The 32nd Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards have announced their 2023 winners, including awards for Patsy Ferran, Giles Terera and shows Patriots and Oklahoma!
The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards judges performances and productions based on the previous 12 months, with voting conducted by members of the Critics’ Circle drama section.
Peter Morgan’s oligarch drama Patriots, which returns to the West End this month, secured the Best New Play title, while Daniel Fish’s reimagining of Oklahoma! which is currently playing the Wyndham’s Theatre won Best Musical.
Olivier Award winner Giles Terera was awarded Best Actor for his roles in Othello and Blues for an Alabama Sky, and Patsy Ferran won Best Actress for her portrayal of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire at the Almeida, defeating competition from Jodie Comer. A Streetcar Named Desire is currently playing at the Phoenix Theatre with original cast members, Paul Mescal, Patsy Ferran and Anjana Vasan.
The Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance went to Arthur Hughes, who played Richard III and was the first disabled actor to do so in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s history.
Lizzie Annis received the Most Promising Newcomer for her depiction of Laura in The Glass Menagerie, and Lynette Linton was named Best Director for Blues for an Alabama Sky at the National.
Tom Pye won Best Designer for My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican, which also returns later this year; Tyrell Williams won Most Promising Playwright for Red Pitch at the Bush, and the Empty Space Peter Brook Award was given to the New Diorama Theatre.
The ceremony took place at new West End theatre @sohoplace, with appearances from actors Paul Mescal, Gethin Anthony, Juliet Stevenson, Tracey-Ann Oberman, and Joanna Vanderham. A preview of the forthcoming musical adaptation of The Time Traveller’s Wife by singer-songwriter Joss Stone and Eurythmics star Dave Stewart was also featured.
The Critics’ Circle is the oldest organisation of its kind in the world, and to date, has over 500 members who work in the media through the UK. The Drama Section awards, known as the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards, were launched in 1989.
Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards 2023 – Full List of Winners
Best New Play (The Michael Billington Award) – Peter Morgan, Patriots
Best Musical (The Peter Hepple Award) – Oklahoma!, Young Vic, Bard SummerScape & associates
Best Actor – Giles Terera, Othello and Blues For An Alabama Sky
Best Actress – Patsy Ferran, A Streetcar Named Desire
Best Shakespearean Performance (The Trewin Award) – Arthur Hughes, Richard III
Best Director – Lynette Linton, Blues For An Alabama Sky
Best Designer – Tom Pye, My Neighbour Totoro
Most Promising Playwright – Tyrell Williams, Red Pitch
Most Promising Newcomer (The Jack Tinker Award) – Lizzie Annis, The Glass Menagerie
The Empty Space Peter Brook Award – New Diorama Theatre
Wyndham's Theatre, London
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