Industry trade association UK Theatre has announced the winners of the 2022 UK Theatre Awards.
The winners were announced at a ceremony today, Sunday 23 October 2022, at London’s Guildhall, hosted by Courtney Bowman, star of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Six, Legally Blonde and, as revealed on Friday, Pretty Woman The Musical from 15 November.
Presenters at this year’s awards included Dame Arlene Phillips, Isabella Pappas, Joel Harper-Jackson and Rakie Ayola.
The Awards, which are the only UK-wide awards to honour and celebrate outstanding achievements in theatre throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, returned after a two-year Covid break.
Leeds Playhouse scooped the most awards, winning three for the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre, Best Design for Laura Hopkins and Simon Wainwright for Dracula: The Untold Story, and Best Performance in a Musical for Divina de Campo for Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
The Best Director gong was won by Elin Schofield, Robert Hastie and Anthony Lau for Rock/Paper/Scissors at Sheffield Theatres, with the cast performing in all three of Sheffield’s theatres – the Crucible, Lyceum and Studio – at the same time.
Best Musical Production winner was a popular choice, going to the Curve Leicester’s recent production of Billy Elliot the Musical directed by Nikolai Foster; Best New Play went to Mugabe, My Dad & Me by Tonderai Munyevu, which was an English Touring Theatre, Brixton House and York Theatre Royal co-production in association with Alison Holder; and Best Play Revival was awarded to Abbey Theatre and Lyric Theatre Belfast’s production of Brian Friel’s Translations.
In terms of performances, Giles Terera won Best Performance in a Play for the Bristol Old Vic’s The Meaning of Zong. Terera is currently starring in Blues for an Alabama Sky at the National Theatre. Best Supporting Performance was won by Nishla Smith for Kes, an Octagon Theatre and Theatre By The Lake co-production.
In terms of special awards, Sarah Holmes was honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre award. Accepting the award Holmes said: “I accept this award as recognition for the quality, innovation and creative spirit which is to be found in our pioneering regional theatres”.
UK Theatre Awards 2022 – Winners
See Nominations for the 2022 UK Theatre Awards here.
On Stage
Best Design
- Dracula: The Untold Story – Leeds Playhouse – Design by Laura Hopkins, Projection and Video Design by Simon Wainwright
Best Director
- Robert Hastie, Anthony Lau, Elin Schofield – Rock/Paper/Scissors – The Crucible, Studio and Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield
Best Musical Production
- Billy Elliot the Musical – Leicester Curve, A Made at Curve Production
Best New Play
- Mugabe, My Dad & Me – A co-production by ETT, Brixton House & York Theatre Royal in association with Alison Holder
Best Performance in a Musical
- Divina de Campo – Hedwig and the Angry Inch – A Leeds Playhouse and HOME co-production
Best Performance in a Play
- Giles Terera – The Meaning of Zong – A Bristol Old Vic Production
Best Play Revival
- Translations – An Abbey Theatre and Lyric Theatre Belfast Co-Production
Best Show for Children and Young People
- Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World – Kenny Wax Family Entertainment in association with MAST Mayflower Studios
Best Supporting Performance (in a musical or play)
- Nishla Smith – Kes – An Octagon Theatre and Theatre By The Lake co-production
Achievement in Opera
- Richard Mantle for the last year at Opera North, which epitomizes the work Richard has achieved over his tenure
Achievement in Dance
- The dancers of Rambert for their ability to inhabit any choreographer’s vision, as a company of unique, versatile, incredibly skilled performers
Off Stage
Digital Innovation
Chichester Festival Theatre
Excellence in Arts Education
Lyric Theatre Belfast
Excellence in Inclusivity
English Touring Theatre
Excellence in Touring
Graeae Theatre Company, London
Workforce Award
The Marlowe, Canterbury
UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre
Leeds Playhouse
Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre
Sarah Holmes – Former CEO, New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
