Paddington Musical Dominates Olivier Awards Ceremony

The Olivier Awards returned to London with strong attention on Paddington Musical, which led the night with seven major wins.

The production stood out at the Royal Albert Hall as the ceremony marked its 50th anniversary. It brought together leading figures from British theatre and international stage performers for a night that celebrated live performance.

Paddington Musical, written by Tom Fletcher and Jessica Swale, impressed both audiences and critics since its debut in 2025. At this year’s event, it secured top honours and confirmed its strong place in London theatre.

The show collected awards across key creative and performance categories, showing wide recognition for its stage design, direction, and cast work.

The ceremony maintained a lively tone as winners moved on stage to collect their awards. Nick Mohammed hosted the event and guided the evening with humour and pace. Meanwhile, presenters highlighted the strength of theatre in London and the steady return of large audiences across major productions.

Major Winners and Highlights

Paddington The Musical led the awards with best new musical. It also won best director, showing strong support for its creative leadership. In addition, the production earned recognition in design and performance categories, which added to its total of seven awards.

James Hameed and Arti Shah shared the award for best actor in a musical for their combined portrayal of Paddington. Their joint win reflected the shared performance approach behind the character on stage. The production also received awards for costume design and set design, which highlighted its detailed visual style.

Rachel Zegler won best actress in a musical for her performance in Evita. Her role received strong praise throughout the theatre season. Rosamund Pike also won best actress for Inter Alia, marking her return to theatre after more than ten years away from the stage.

Paapa Essiedu won best supporting actor for All My Sons. Julie Hesmondhalgh earned best supporting actress for Punch. Both performances stood out in categories that featured strong competition across several major productions.

James Graham’s Punch won best new play. The production showed strong writing and direction throughout its run. Meanwhile, All My Sons, which featured Bryan Cranston, won best revival. The production brought fresh attention to Arthur Miller’s work and attracted a strong audience response.

Full list of winners and categories

Best actor – Jack Holden for Kenrex
Best actress – Rosamund Pike for Inter Alia
Best actor in a musical – James Hameed and Arti Shah for Paddington The Musical
Best actress in a musical – Rachel Zegler for Evita
Best supporting actor – Paapa Essiedu for All My Sons
Best supporting actress – Julie Hesmondhalgh for Punch
Best new play – Punch by James Graham
Best new musical – Paddington Musical
Best revival – All My Sons by Arthur Miller
Best musical revival – Into The Woods

The ceremony also drew attention to wider industry concerns. Theatre leaders noted that although West End attendance reached record levels last year, many companies still face financial challenges in maintaining long-running productions.

Several speakers pointed to the need for continued audience engagement to support future growth in the sector. Nick Mohammed highlighted the importance of access in theatre. He stressed that more audiences should experience live performances regardless of background.

In addition, Bryan Cranston spoke about the role of theatre in reflecting social themes and current experiences. He encouraged continued storytelling that connects with everyday life.