Olivier Awards 2025: Hopes And Predictions
- All That Dazzles
- Apr 4
- 7 min read
By Daz Gale
This weekend sees the return of the biggest night in the theatre calendar – the prestigious Olivier Awards. Hosted by Beverley Knight and Billy Porter, it will feature performances from The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, MJ The Musical, Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, Why Am I So Single?, Fiddler On The Roof, Oliver! and Starlight Express. This year's presenters include Samantha Barks, Cate Blanchett, Corbin Bleu, Naomi Campbell, Idris Elba, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Jane Krakowski and Elaine Paige so this year’s ceremony looks set to be a particularly exciting one,
But who’s going to win?
That is the question. Another question is who do I want to win?
Let’s take a look at the nominees for each category this year with who I think will win and who I’d personally like to see win.
For the categories where I hadn’t seen the shows (Sorry, opera fans) I haven’t included them as it would be like pulling a name out of a hat!
Mastercard Best New Musical
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, music & lyrics by Darren Clark, book & lyrics by Jethro Compton at Ambassadors Theatre
MJ The Musical, book by Lynn Nottage at Prince Edward Theatre
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812, music, lyrics & book by Dave Malloy at Donmar Warehouse
Why Am I So Single?, music, lyrics & book by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss at Garrick Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Who I Think Will Win: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Jon Bausor for Set Design, Toby Olié & Daisy Beattie for Puppetry Design and Satoshi Kuriyama for Projection Design for Spirited Away at London Coliseum
Frankie Bradshaw for Set Design for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre - Olivier
Es Devlin for Set Design for Coriolanus at National Theatre – Olivier
Tom Scutt for Set Design for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Ballet Shoes
Who I Think Will Win: Spirited Away (though I can see Fiddler giving it a run for its money)
White Light Award for Best Lighting Design
Paule Constable & Ben Jacobs for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre
Howard Hudson for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse
Howard Hudson for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Aideen Malone for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Starlight Express
Who I Think Will Win: Starlight Express
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Jorge Bosch for Kyoto at @sohoplace
Tom Edden for Waiting For Godot at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Elliot Levey for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre
Ben Whishaw for Bluets at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Elliot Levey
Who I Think Will Win: I can’t call this one. I think Elliot may have the edge but it’s very tight!
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Sharon D. Clarke for The Importance Of Being Earnest at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Romola Garai for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre
Romola Garai for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre
Gina McKee for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Romola Garai for Giant
Who I Think Will Win: Romola Garai for The Years, though she is going to face some tough competition from Romola Garai – I hope there’s no tension between the two of them!
Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer
Matthew Bourne for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre
Julia Cheng for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Hofesh Shechter for Oedipus at The Old Vic
Christopher Wheeldon for MJ The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Christopher Wheeldon
Who I Think Will Win: Matthew Bourne
Best Costume Design
Hugh Durrant for Robin Hood at The London Palladium
Sachiko Nakahara for Spirited Away at London Coliseum
Tom Scutt for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Gabriella Slade for Starlight Express at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Gabriella Slade
Who I Think Will Win: Gabriella Slade
d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design
Nick Lidster for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Christopher Shutt for Oedipus at The Old Vic
Thijs van Vuure for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre
Koichi Yamamoto for Spirited Away at London Coliseum
Who I’d Like To Win: Koichi Yamamoto
Who I Think Will Win: Nick Lidster, though this is a tough one to call
Outstanding Musical Contribution
Mark Aspinall for Musical Supervision & Additional Orchestrations for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Darren Clark for Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements and Mark Aspinall for Musical Direction, Music Supervision, Orchestrations & Arrangements for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre
Dave Malloy for Orchestrations and Nicholas Skilbeck for Musical Supervision for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse
Asaf Zohar for Compositions and Gavin Sutherland for Dance Arrangements & Orchestration for Ballet Shoes at National Theatre – Olivier
Who I’d Like To Win: Darren Clark
Who I Think Will Win: Dave Malloy
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Liv Andrusier for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Amy Di Bartolomeo for The Devil Wears Prada at Dominion Theatre
Beverley Klein for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Maimuna Memon for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse
Who I’d Like To Win: Liv Andrusier
Who I Think Will Win: Amy Di Bartolomeo
Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Andy Nyman for Hello, Dolly! at The London Palladium
Raphael Papo for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Layton Williams for Titanique at Criterion Theatre
Tom Xander for Mean Girls at Savoy Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Tom Xander
Who I Think Will Win: Andy Nyman
Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play
Ballet Shoes adapted by Kendall Feaver at National Theatre – Olivier
Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright by Steve Pemberton & Reece Shearsmith at Wyndham's Theatre
Spirited Away adapted by John Caird & co-adapted by Maoko Imai at London Coliseum
Titanique by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle & Constantine Rousouli at Criterion Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Titanique
Who I Think Will Win: Genuinely can’t call this one! I’m going to go with my own bias and say Titanique
Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director
Eline Arbo for The Years at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre
Jordan Fein for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Nicholas Hytner for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre
Robert Icke for Oedipus at Wyndham's Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Eline Arbo
Who I Think Will Win: Nicholas Hytner
Best Actress
Heather Agyepong for Shifters at Duke of York's Theatre
Lesley Manville for Oedipus at Wyndham's Theatre
Rosie Sheehy for Machinal at The Old Vic
Meera Syal for A Tupperware Of Ashes at National Theatre – Dorfman
Indira Varma for Oedipus at The Old Vic
Who I Think Will Win: Lesley Manville
Best Actor
Adrien Brody for The Fear Of 13 at Donmar Warehouse
Billy Crudup for Harry Clarke at Ambassadors Theatre
Paapa Essiedu for Death Of England: Delroy at @sohoplace
John Lithgow for Giant at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre
Mark Strong for Oedipus at Wyndham's Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: John Lithgow
Who I Think Will Win: Mark Strong
Cunard Best Revival
The Importance Of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Machinal by Sophie Treadwell at The Old Vic
Oedipus by Robert Icke at Wyndham's Theatre
Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett at Theatre Royal Haymarket
Who I’d Like To Win: The Importance Of Being Earnest
Who I Think Will Win: Oedipus
Piper-Heidsieck Award for Best Musical Revival
Fiddler On The Roof, music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, book by Joseph Stein at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Hello, Dolly!, music & lyrics by Jerry Herman, book by Michael Stewart at The London Palladium
Oliver!, book, music & lyrics by Lionel Bart, new material & revisions by Cameron Mackintosh at Gielgud Theatre
Starlight Express, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Richard Stilgoe at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Oliver!
Who I Think Will Win: This is a tight category and I’m not convinced! It really could be any of them but I’m going to say Fiddler On The Roof will take it
Best Actor in a Musical
John Dagleish for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre
Adam Dannheisser for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Myles Frost for MJ The Musical at Prince Edward Theatre
Simon Lipkin for Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre
Jamie Muscato for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse
Who I’d Like To Win: Simon Lipkin
Who I Think Will Win: Simon Lipkin or Adam Dannheisser
Best Actress in a Musical
Chumisa Dornford-May for Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 at Donmar Warehouse
Lauren Drew for Titanique at Criterion Theatre
Clare Foster for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre
Lara Pulver for Fiddler On The Roof at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Imelda Staunton for Hello, Dolly! at The London Palladium
Who I’d Like To Win: Lauren Drew
Who I Think Will Win: Imelda Staunton
The Londoner Award for Best New Play
The Fear Of 13 by Lindsey Ferrentino at Donmar Warehouse
Giant by Mark Rosenblatt at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at Royal Court Theatre
Kyoto by Joe Murphy & Joe Robertson at @sohoplace
Shifters by Benedict Lombe at Duke of York's Theatre
The Years adapted by Eline Arbo, in an English version by Stephanie Bain at Almeida Theatre & Harold Pinter Theatre
Who I’d Like To Win: Giant
Who I Think Will Win: The Years
Well, that was a lot more stressful than I imagined. It’s been a particularly stunning year for theatre and pretty much all of these nominees are worthy of a win… as are many of the shows, performers and creatives who didn’t get a nomination.
I’ll be excited to be there cheering them on, no matter who wins.
Who would you like to see win? Let me know on my socials - @ATDazzles on them all
You will be able to watch highlights from the evening on ITV1 and STV at 10.15pm on Sunday 6th April, and on catch-up on ITVX and STV Player.
Magic Radio will broadcast highlights the same evening from 9pm.
