Olivier Awards 2024 Predictions - London Theatre

It is this time of the year...

Once again, the Olivier Awards will grace the esteemed Royal Albert Hall in April, captivating global audiences as London honors its finest talents and innovators in a glamorous event led by the incomparable Hannah Waddingham.

Considering the excitement surrounding the occasion, we’d like to propose some speculative destinations where some of the winners might venture afterwards—though we humbly request leniency if our predictions miss the mark. Kindly note that we will not be making any predictions regarding the opera or dance awards as we feel that we don’t have the necessary knowledge to be able to make predictions for those awards.

In the realm of theater excellence, categories span from Best Actor and Actress to Outstanding Musical Production and Directorial Achievement. Dance performances are celebrated alongside groundbreaking designs in sets, costumes, and lighting. Additionally, playwrights and composers are acknowledged for their contributions to the stage, while emerging talents receive recognition through awards like Best New Play or Musical.

As anticipation builds for the winners’ announcements, the theater community eagerly anticipates the post-ceremony celebrations, where honorees may gather to revel in their achievements and toast to the future of their craft. Whether it’s a chic after-party in the heart of London’s West End or an intimate gathering among colleagues, the night promises to be a memorable one for all involved.

You will find our predictions, underlined below.

Noël Coward award for best new entertainment or comedy play
Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo and Franca Rame, adapted by Tom Basden at the Lyric Hammersmith and Theatre Royal Haymarket
Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, music and 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 and 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 and Hannes Langolf for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier and Prince Edward theatre
Arlene Phillips with James Cousins for Guys and 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

Best costume design
Bunny Christie and Deborah Andrews for Guys and 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

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 and lyrics by Tim Minchin, book by Danny Rubin at The Old Vic
Guys and Dolls, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows at the Bridge theatre
Hadestown, music, lyrics and book by Anaïs Mitchell at the Lyric theatre
Sunset Boulevard, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics and book by Don Black and Christopher Hampton at the Savoy theatre

Best sound design
Paul Arditti for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix theatre
Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbons for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier and 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 and arrangements and Charlie Rosen for orchestrations for Guys and Dolls at the Bridge theatre
Matt Brind for musical supervision, arrangements and orchestrations for Just for One Day at The Old Vic
Steve Sidwell for orchestrations and Joe Bunker for musical direction for Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune theatre
Alan Williams for musical supervision and 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 and 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 and Trafalgar theatre

Best set design
Miriam Buether for Set Design and 59 Productions for video design for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix theatre
Bunny Christie for set design for Guys and Dolls at the Bridge theatre
Es Devlin for set design and Ash J Woodward for video design for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier and Prince Edward theatre
Soutra Gilmour for set design and Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom for video design for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy theatre

Best lighting design
Jon Clark for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier and Prince Edward theatre
Jon Clark for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix theatre
Paule Constable for Guys and 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 and Dolls at the Bridge theatre
David Thaxton for Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy theatre
Jack Wolfe for Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse

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 and 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 and Dolls at the Bridge theatre

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 and Justin Martin for Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix theatre
Rupert Goold for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier and 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 and Noël Coward theatre

This is very difficult for us to predict, therefore, we note that, in our opinion, the award might go to either Jamie Lloyd or Sam Mendes

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

Another extremely difficult prediction to make. Sarah Jessica Parker is amazing in Plaza Suite. Sheridan Smith is great in Shirley Valentine. However, we believe that Sophie Okonedo was impeccable as Medea, and Sarah Snook is captivating in the picture of Dorian Gray. The fact that this production is still on, increases the chances of winning the award. However, we believe that the role of Medea is one of the technically and emotionally hardest and more complex roles ever created, so if it was up to us, the award would be given to Okonedo, for an unforgettable portrayal of Medea.

Best actor
Joseph Fiennes for Dear England at the National Theatre – Olivier and Prince Edward theatre
Mark Gatiss for The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre – Lyttelton and 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

One more difficult prediction to make. Not a clear winner for us but we believe that the award will most probably go to either James Norton or Andrew Scott.

Best new play
Dear England by James Graham at the National Theatre – Olivier and 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 and Noël Coward theatre
Till the Stars Come Down by Beth Steel at the National Theatre – Dorfman

Best new musical
The Little Big Things, music by Nick Butcher, lyrics by Nick Butcher and Tom Ling, book by Joe White at @sohoplace
Next to Normal, music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey at the Donmar Warehouse
Operation Mincemeat, music, lyrics and book by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts at the Fortune theatre
A Strange Loop, music, lyrics and book by Michael R Jackson at the Barbican theatre

But always remember:

As we eagerly await the unfolding of the Olivier Awards ceremony and the revelation of this year’s winners, it’s essential to remember that the excitement of anticipation is part of the joy of the event. While we’ve ventured to make some educated guesses about potential recipients, the beauty of the theater lies in its unpredictability. The true magic of the Olivier Awards lies in the surprise and delight of discovering who will ultimately claim the coveted trophies. Therefore, as we extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the nominees for their outstanding contributions to the world of theater, we also wish them the best of luck on the big night. May the spotlight shine brightly on each nominee, and may the winners bask in the well-deserved recognition of their talent and dedication.