Evening Standard Theatre Awards

This article is about the theatre awards. For the film awards, see Evening Standard British Film Awards. For the pub awards, see Evening Standard Pub of the Year.

Evening Standard Theatre Awards
Awarded for	Outstanding achievements in London theatre
Country	United Kingdom
Presented by	Evening Standard
First awarded	1955

The Evening Standard Theatre Awards, established in 1955, are presented annually for outstanding achievements in London Theatre. Sponsored by the Evening Standard newspaper, they are announced in late November or early December. They are the equivalent of the Broadway theatre Drama Desk Awards.

Trophies

The trophies take the form of a strongly modelled statuette, a somewhat Grecian figure representing Drama, designed by Frank Dobson RA, a former Professor of Sculpture at the Royal College of Art.

Categories

Three of the awards are given in the names of former Evening Standard notables:

• Arts editor Sydney Edwards (who conceived the awards, and died suddenly in July 1979) for the Best Director category.
• Editor Charles Wintour (who as deputy-editor in 1955, launched the awards after a nod from the then proprietor, Lord Beaverbrook') for Most Promising Playwright.
• Long-serving theatre critic Milton Shulman (for several years a key member of the judging panel) for the Outstanding Newcomer award.

In 2009 The Special Award was given in the name of Evgeny Lebedev, executive director of the Evening Standard.

In 1980, noting the first use of the Special Award category, Shulman observed that "In 1968 the judges felt that Alan Bennett's work Forty Years On did not fit either the category of a Play or a Musical. But since they liked it so much they gave him the coveted Dobson statuette as a Special Award. In a quarter of a century, only in 1968 had no-one been designated as 'Promising' although it could conceivably be argued that Alan Bennett's Special Award was a reasonable substitute for this category."

The Special Awards process came to a climax in 2004 when, in the 50th anniversary year, the category was used to signal peaks of accomplishment by the National Theatre (an institution), Harold Pinter (a playwright) and Dame Judi Dench (a performer).

The Patricia Rothermere Award, presented biennially from 1999 to 2005 recognised those who had given outstanding support to young actors. There was also a three-year scholarship award for a drama student. Lady Rothermere is the wife of Lord Rothermere, chairman of the Daily Mail and General Trust, former owners of the Evening Standard.

Commencing in 2007, the award for Best Musical was renamed The Ned Sherrin Award, in memory of the entertainer and raconteur, for many years the witty compere of the Evening Standard Awards ceremony.

The Best Actress award is now named in tribute to Natasha Richardson, who died after a skiing accident in Quebec in March 2009.

Awards ceremonies

The 2007 Awards lunchtime ceremony took place at the Savoy Hotel in London on 27 November 2007. The judges' assessments of the winners are online.

The 2008 winners were announced in a ceremony at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, on 24 November 2008. The judges' assessments are onlnie.

The 2009 winners were announced in a ceremony, again at the Royal Opera House, on Monday, 23 November 2009. The judges' assessments are onlnie.

The 2010 award winners were announced at a celebratory evening ceremony on Thursday 28 November 2010 in the newly refurbished Savoy Hotel. The judges' assessments are onlnie.

The 2011 short list is online.

Awards by year

• 2012 – 2011 – 2010
• 2009 – 2008 – 2007 – 2006 – 2005 – 2004 – 2003 – 2002 – 2001 – 2000
• 1999 – 1998 – 1997 – 1996 – 1995 – 1994 – 1993 – 1992 – 1991 – 1990
• 1989 – 1988 – 1987 – 1986 – 1985 – 1984 – 1983 – 1982 – 1981 – 1980

Winners 1955–2014

Best Play

• 1955: Tiger at the Gates by Jean Giraudoux
• 1956: Romanoff and Juliet by Peter Ustinov
• 1957: Summer of the Seventeenth Doll by Ray Lawler
• 1958: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams
• 1959: The Long and the Short and the Tall by Willis Hall
• 1960: The Caretaker by Harold Pinter
• 1961: Becket by Jean Anouilh, adapted by Lucienne Hill
• 1962: The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht, translated by John Holmstrom
• 1963: Poor Bitos by Jean Anouilh, adapted by Lucienne Hill
• 1964: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee
• 1965: A Patriot for Me by John Osborne, and The Killing of Sister George by Frank Marcus (joint award)
• 1966: Loot by Joe Orton
• 1967: A Day in the Death of Joe Egg by Peter Nichols
• 1968: The Hotel in Amsterdam by John Osborne
• 1969: The National Health by Peter Nichols
• 1970: Home by David Storey
• 1971: Butley by Simon Gray
• 1972: Jumpers by Tom Stoppard
• 1973: Saturday, Sunday, Monday by Eduardo De Filippo, adapted by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall
• 1974: The Norman Conquests by Alan Ayckbourn
• 1975: Otherwise Engaged by Simon Gray
• 1976: Weapons of Happiness by Howard Brenton
• 1977: Just Between Ourselves by Alan Ayckbourn
• 1978: Night and Day by Tom Stoppard
• 1979: Amadeus by Peter Shaffer
• 1980: The Dresser by Ronald Harwood
• 1981: Passion by Peter Nichols
• 1982: The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard
• 1983: "Master Harold"...and the Boys by Athol Fugard
• 1984: Benefactors by Michael Frayn

• 1985: Pravda by Howard Brenton and David Hare
• 1986: Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Christopher Hampton, adapted from the novel by Choderlos de Laclos
• 1987: A Small Family Business by Alan Ayckbourn
• 1988: Aristocrats by Brian Friel
• 1989: Ghetto by Yehoshua Sobol
• 1990: Shadowlands adapted by William Nicholson from a play Surprised By Joy by Brian Sibley and Norman Stone
• 1991: Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel
• 1992: Angels in America by Tony Kushner
• 1993: Arcadia by Tom Stoppard
• 1994: Three Tall Women by Edward Albee
• 1995: Pentecost by David Edgar
• 1996: Stanley by Pam Gems
• 1997: The Invention of Love by Tom Stoppard
• 1998: Copenhagen by Michael Frayn
• 1999: no award
• 2000: Blue/Orange by Joe Penhall
• 2001: Far Side of the Moon by Robert Lepage
• 2002: A Number by Caryl Churchill
• 2003: Democracy by Michael Frayn
• 2004: The History Boys by Alan Bennett
• 2005: The Home Place by Brian Friel
• 2006: Rock 'n' Roll by Tom Stoppard
• 2007: A Disappearing Number by Simon McBurney and Complicite
• 2008: The Pitmen Painters by Lee Hall
• 2009: Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth
• 2010: Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris
• 2011: One Man, Two Guvnors and The Heretic by Richard Bean
• 2012: Constellations by Nick Payne
• 2013: Chimerica by Lucy Kirkwood
• 2014: The James Plays by Rona Munro

Best Actor

• 2015 – James McAvoy for The Ruling Class
• 2014 – Tom Hiddleston for Coriolanus
• 2013 – Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear for Othello
• 2012 – Simon Russell Beale for Collaborators
• 2011 – Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller for Frankenstein
• 2010 – Rory Kinnear for Hamlet and Measure for Measure
• 2009 – Mark Rylance for Jerusalem
• 2008 – Chiwetel Ejiofor for Othello
• 2007 – Patrick Stewart for Macbeth
• 2006 – Rufus Sewell for Rock 'n' Roll
• 2005 – Simon Russell Beale for The Philanthropist
• 2004 – Richard Griffiths for The History Boys
• 2003 – Michael Sheen for Caligula
• 2002 – Simon Russell Beale for Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night
• 2001 – Alex Jennings for The Winter's Tale and The Relapse
• 2000 – Simon Russell Beale for Hamlet
• 1999 – Stephen Dillane for The Real Thing
• 1998 – Kevin Spacey for The Iceman Cometh
• 1997 – Ian Holm for King Lear
• 1996 – Paul Scofield for John Gabriel Borkman
• 1995 – Michael Gambon for Volpone
• 1994 – Tom Courtenay for Moscow Stations
• 1993 – Ian Holm for Moonlight
• 1992 – Nigel Hawthorne for The Madness of King George III
• 1991 – John Wood for King Lear
• 1990 – Richard Harris for Henry IV
• 1989 – Ian McKellen for Othello
• 1988 – Eric Porter for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
• 1987 – Michael Gambon for A View from the Bridge
• 1986 – Albert Finney for Orphans
• 1985 – Antony Sher for Richard III
• 1984 – Ian McKellen for Coriolanus
• 1983 – Derek Jacobi for Much Ado About Nothing
• 1982 – Alec McCowen for The Portage to San Cristobal of A.H.
• 1981 – Alan Howard for Good
• 1980 – Tom Courtenay for The Dresser
• 1979 – Warren Mitchell for Death of a Salesman
• 1978 – Alan Howard for Coriolanus
• 1977 – Donald Sinden for King Lear
• 1976 – Albert Finney for Tamburlaine the Great
• 1975 – John Gielgud for No Man's Land
• 1974 – John Wood for Travesties
• 1973 – Alec McCowen for The Misanthrope
• 1972 – Laurence Olivier for Long Day's Journey Into Night
• 1971 – Alan Bates for Butley
• 1970 – John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson for Home
• 1969 – Nicol Williamson for Hamlet
• 1968 – Alec McCowen for Hadrian VII
• 1967 – Laurence Olivier for Dance of Death
• 1966 – Albert Finney for A Flea in Her Ear
• 1965 – Ian Holm for Henry V
• 1964 – Nicol Williamson for Inadmissible Evidence
• 1963 – Michael Redgrave for Uncle Vanya
• 1962 – Paul Scofield for King Lear
• 1961 – Christopher Plummer for Becket
• 1960 – Alec Guinness for Ross, and Rex Harrison for Platonov
• *1959 – Eric Porter for Rosmersholm
• 1958 – Michael Redgrave for A Touch of the Sun
• 1957 – Laurence Olivier for The Entertainer
• 1956 – Paul Scofield for The Power and the Glory
• 1955 – Richard Burton for Henry V

Best Actress

Renamed in 2009 as The Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress

• 2015 – Nicole Kidman for Photograph 51
• 2014 – Gillian Anderson for A Streetcar Named Desire
• 2013 – Helen Mirren for The Audience
• 2012 – Hattie Morahan for A Doll's House
• 2011 – Sheridan Smith for Flare Path
• 2010 – Nancy Carroll for After the Dance
• 2009 – Rachel Weisz for A Streetcar Named Desire
• 2008 – Penelope Wilton and Margaret Tyzack for The Chalk Garden
• 2007 – Anne-Marie Duff for Saint Joan
• 2006 – Kathleen Turner for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
• 2005 – Harriet Walter for Mary Stuart
• 2004 – Victoria Hamilton for Suddenly, Last Summer
• 2003 – Sandy McDade for Iron
• 2002 – Clare Higgins for Vincent in Brixton
• 2001 – Fiona Shaw for Medea
• 2000 – Paola Dionisotti for Further Than the Furthest Thing
• 1999 – Janie Dee for Comic Potential
• 1998 – Sinéad Cusack for Our Lady of Sligo
• 1997 – Eileen Atkins for A Delicate Balance
• 1996 – Diana Rigg for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Mother Courage
• 1995 – Geraldine McEwan for The Way of the World
• 1994 – Maggie Smith for Three Tall Women
• 1993 – Fiona Shaw for Machinal
• 1992 – Diana Rigg for Medea
• 1991 – Vanessa Redgrave for When She Danced (Martin Sherman)
• 1990 – Josette Simon for After the Fall
• 1989 – Felicity Kendal for Much Ado About Nothing and Ivanov
• 1988 – Lindsay Duncan for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
• 1987 – Judi Dench for Antony and Cleopatra
• 1986 – Julia McKenzie for Woman in Mind
• 1985 – Vanessa Redgrave for The Seagull
• 1984 – Maggie Smith for The Way of the World
• 1983 – Geraldine McEwan for The Rivals
• 1982 – Judi Dench for A Kind of Alaska and The Importance of Being Earnest
• 1981 – Maggie Smith for Virginia
• 1980 – Judi Dench for Juno and the Paycock and Frances de la Tour for Duet for One
• 1979 – Vanessa Redgrave for The Lady from the Sea
• 1978 – Kate Nelligan for Plenty
• 1977 – Alison Steadman for Abigail's Party
• 1976 – Janet Suzman for Three Sisters
• 1975 – Dorothy Tutin for A Month in the Country
• 1974 – Claire Bloom for A Streetcar Named Desire
• 1973 – Janet Suzman for Hello and Goodbye
• 1972 – Rachel Roberts for Alpha Beta
• 1971 – Peggy Ashcroft for The Loves of Viorne
• 1970 – Maggie Smith for Hedda Gabler
• 1969 – Rosemary Harris for Plaza Suite
• 1968 – Jill Bennett for Time Present
• 1967 – Lila Kedrova for The Cherry Orchard
• 1966 – Irene Worth for A Song at Twilight
• 1965 – Eileen Atkins for The Killing of Sister George
• 1964 – Peggy Ashcroft for The Wars of the Roses
• 1963 – Joan Plowright for Saint Joan
• 1962 – Maggie Smith for The Private Ear and The Public Eye
• 1961 – Vanessa Redgrave for As You Like It
• 1960 – Dorothy Tutin for Twelfth Night
• 1959 – Flora Robson for The Aspern Papers
• 1958 – Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies for Long Day's Journey Into Night
• 1957 – Brenda De Banzie for The Entertainer
• 1956 – Peggy Ashcroft for The Chalk Garden
• 1955 – Siobhán McKenna for Saint Joan

The Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical

• 2014 – The Scottsboro Boys
• 2013 – Merrily We Roll Along
• 2012 – Sweeney Todd
• 2011 – Matilda
• 2010 – Passion
• 2009 – Hello, Dolly!
• 2008 – Street Scene
• 2007 – Hairspray
• 2006 – Caroline, or Change
• 2005 – Billy Elliot
• 2004 – The Producers
• 2003 – Jerry Springer: The Opera
• 2002 – The Full Monty
• 2001 – Kiss Me, Kate (a revival)
• 2000 – The Car Man
• 1999 – Spend Spend Spend
• 1998 – Oklahoma!
• 1997 – Lady in the Dark
• 1996 – Passion
• 1995 – Mack and Mabel
• 1994 – No award
• 1993 – City of Angels
• 1992 – Kiss of the Spider Woman
• 1991 – Carmen Jones
• 1990 – Into the Woods
• 1989 – Miss Saigon
• 1988 – No award
• 1987 – Follies
• 1986 – The Phantom of the Opera
• 1985 – Are You Lonesome Tonight by Alan Bleasdale
• 1984 – 42nd Street
• 1983 – Little Shop of Horrors
• 1982 – Windy City by Dick Vosburgh and Tony Macaulay
• 1981 – Cats
• 1980 – Sweeney Todd
• 1979 – Songbook by Monty Norman and Julian More
• 1978 – Annie
• 1977 – Elvis
• 1976 – A Chorus Line
• 1975 – A Little Night Music
• 1974 – John, Paul, George, Ringo … and Bert by Willy Russell
• 1973 – The Rocky Horror Show
• 1972 – Applause
• 1971 – No award
• 1970 – No award
• 1969 – Promises, Promises
• 1968 – Cabaret
• 1967 – Sweet Charity
• 1966 – Funny Girl
• 1965 – No award
• 1964 – Little Me
• 1963 – Oh, What a Lovely War!
• 1962 – No award
• 1961 – Beyond the Fringe
• 1960 – Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be by Frank Norman and Lionel Bart
• 1959 – Make Me an Offer by Wolf Mankowitz, Monty Norman and David Heneker
• 1958 – West Side Story
• 1957 – No award
• 1956 – Cranks by John Cranko and John Addison
• 1955 – The Pajama Game
• Also in 1955 Salad Days was given the Award for Most Enjoyable Show.

Best Designer

• 2015 – Anna Fleischle for Hangmen
• 2014 – Es Devlin for American Psycho
• 2013 – Bob Crowley for People and The Audience and Once
• 2012 – Soutra Gilmour for Inadmissible Evidence and Antigone
• 2011 – Adam Cork for Anna Christie and King Lear
• 2010 – Miriam Buether for Earthquakes in London and Sucker Punch
• 2009 – Mamoru Iriguchi for Mincemeat at Cordy House in Shoreditch
• 2008 – Neil Murray for Brief Encounter
• 2007 – Rae Smith and the Handspring Puppet Company for War Horse
• 2006 – Timothy Bird (projections) and David Farley (set and costumes) for Sunday in the Park With George
• 2005 – Bob Crowley for Mary Poppins
• 2004 – Ian MacNeil, Jean Kalman and Paul Arditti for Festen
• 2003 – Christopher Oram for Caligula
• 2002 – Ian MacNeil for Plasticine and A Number
• 2001 – Paul Brown for Platonov and The Tempest
• 2000 – Bunny Christie for Baby Doll
• 1999 – Rob Howell for Richard III, Troilus and Cressida and Vassa
• 1998 – Richard Hoover for Not about Nightingales (First award in this category)

Best Comedy

• 2001 – Feelgood by Alistair Beaton
• 2000 – Stones in His Pocket by Marie Jones
• 1997 – Closer by Patrick Marber
• 1996 – 'Art' by Yasmina Reza
• 1995 – Dealer's Choice by Patrick Marber
• 1994 – My Night with Reg by Kevin Elyot
• 1993 – Jamais Vu by Ken Campbell
• 1992 – The Rise and Fall of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright
• 1991 – Kvetch by Steven Berkoff
• 1990 – Man of the Moment by Alan Ayckbourn and Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell by Keith Waterhouse
• 1989 – Henceforward... by Alan Ayckbourn
• 1988 – Lettice and Lovage by Peter Shaffer
• 1987 – Serious Money by Caryl Churchill
• 1986 – A Month of Sundays by Bob Larbey
• 1985 – A Chorus of Disapproval by Alan Ayckbourn
• 1984 – Stepping Out by Richard Harris
• 1983 – Tales from Hollywood by Christopher Hampton
• 1982 – Noises Off by Michael Frayn
• 1981 – Goose Pimples by Mike Leigh
• 1980 – Make and Break by Michael Frayn
• 1979 – A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine by Dick Vosburgh and Frank Lazarus
• 1978 – Gloo-Joo by Michael Hastings
• 1977 – Privates on Parade by Peter Nichols
• 1976 – The Thoughts of Chairman Alf by Johnny Speight
• 1975 – Alphabetical Order by Michael Frayn
• 1974 – Travesties by Tom Stoppard
• 1973 – Absurd Person Singular by Alan Ayckbourn
• 1972 – Veterans by Charles Wood
• 1971 – Getting On by Alan Bennett
• 1970 – The Philanthropist by Christopher Hampton (First award in this category)

Most Controversial Play

• 1955 – Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

Editor's Award (renamed 'for a Shooting Star' in 2010)

• 2014 – Kate Bush For her remarkable theatre-based comeback live shows Before the Dawn
• 2013 – Kevin Spacey For his contribution to British theatre
• 2012 – David Hare
• 2010 – Daniel Kaluuya for Sucker Punch
• 2008 – Royal Shakespeare Company for its epic cycle of history plays
• 2006 – Frost/Nixon

Best Director

• 2014 – Jeremy Herrin for Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies
• 2013 – Richard Eyre for Ghosts
• 2012 – Nicholas Hytner for Timon of Athens
• 2011 – Mike Leigh for Grief
• 2010 – Howard Davies for The White Guard and All My Sons
• 2009 – Rupert Goold for Enron
• 2008 – Michael Grandage for Ivanov and Othello and The Chalk Garden
• 2007 – Rupert Goold for Macbeth
• 2006 – Marianne Elliott for Pillars of the Community
• 2005 – Michael Grandage for Don Carlos and Grand Hotel
• 2004 – Rufus Norris for Festen
• 2003 – Polly Teale for After Mrs Rochester
• 2002 – Sam Mendes for Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night
• 2001 – Deborah Warner for Medea
• 2000 – Howard Davies for All My Sons
• 1999 – Trevor Nunn for Summerfolk and The Merchant of Venice
• 1996 – Katie Mitchell for The Phoenician Women
• 1995 – Matthew Warchus for Volpone and Henry V
• 1994 – Sean Mathias for Les Parents terribles and Design for Living
• 1993 – Terry Hands for Tamburlaine The Great
• 1992 – Stephen Daldry for An Inspector Calls
• 1991 – Trevor Nunn for Timon of Athens
• 1990 – Richard Jones for Into The Woods and The Illusion
• 1989 – Nicholas Hytner for Miss Saigon and Ghetto
• 1988 – Deborah Warner for Titus Andronicus
• 1987 – Peter Hall for Antony and Cleopatra
• 1986 – Nuria Espert for The House of Bernarda Alba
• 1985 – Bill Bryden for The Mysteries
• 1984 – Christopher Morahan for Wild Honey
• 1983 – Yuri Lyubimov for Crime and Punishment
• 1982 – Richard Eyre for Guys and Dolls
• 1981 – Peter Hall for The Oresteia
• 1980 – Trevor Nunn and John Caird for The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
• 1979 – Trevor Nunn for Once in a Lifetime (The first award in this category)

The Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright

• 2014 – Beth Steel for Wonderland
• 2013 – Rachel De-lahay for Routes
• 2012 – Lolita Chakrabarti for Red Velvet
• 2011 – Penelope Skinner for The Village Bike
• 2010 – Anya Reiss for Spur of the Moment
• 2009 – Alia Bano for Shades
• 2008 – Tarell Alvin McCraney for In the Red and Brown Water and The Brothers Size
• 2007 – Polly Stenham for That Face
• 2006 – Nina Raine for Rabbit
• 2005 – Nell Leyshon for Comfort Me With Apples
• 2004 – No award
• 2003 – Kwame Kwei-Armah for Elmira's Kitchen
• 2002 – Vassily Sigarev for Plasticine
• 2001 – Roy Williams for Clubland
• 2000 – Gary Mitchell for The Force of Change
• 1999 – Rebecca Gilman for The Glory of Living
• 1998 – Mark Ravenhill for Handbag
• 1997 – Conor McPherson for The Weir
• 1996 – Martin McDonagh for The Beauty Queen of Leenane
• 1995 – Jez Butterworth for Mojo
• 1994 – Jonathan Harvey for Babies
• 1993 – Brad Fraser for Unidentified Human Remains and Simon Donald for The Life of Stuff
• 1992 – Philip Ridley for The Fastest Clock in the Universe
• 1991 – Rona Munro for Bold Girls
• 1990 – Clare McIntyre for My Heart's a Suitcase
• 1989 – Stephen Jeffreys for Valued Friends
• 1988 – Timberlake Wertenbaker for Our Country's Good
• 1987 – Stephen Bill for Curtains
• 1986 – Frank McGuinness for Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme
• 1985 – Billy Hamon for Grafters
• 1984 – Sharman MacDonald for When I Was a Girl, I Used to Scream and Shout
• 1983 – Phil Young for Crystal Clear
• 1982 – Terry Johnson for Insignificance
• 1981 – Nell Dunn for Steaming
• 1980 – Paul Kember for Not Quite Jerusalem
• 1979 – Richard Harris for Outside Edge and Victoria Wood for Talent
• 1978 – John Byrne for The Slab Boys and Brian Clark for Whose Life Is It Anyway?
• 1977 – Mary O'Malley for Once a Catholic and James Robson for Factory Birds
• 1976 – Stewart Parker for Spokesong
• 1975 – Stephen Poliakoff for Hitting Town
• 1974 – Mustapha Matura for Play Mas
• 1973 – David Williamson for The Removalists
• 1972 – Wilson John Haire for Within Two Shadows
• 1971 – E A Whitehead for The Foursoe
• 1970 – David Hare for Slag and Heathcote Williams for AC/DC
• 1969 – Peter Barnes for The Ruling Class
• 1968 – No award
• 1967 – Tom Stoppard for Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and David Storey for The Restoration of Arnold Middleton
• 1966 – David Halliwell for Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs
• 1965 – David Mercer for Ride a Cock Horse
• 1964 – No award
• 1963 – Charles Wood for Cockade and James Saunders for Next Time I'll Sing To You
• 1962 – David Rudkin for Afore Night Come
• 1961 – Gwyn Thomas for The Keep (1962) and Henry Livings for Stop It Whoever You Are
• 1960 – J P Donleavy for Fairy Tales of New York
• 1959 – John Arden for Serjeant Musgrave's Dance and Arnold Wesker for Roots
• 1958 – Peter Shaffer for Five Finger Exercise
• 1957 – Robert Bolt for Flowering Cherry
• 1956 – John Osborne for Look Back in Anger
• 1955 – No award

The Milton Shulman Award for Outstanding Newcomer

• 2014 – Laura Jane Matthewson for Dogfight
• 2013 – Seth Numrich for Sweet Bird of Youth
• 2012 – Matthew Tennyson for Making Noise Quietly
• 2011 – Kyle Soller for The Faith Machine, The Glass Menagerie and Government Inspector
• 2010 – Kate Bond and Morgan Lloyd for You Me Bum Bum Train
• 2009 – Lenny Henry for Othello
• 2008 – Ella Smith for Fat Pig
• 2007 – Stephen Wight for Dealer's Choice and Don Juan in Soho
• 2006 – Andrew Garfield for Beautiful Thing; Burn/Chatroom/Citizenship; The Overwhelming
• 2005 – Menier Chocolate Factory: David Babani and Danielle Tarento
• 2004 – Eddie Redmayne for The Goat: or, Who Is Sylvia?
• 2003 – Tom Hardy for Blood and In Arabia We'd All Be Kings
• 2002 – Jake Gyllenhaal for This Is Our Youth
• 2001 – Rufus Norris for Afore Night Come
• 2000 – Chiwetel Ejiofor for Blue/Orange
• 1999 – Eve Best for Tis Pity She's a Whore (First award in this category)

Theatrical Achievement

• 1998 – Jonathan Kent and Ian McDiarmid of the Almeida Theatre (Only award in this category)

Patricia Rothermere Award

• 2005 – Penelope Keith. And Hannah Croft scholarship award
• 2003 – Lord Attenborough for exceptional support for young actors. And Elif Yesil scholarship award
• 2001 – Prunella Scales. And Cassandre Joseph scholarship award
• 1999 – Simon Callow for Outstanding services to the theatre. And Martin Rea scholarship award
• 1997 – Dame Judi Dench (Outstanding services to the theatre) and Mark Rice-Oxley (scholarship award)
• 1993 – Matthew Rhys (scholarship award)

The Special Award (given as The Lebedev Special Award in 2009)

• 2014 – Tom Stoppard
• 2013 – Andrew Lloyd Webber
• 2012 – Nicholas Hytner
• 2011 – Kristin Scott Thomas
• 2010 – Michael Gambon
• 2009 – Ian McKellen for his contribution to British theatre
• 2008 – Kevin Spacey for bringing new life to the Old Vic
• 2007 – Stephen Tompkins for innovative theatre architecture
• 2006 – The Tricycle Theatre for its pioneering work in political theatre
• 2005 – The Royal Court Theatre
• 2004 – 50th Anniversary Special Award: Harold Pinter (playwright), National Theatre (institution) and Dame Judi Dench (performer)
• 2003 – Max Stafford-Clark
• 2002 – Shakespeare's Globe
• 1998 – Nicole Kidman for The Blue Room
• 1989 – Stephen Sondheim
• 1988 – National Theatre 1963–1988: 25 Years of Achievement
• 1984 – Graeae Theatre Company sharing with The Theatre of Comedy Company
• 1982 – John Gielgud
• 1981 – The Royal Shakespeare Company
• 1980 – Sir Ralph Richardson
• 1979 – 25th Anniversary Special Award: Sir Peter Hall
• 1977 – Hampstead Theatre
• 1976 – Peggy Ashcroft
• 1975 – Ben Travers
• 1973 – Laurence Olivier
• 1972 – Peter Daubeny (Impresario and organizer of the annual World Theatre Season, Aldwych Theatre 1967–1973)
• 1968 – Alan Bennett for Forty Years On (First award in this category)

Theatre Icon Award

• 2013 – Maggie Smith

Moscow Art Theatre's Golden Seagull

• 2012 – Judi Dench
• 2011 – Sir Tom Stoppard
• 2010 – Sir Peter Hall

Beyond Theatre award

• 2014 – Here Lies Love
• 2013 – BBC Proms 2013
• 2012 – Danny Boyle and his teams for the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics
• 2011 – Pet Shop Boys and Javier de Frutos for The Most Incredible Thing

Emerging Talent

• 2013 – Cush Jumbo for Josephine and I

Best Musical Performance

• 2015 – Imelda Staunton for Gypsy: A Musical Fable
• 2013 – Rosalie Craig for The Light Princess

Award For Comedy

• 2013 – David Walliams for A Midsummer Night's Dream

Best Revival

• 2014 – Skylight

See also

• Laurence Olivier Awards
• Critics' Circle Theatre Awards

Sources

• Celebration: 25 Years of British Theatre. W. H. Allen Ltd, 1980. ISBN 0-491-02770-2, for Awards 1955–1978
• Theatre Record and its annual Indexes, for Awards 1981 to date.