The UK’s most important and prestigious theatre awards, the Olivier Awards, have announced its nominees with Zubin Varla and Pyiyanga Burford bagging nominations for top honours. While Varna has been nominated as Best Actor in a Supporting Role for A Little Life, Burford has been nominated as Best Actress in a Supporting Role for An Enemy of the People.
Here is the full list of nominees for the Olivier Awards 2024:
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 – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
Arlene Phillips with James Cousins – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Mark Smith – The Little Big Things at Soho Place
Susan Stroman – Crazy for You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre
Best Costume Design
Bunny Christie and Deborah Andrews – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Ryan Dawson Laight – La Cage Aux Folles at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Hugh Durrant – Peter Pan at The London Palladium
Marg Horwell – 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 & 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 – Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbins – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
Adam Fisher – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Gareth Fry – Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse
Outstanding Musical Contribution
Tom Brady for Musical Supervision and Arrangements and Charlie Rosen for Orchestrations – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Matt Brind for Musical Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations – Just for One Day at The Old Vic
Steve Sidwell for Orchestrations and Joe Bunker for Musical Direction – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Alan Williams for Musical Supervision and Musical Direction – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Will Close – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
Paul Hilton – An Enemy of the People at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Giles Terera – Clyde’s at the Donmar Warehouse
Luke Thompson – A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre
Zubin Varla – A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Lorraine Ashbourne – Till the Stars Come Down at the National Theatre, Dorfman
Priyanga Burford – An Enemy of the People at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Haydn Gwynne – When Winston Went to War With the Wireless at the Donmar Warehouse
Gina McKee – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier
Tanya Reynolds – A Mirror at the Almeida Theatre and Trafalgar Theatre
Best Set Design
Miriam Buether for Set Design and 59 Productions for Video Design – Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Bunny Christie for Set Design – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Es Devlin for Set Design and Ash J. Woodward for Video Design – 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 – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Best Lighting Design
Jon Clark – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
Jon Clark – Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix Theatre
Paule Constable – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Jack Knowles – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Grace Hodgett Young – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Zoë Roberts – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Amy Trigg – The Little Big Things at Soho Place
Eleanor Worthington-Cox – Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Jak Malone – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Cedric Neal – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
David Thaxton – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Jack Wolfe – Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse
Best New Opera Production
Blue by the English National Opera – at the London Coliseum
Innocence by the Royal Opera – at the Royal Opera House
Picture a Day Like This by the Royal Opera – at the Royal Opera House, Linbury Theatre
The Rhinegold by the English National Opera – at the London Coliseum
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Antonio Pappano for his role as Musical Director of the Royal Opera House
Belarus Free Theatre Company for King Stakh’s Wild Hunt – at the Barbican theatre
Marina Abramović for her concept and design of 7 Deaths of Maria Callas – at the London Coliseum
Best Actor in a Musical
David Cumming – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Tom Francis – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Daniel Mays – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Charlie Stemp – Crazy for You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre
Best Actress in a Musical
Natasha Hodgson – Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre
Caissie Levy – Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse
Nicole Scherzinger – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Marisha Wallace – Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre
Best New Dance Production
Broken Chord by Gregory Maqoma and Thuthuka Sibisi – at Sadler’s Wells
The Rite of Spring by Seeta Patel – at Sadler’s Wells
La Ruta by Gabriela Carrizo – part of Nederlands Dans Theater, NDT 1 at Sadler’s Wells
Time Spell by Michelle Dorrance, Jillian Meyers, and Tiler Peck – part of Turn It Out With Tiler Peck and Friends at Sadler’s Wells
Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Isabela Coracy for her performance in NINA: By Whatever Means – part of Ballet Black: Pioneers at the Barbican Theatre
Jonzi D for his artistic direction of Breakin’ Convention 2023 International festival of hip-hop dance theatre – at Sadler’s Wells
Rhiannon Faith for her community-focused conception of Lay Down Your Burdens – at The Pit at Barbican
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 – Stranger Things: The First Shadow at the Phoenix theatre
Rupert Goold – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
Jamie Lloyd – Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre
Sam Mendes – The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre, Lyttelton and Noël Coward Theatre
Best Actress
Laura Donnelly – The Hills of California at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Sophie Okonedo – Medea at Soho Place
Sarah Jessica Parker – Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre
Sheridan Smith – Shirley Valentine at the Duke of York’s Theatre
Sarah Snook – The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
Best Actor
Joseph Fiennes – Dear England at the National Theatre, Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre
Mark Gatiss – The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre, Lyttelton and Noël Coward Theatre
James Norton – A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre
Andrew Scott – Vanya at the Duke of York’s Theatre
David Tennant – Macbeth at the Donmar Warehouse
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 Soho Place
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
The winners will be announced in a ceremony at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 14 April.
