coward Theatre
Best Actress
Laura Donnelly for The Hills Of California at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Sophie Okonedo for Medea at @sohoplace
Sarah Jessica Parker for Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre
Sheridan Smith for Shirley Valentine at the Duke Of York’s Theatre
Sarah Snook for The Picture Of Dorian Gray at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Best Actor
Joseph Fiennes for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
Mark Gatiss for The Motive And The Cue at the National Theatre – Lyttelton & Noël Coward Theatre
James Norton for A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre & Savoy Theatre
Andrew Scott for Vanya at the Duke Of York’s Theatre
David Tennant for Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse
The Londoner Award for Best New Play
Dear England by James Graham at the National Theatre – Olivier & Prince Edward Theatre
The Hills Of California by Jez Butterworth at the Harold Pinter Theatre
The Motive And The Cue by Jack Thorne at the National Theatre – Lyttelton & Noël Coward Theatre
Till The Stars Come Down by Beth Steel at the National Theatre – Dorfman
Mastercard Best New Musical
The Little Big Things, music by Nick Butcher, lyrics by Nick Butcher & Tom Ling, book by Joe White at @sohoplace
Next To Normal, music by Tom Kitt, book & lyrics by Brian Yorkey at the Donmar Warehouse
Operation Mincemeat, music, lyrics & book by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson & Zoë Roberts at the Fortune Theatre
A Strange Loop, music, lyrics & book by Michael R. Jackson at the Barbican Theatre
