2024 Laurence Olivier Awards

Annual UK theatre awards

Date

14 April 2024

Location

Royal Albert Hall

Hosted by

Hannah Waddingham

Most awards

Sunset Boulevard (7)

Most nominations

Sunset Boulevard (11)

Television/radio coverage

Network

ITV (television)
Magic (radio)

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Laurence Olivier Awards

· 2025 →

The 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards were held on 14 April 2024 at the Royal Albert Hall. Hannah Waddingham returned to host.

Event calendar

30 June 2023: Ceremony date set for 14 April 2024 and venue confirmed as Royal Albert Hall.^[1]
23 January 2024: Hannah Waddingham announced to return as host.^[2]
21 February 2024: Industry Recognition Award recipients announced.^[3]
27 February 2024: Eligibility cut-off.^[4]
12 March 2024: Nominations announcement by Beverley Knight.^[5]
14 April 2024: Award ceremony held.

Presenters

Presenters were announced on 4 April to include:^[6]

Anna Maxwell Martin and Michael Sheen – presented Best Revival
Carlos Acosta – presented Best New Dance Production
Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer – presented Best Family Show
Lucian Msamati and Anjana Vasan – presented Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Rosalind Plowright – presented Outstanding Achievement in Opera and Best New Opera Production
Anthony Van Laast – presented Outstanding Achievement in Dance
Ryan Calais Cameron – presented Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
Billy Crudup and Denise Gough – presented Best Actor and Best Actress
Patricia Clarkson and Brian Cox – presented Best New Play
Lenny Henry – presented Best Director
Cara Delevingne and Luke Treadaway – presented Best Musical Revival and Outstanding Musical Contribution
Freema Agyeman and Dominic West – presented Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play
Indhu Rubasingham – presented Best Lighting Design and Best Sound Design
Edward Enninful – presented Best Set Design and Best Costume Design
Michael Ball – presented Best Choreographer
Ruth Jones and Beverley Knight – presented Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical and Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Adrian Lester and Georgina Onuorah – presented Best Actor in a Musical and Best Actress in a Musical
Richard E. Grant and Michelle Visage – presented Best New Musical

Performances

Hannah Waddingham and Joe Stilgoe – "Anything Goes" (opening number)
Marisha Wallace and cast of Guys and Dolls – "Take Back Your Mink"
Jonny Amies, Ed Larkin and the cast of The Little Big Things – "The World Is Waiting for You" / "The Little Big Things"
Tom Francis and the cast of Sunset Boulevard – "Sunset Boulevard"
The cast of Hadestown – "Wait for Me"
Michael R. Jackson – "Memory Song" from A Strange Loop
Caissie Levy, Eleanor Worthington Cox and Jack Wolfe from Next to Normal – "I Miss the Mountains" / "Superboy and the Invisible Girl" / "I'm Alive"
The cast of Operation Mincemeat – "Born to Lead"
Joseph Fiennes from Dear England and actors from the National Theatre Company celebrating 60 years of the National Theatre – "You'll Never Walk Alone"

Nominees

The nominations were announced in 26 categories on 12 March 2024.

Best New Play	Best New Musical
Dear England by James Graham – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre The Hills of California by Jez Butterworth – Harold Pinter Theatre The Motive and the Cue by Jack Thorne – National Theatre Lyttleton and Noël Coward Theatre Till the Stars Come Down by Beth Steel – National Theatre Dorfman	Operation Mincemeat – Fortune Theatre The Little Big Things – @sohoplace Next to Normal – Donmar Warehouse A Strange Loop – Barbican Theatre
Best Revival	Best Musical Revival
Vanya – Duke of York's Theatre The Effect – National Theatre Lyttelton Macbeth – Donmar Warehouse Shirley Valentine – Duke of York's Theatre	Sunset Boulevard – Savoy Theatre Groundhog Day – The Old Vic Guys and Dolls – Bridge Theatre Hadestown – Lyric Theatre
Best Entertainment or Comedy Play	Best Family Show
Stranger Things: The First Shadow by Kate Trefry (based on original text by Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Jack Thorne and Trefry) – Phoenix Theatre Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo and Franca Rame, adapted by Tom Basden – Lyric Hammersmith and Theatre Royal Haymarket Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends by Stephen Sondheim – Gielgud Theatre Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial adapted by Liv Hennessy – Ambassadors Theatre	Dinosaur World Live – Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Bluey's Big Play – Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre The House with Chicken Legs – Queen Elizabeth Hall at Southbank Centre The Smeds and The Smoos – Lyric Theatre
Best Actor	Best Actress
*Mark Gatiss as John Gielgud in The Motive and the Cue* – National Theatre Lyttleton and Noël Coward Theatre** Joseph Fiennes as Gareth Southgate in Dear England – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre James Norton as Jude St. Francis in A Little Life – Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre Andrew Scott as Performer in Vanya – Duke of York's Theatre David Tennant as Macbeth in Macbeth – Donmar Warehouse	*Sarah Snook as Performer in The Picture of Dorian Gray* – Theatre Royal Haymarket** Laura Donnelly as Veronica and Joan in The Hills of California – Harold Pinter Theatre Sophie Okonedo as Medea in Medea – @sohoplace Sarah Jessica Parker as Karen Nash, Muriel Tate and Norma Hubley in Plaza Suite – Savoy Theatre Sheridan Smith as Shirley in Shirley Valentine – Duke of York's Theatre
Best Actor in a Musical	Best Actress in a Musical
*Tom Francis as Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard* – Savoy Theatre** David Cumming as Charles Cholmondeley and Others in Operation Mincemeat – Fortune Theatre Daniel Mays as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls – Bridge Theatre Charlie Stemp as Bobby Child in Crazy for You – Gillian Lynne Theatre	*Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard* – Savoy Theatre** Natasha Hodgson as Ewan Montagu and Others in Operation Mincemeat – Fortune Theatre Caissie Levy as Diana Goodman in Next to Normal – Donmar Warehouse Marisha Wallace as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls – Bridge Theatre
Best Actor in a Supporting Role	Best Actress in a Supporting Role
*Will Close as Harry Kane in Dear England* – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre** Paul Hilton as Peter Stockmann in An Enemy of the People – Duke of York's Theatre Giles Terera as Montrellous in Clyde's – Donmar Warehouse Luke Thompson as Willem Ragnarsson in A Little Life – Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre Zubin Varla as Harold Stein in A Little Life – Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre	*Haydn Gwynne as Stanley Baldwin in When Winston Went to War with the Wireless* – Donmar Warehouse*^[A] Lorraine Ashbourne as Aunty Carol in Till the Stars Come Down* – National Theatre Dorfman Priyanga Burford as Aslaksen in An Enemy of the People – Duke of York's Theatre Gina McKee as Pippa Grange in Dear England – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre Tanya Reynolds as Mei in A Mirror – Almeida Theatre and Trafalgar Theatre
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical	Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
*Jak Malone as Hester Leggett, Bernard Spilsbury and Others in Operation Mincemeat* – Fortune Theatre** Cedric Neal as Nicely Nicely Johnson in Guys and Dolls – Bridge Theatre David Thaxton as Max von Mayerling in Sunset Boulevard – Savoy Theatre Jack Wolfe as Gabriel "Gabe" Goodman in Next to Normal – Donmar Warehouse	*Amy Trigg as Agnes in The Little Big Things* – @sohoplace** Grace Hodgett-Young as Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard – Savoy Theatre Zoë Roberts as Johnny Bevan, Ian Fleming and Others in Operation Mincemeat – Fortune Theatre Eleanor Worthington Cox as Natalie Goodman in Next to Normal – Donmar Warehouse
Best Director	Best Theatre Choreographer
*Jamie Lloyd for Sunset Boulevard* – Savoy Theatre** Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin for Stranger Things: The First Shadow – Phoenix Theatre Rupert Goold for Dear England – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre Sam Mendes for The Motive and the Cue – National Theatre Lyttelton and Noël Coward Theatre	*James Cousins and Arlene Phillips for Guys and Dolls* – Bridge Theatre** Fabian Aloise for Sunset Boulevard – Savoy Theatre Ellen Kane and Hannes Langolf for Dear England – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre Mark Smith for The Little Big Things – @sohoplace Susan Stroman for Crazy for You – Gillian Lynne Theatre
Best Set Design	Best Costume Design
*59 Productions for video designing and Miriam Buether for scenic designing Stranger Things: The First Shadow* – Phoenix Theatre** Nathan Amzi and Joe Ransom for video designing and Soutra Gilmour for scenic designing Sunset Boulevard – Savoy Theatre Bunny Christie for scenic designing Guys and Dolls – Bridge Theatre Es Devlin for scenic designing and Ash J. Woodward for video designing Dear England – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre	*Marg Horwell for The Picture of Dorian Gray* – Theatre Royal Haymarket** Deborah Andrews and Bunny Christie for Guys and Dolls – Bridge Theatre Ryan Dawson Laight for La Cage aux Folles – Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Hugh Durrant for Peter Pan – London Palladium
Best Lighting Design	Best Sound Design
*Jack Knowles for Sunset Boulevard* – Savoy Theatre** Jon Clark for Dear England – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre Jon Clark for Stranger Things: The First Shadow – Phoenix Theatre Paule Constable for Guys and Dolls – Bridge Theatre	*Adam Fisher for Sunset Boulevard* – Savoy Theatre** Paul Arditti for Stranger Things: The First Shadow – Phoenix Theatre Dan Balfour and Tom Gibbons for Dear England – National Theatre Olivier and Prince Edward Theatre Gareth Fry for Macbeth – Donmar Warehouse
Outstanding Musical Contribution
*Alan Williams for music directing and music supervising Sunset Boulevard* – Savoy Theatre** Tom Brady for arranging and music supervising and Charlie Rosen for orchestrating Guys and Dolls – Bridge Theatre Matt Brind for arranging, music supervising and orchestrating Just for One Day – Old Vic Joe Bunker for music directing and Steve Sidwell for orchestrating Operation Mincemeat – Fortune Theatre
Best New Dance Production	Outstanding Achievement in Dance
La Ruta by Gabriela Carrizo, Nederlands Dans Theater – Sadler's Wells Broken Chord by Gregory Maqoma and Thuthuka Sibisi – Sadler's Wells The Rite of Spring by Seeta Patel – Sadler's Wells Time Spell by Michelle Dorrance, Jillian Meyers and Tiler Peck – Sadler's Wells	*Isabela Coracy for performing in Nina: By Whatever Means, Cassa Pacho's Ballet Black: Pioneers – Barbican Theatre* Jonzi D for artistic directing Breakin' Convention 2023: International Festival of Hip Hop Dance Theatre – Sadler's Wells Rhiannon Faith for her community-focused conception of Lay Down Your Burdens – The Pit at Barbican
Best New Opera Production	Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Innocence, Royal Opera – Royal Opera House Blue, English National Opera – London Coliseum Picture a Day Like This, Royal Opera – Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre The Rhinegold, English National Opera – London Coliseum	Antonio Pappano for music directing the Royal Opera House Marina Abramović for conceiving and designing 7 Deaths of Maria Callas – London Coliseum Belarus Free Theatre Company for King Stakh's Wild Hunt – Barbican Theatre
Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre
Sleepova – Bush Theatre Blue Mist – Jerwood Upstairs, Royal Court A Playlist for the Revolution – Bush Theatre The Swell – Orange Tree Theatre The Time Machine: A Comedy – Park Theatre
Industry Recognition Award
Sylvia Addison Vereen Irving Robert Israel Richard Walton Susan Whiddington

Productions with multiple wins and nominations

Multiple wins

The following 5 productions received multiple awards:

7: Sunset Boulevard
2: Dear England, Operation Mincemeat, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Multiple nominations

The following 17 productions received multiple nominations:

11: Sunset Boulevard
9: Dear England, Guys and Dolls
6: Operation Mincemeat
5: Stranger Things: The First Shadow
4: Next to Normal
3: A Little Life, Macbeth, The Little Big Things, The Motive and the Cue
2: An Enemy of the People, Crazy for You, Shirley Valentine, The Hills of California, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Till the Stars Come Down, Vanya

Notes

^ Posthumous.

References

^ Gans, Andrew (30 June 2023). "Date Set for 2024 Olivier Awards at Royal Albert Hall". Retrieved 16 January 2024.
^ King, Darryn. "Hannah Waddingham Will Return as Host of 2024 Olivier Awards". Broadway.com. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
^ "This Year's Olivier Awards Industry Recognition Award Recipients". Society of London Theatre. 21 February 2024. Retrieved 14 April 2024.
^ Maynard, Bea (30 June 2023). "Olivier Awards Announces 2024 Date and Venue". London Theatre.
^ "Olivier Awards 2024". Society of London Theatre. 12 March 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
^ "Olivier Awards 2024 performers and presenters announced, ITV to broadcast the awards | West End Theatre". www.westendtheatre.com. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.