The winners have been announced for the 25th annual Whatsonstage Awards 2025.

The awards were revealed at a ceremony tonight, 9 February 2025, at the London Palladium, hosted by Mazz Murray (Mamma Mia!) and her sister Gina Murray.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express took home seven awards, the most of the night, including Best Musical Revival, and Best Professional Debut for Jeevan Braich.

In terms of plays, the Donmar Warehouse’s production of Macbeth directed by Max Webster took home three awards including David Tennant for Best Performer in a Play, Tennant’s fifth Whatsonstage Award. This production of Macbeth is currently screening in cinemas.

Other popular choices included Imelda Staunton (Mrs Warren’s Profession) winning Best Performer in a Musical for Hello, Dolly!, Staunton’s third Whatsonstage Award; Melanie La Barrie scoring Best Supporting Performer in a Musical category for Hadestown; and Freema Agyeman winning Best Supporting Performer in a Play for Jamie Lloyd’s Romeo & Juliet; and Layton Williams (Titaníque) winning Best Takeover for Cabaret.

Photos: Red carpet arrivals and award-winners

The Best New Musical Award went to Tina Fey’s musical Mean Girls at the Savoy Theatre; Spirited Away won Best New Play; SIX The Musical won Best West End Show; and Oliver!, which is now playing at the West End’s Gielgud Theatre, won Best Regional Production.

Live performances during the night included 42 Balloons, Becoming Nancy, Mean Girls, MJ The Musical and The Artist.

Other performances included musical theatre graduate Gilli Jones, who will star as Charlie Dalrymple this summer in Brigadoon at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

The awards are voted for by theatregoers, and eligible shows had to be running from 23 November 2023 to 7 November 2024.

WhatsOnStage’s Darius Thompson and Alex Wood said in a statement: “This list of winners, coming after a quarter of a century of public nominating, voting and prize-giving, once more celebrates the sheer diversity and variety of theatre productions on our stages. With lightning-fast performers on rollerblades, cutting-edge new stagings of Shakespearean classics, or fresh, musical takes on Greek myths all triumphing, it proves that UK theatre really can do it all. A huge thank you to everyone who selected and championed their favourite shows and creatives, and to the team at The London Palladium for once more hosting this enormous spectacle – it’s been a pleasure. Here’s to the next 25 years of live theatre!”

Also see: 2025 Whatsonstage Awards winners to book right now

Whatsonstage Awards 2025 – Full list of winners

BEST PERFORMER IN A PLAY

Emma D’Arcy, The Other Place, National Theatre
Tom Holland, Romeo & Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre
Cush Jumbo, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
Anne Odeke, Princess Essex, Shakespeare’s Globe
Michael Sheen, Nye, National Theatre and Wales Millennium Centre
David Tennant, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre – WINNER

BEST PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL

Georgina Castle, Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre
Jo Foster, Why Am I So Single?, Garrick Theatre
Myles Frost, MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre
Imelda Staunton, Hello, Dolly!, The London Palladium – WINNER
Leesa Tulley, Why Am I So Single?, Garrick Theatre
Vanessa Williams, The Devil Wears Prada, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Dominion Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A PLAY

Freema Agyeman, Romeo & Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre – WINNER
Romola Garai, Giant, Royal Court Theatre
Julie Hesmondhalgh, Punch, Nottingham Playhouse
Teddy Hinde, The History Boys, UK tour
Atsuki Mashiko, Spirited Away, The London Coliseum
Sharon Small, Nye, National Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN A MUSICAL

Siobhan Athwal, Bhangra Nation, Birmingham Rep
Amy Di Bartolomeo, The Devil Wears Prada, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Dominion Theatre
Melanie La Barrie, Hadestown, Lyric Theatre – WINNER
Grace Mouat, Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre
Jaydon Vijn, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Tom Xander, Mean Girls, Savoy Theatre

BEST TAKEOVER PERFORMANCE

Zoe Birkett, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre
Cara Delevingne, Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Craig Ryder, Moulin Rouge! the Musical, Piccadilly Theatre
Alex Sawyer, Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre
Tobias Turley, Mamma Mia!, Novello Theatre
Layton Williams, Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre – WINNER

BEST PROFESSIONAL DEBUT PERFORMANCE

Esme Bowdler, Heathers the Musical, @sohoplace and UK tour
Jeevan Braich, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre – WINNER
Stevie Doc, Mamma Mia!, Novello Theatre
Vasco Emauz, Back to the Future the Musical, Adelphi Theatre
Mia Kobayashi, Your Lie in April, Harold Pinter Theatre
Gerardine Sacdalan, & Juliet, UK tour

BEST NEW MUSICAL

Babies, Music and lyrics by Jack Godfrey and book by Martha Geelan, The Other Palace
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Music and lyrics by Darren Clark and book and lyrics by Jethro Compton, Ambassadors Theatre
The Devil Wears Prada, Music by Elton John, lyrics by Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick and book by Kate Wetherhead, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Dominion Theatre
MJ the Musical, Music and lyrics by Michael Jackson and book by Lynn Nottage, Prince Edward Theatre
Mean Girls, Music by Jeff Richmond, lyrics by Nell Benjamin and book by Tina Fey, Savoy Theatre – WINNER
Why Am I So Single?, Music, lyrics and book by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, Garrick Theatre

BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL

Dear Evan Hansen, Nottingham Playhouse and UK tour
Hadestown, Lyric Theatre
Hello, Dolly!, The London Palladium
Kiss Me, Kate, Barbican Theatre
Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre – WINNER

BEST NEW PLAY

Giant, Mark Rosenblatt, Royal Court Theatre
Kyoto, Joe Murphy and Joe Robertson, RSC’s Swan Theatre
Princess Essex, Anne Odeke, Shakespeare’s Globe
Punch, James Graham, Nottingham Playhouse
Slave Play, Jeremy O’Harris, Noël Coward Theatre
Spirited Away, Adapted by John Caird and co-adapted by Maoko Imai, The London Coliseum – WINNER

BEST PLAY REVIVAL

A Raisin in the Sun, Leeds Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse
The Crucible, Sheffield Crucible
Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre – WINNER
Oedipus, Wyndham’s Theatre
Romeo & Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre
Waiting for Godot, Theatre Royal Haymarket

BEST WEST END SHOW

Cabaret, Kit Kat Club at the Playhouse Theatre
Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre
Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre
Mamma Mia!, Novello Theatre
Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre
SIX, Vaudeville Theatre – WINNER

BEST REGIONAL PRODUCTION
42 Balloons, The Lowry, Salford
The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Becoming Nancy, Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Brassed Off, Theatre by the Lake, Stephen Joseph Theatre and Octagon Theatre Bolton
Dear Evan Hansen, Nottingham Playhouse and UK tour
Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre – WINNER

BEST STUDIO PRODUCTION

BRACE BRACE, Royal Court Theatre
Dear Young Monster, Bristol Old Vic Weston Studio
Diary of a Gay Disaster, Underbelly Cowgate and Arcola Theatre – WINNER
KENREX, Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, Sheffield
Mulatto Boy, Omnibus Theatre
Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em, Barn Theatre

BEST CONCERT EVENT

Gypsy the Musical in Concert, Hope Mill Theatre at Opera House, Manchester
I Am Harvey Milk, Cadogan Hall
Pippin – 50th Anniversary Concert, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Something Rotten! – In Concert, Theatre Royal Drury Lane – WINNER
Sondheim on Sondheim, Alexandra Palace Theatre
Spring Awakening: 15th Anniversary Concert, Victoria Palace Theatre

BEST DIRECTION

Eline Arbo, The Years, Almeida Theatre
Robert Icke, Oedipus, Wyndham’s Theatre
Anthony Lau, The Crucible, Sheffield Crucible
James Macdonald, Waiting for Godot, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Drew McOnie, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Emma Rice, The Buddha of Suburbia, RSC’s Swan Theatre and Barbican Theatre – WINNER

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

Matthew Bourne, Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
Julia Cheng, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Drew McOnie, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Rujuta Vaidya, Bhangra Nation, Birmingham Rep
Anthony Van Laast, Kiss Me, Kate, Barbican Theatre
Christopher Wheeldon, MJ the Musical, Prince Edward Theatre – WINNER

BEST SET DESIGN

Jon Bausor and Toby Olié, Spirited Away, The London Coliseum
Miriam Buether, Kyoto, RSC’s Swan Theatre
Es Devlin, Coriolanus, National Theatre
Tim Hatley, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre – WINNER
Kenneth MacLeod, Maggie and Me, UK tour
Tom Scutt, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Sachiko Nakahara, Spirited Away, The London Coliseum
Lez Brotherston, Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Tom Scutt, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Gabriella Slade, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre – WINNER
Rae Smith, Hello, Dolly!, The London Palladium

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Paule Constable, Oliver!, Chichester Festival Theatre
Howard Hudson, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre – WINNER
Jessica Hung Han Yun, Minority Report, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Tim Lutkin, Coriolanus, National Theatre
Bruno Poet, Waiting for Godot, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Zoe Spurr, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth

BEST SOUND DESIGN

Paul Arditti, BRACE BRACE, Royal Court Theatre
Susan Bear, Maggie and Me, UK tour
Nicola T Chang, Minority Report, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Gareth Fry, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre – WINNER
Gareth Fry, Viola’s Room, Woolwich Works
Gareth Owen, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre

BEST VIDEO DESIGN

David Bergman, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Grant Gee and Ellie Thompson, Bluets, Royal Court Theatre
Andrzej Goulding, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre – WINNER
Tal Rosner, Minority Report, Nottingham Playhouse, Birmingham Rep and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre
Ash J Woodward, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth
Ash J Woodward, FANGIRLS, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION/SUPERVISION

Mark Aspinall and Dan Turek, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Niraj Chag and Simon Baker, The Buddha of Suburbia, RSC’s Swan Theatre and Barbican Theatre
Darren Clark and Mark Aspinall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Ambassadors Theatre
Alasdair Macrae, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
Matthew Malone, Brassed Off, Theatre by the Lake, Stephen Joseph Theatre and Octagon Theatre Bolton
Liam Robinson and Tarek Merchant, Hadestown, Lyric Theatre – WINNER

BEST CASTING DIRECTION

Amy Ball, The Years, Almeida Theatre
Harry Blumenau and Sarah-Jane Price, Why Am I So Single?, Garrick Theatre – WINNER
Stuart Burt, Fiddler on the Roof, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Alastair Coomer and Chloe Blake, Till the Stars Come Down, National Theatre
Anna Cooper, Macbeth, Donmar Warehouse and Harold Pinter Theatre
Lotte Hines, A Raisin in the Sun, Leeds Playhouse, Oxford Playhouse, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse

BEST WIGS, HAIR AND MAKE-UP DESIGN

Campbell Young Associates, The Devil Wears Prada, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Dominion Theatre
Jackie Saundercock and Campbell Young Associates, Starlight Express, Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre – WINNER
Marg Horwell, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Theatre Royal Haymarket
Betty Marini, The Cabinet Minister, Menier Chocolate Factory
Hiroaki Miyauchi, Spirited Away, The London Coliseum
Georgia Nosal, The Artist, Theatre Royal Plymouth

SERVICES TO THEATRE

Paule Constable (Lighting Designer)

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Main photo: Whatsonstage Awards 2025 - Winners. Photos by Whatsonstage & Roy J Baron

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