Congratulations to all of the 2023 Olivier nominees! Nominations were announced this morning, and “My Neighbour Totoro,” a 1988 Japanese animation adapted for the stage, leads with nine nominations including, best entertainment or comedy play, best director, best theatre choreographer, best original score, best actress, best sound design, best costume design, best lighting design and best set design. Just behind “My Neighbour Totoro” is “Standing at the Sky’s Edge,” a National Theatre production, with eight nominations.
The Olivier Awards will be held at the Royal Albert Hall on April 2. UK residents can watch the ceremony on ITV, and those outside the UK can stream the awards show via YouTube.
In the meantime, our team at theatreMAMA is currently dreaming of catching the next flight to London to see all of these brilliant productions … and hoping that at least a few make their way across the pond to Broadway!
Here’s a complete list of nominees:
Best revival
The Crucible at National Theatre
Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Jerusalem at Apollo Theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Best entertainment or comedy play
Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium
My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) at Garrick Theatre and Ambassadors Theatre
One Woman Show at Ambassadors Theatre
Best musical revival
My Fair Lady at London Coliseum
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Sister Act at Eventim Apollo
South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells
Best costume design
Frankie Bradshaw for Blues for An Alabama Sky at National Theatre
Hugh Durrant for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium
Jean Paul Gaultier for Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show at Roundhouse
Kimie Nakano for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Best sound design
Bobby Aitken for Standing at the Sky’s Edge at National Theatre
Tony Gayle for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Drew Levy for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Ben and Max Ringham for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Best original score or new orchestrations
David Yazbek, Jamshied Sharifi and Andrea Grody – music and lyrics by David Yazbek, orchestrations by Jamshied Sharifi and additional arrangements by Andrea Grody – The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Joe Hisaishi and Will Stuart – music by Joe Hisaishi and orchestrations and arrangements by Will Stuart – My Neighbour Totoro for Barbican Theatre
Daniel Kluger and Nathan Koci – orchestrations and arrangements by Daniel Kluger and additional vocal arrangements by Nathan Koci – Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at the Young Vic
Richard Hawley and Tom Deering – music and lyrics by Richard Hawley and orchestrations by Tom Deering – Standing at the Sky’s Edge at National Theatre
Best theatre choreographer
Matt Cole for Newsies at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Lynne Page for Standing at the Sky’s Edge at National Theatre
Kate Prince for Sylvia at the Old Vic
Basil Twist for puppetry direction for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Best actor in a supporting role
Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh and Kaine Lawrence for For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Will Keen for Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Elliot Levey for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
David Moorst for To Kill a Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Sule Rimi for Blues for An Alabama Sky at National Theatre
Best actress in a supporting role
Rose Ayling-Ellis for As You Like It at @sohoplace
Pamela Nomvete for To Kill a Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Caroline Quentin for Jack Absolute Flies Again at National Theatre
Sharon Small for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Anjana Vasan for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Best set design
Miriam Buether for To Kill a Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Tom Pye for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Ben Stones for Standing at the Sky’s Edge at National Theatre
Mark Walters for Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium
Best lighting design
Natasha Chivers for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Lee Curran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Jessica Hung Han Yun for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Tim Lutkin for The Crucible at National Theatre
Best actress in a supporting role in a musical
Beverley Knight for Sylvia the Old Vic
Maimuna Memon for Standing at the Sky’s Edge National Theatre
Liza Sadovy for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Marisha Wallace for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Best actor in a supporting role in a musical
Sharif Afifi for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Peter Polycarpou for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Clive Rowe for Sister Act at Eventim Apollo
Zubin Varla for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
Outstanding achievement in opera
Sinéad Campbell-Wallace for her performance in Tosca by English National Opera at London Coliseum
William Kentridge for his conception and direction of Sibyl at Barbican Theatre
Antony McDonald for his design of Alcina at Royal Opera House
Best new opera production
Alcina by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Least Like The Other by Irish National Opera and Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Peter Grimes by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Sibyl at Barbican Theatre
Best actor in a musical
Alon Moni Aboutboul for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Arthur Darvill for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Julian Ovenden for South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells
Andrew Rannells for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
Best actress in a musical
Katie Brayben for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
Anoushka Lucas for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Miri Mesika for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Faith Omole for Standing at the Sky’s Edge at National Theatre
Outstanding achievement in dance
Manuel Liñán for his choreography of ¡VIVA! at Sadler’s Wells
Dickson Mbi for his choreography of Enowate at Sadler’s Wells
Raquel Meseguer Zafe for her dramaturgy of Ruination by Lost Dog at Royal Opera House
Catrina Nisbett for her performance in Family Honour by Spoken Movement at Sadler’s Wells
Best new dance production
Light of Passage by Crystal Pite at Royal Opera House
Pasionaria by La Veronal at Sadler’s Wells
Traplord by Ivan Michael Blackstock at 180 Studios (The Strand)
Triptych (The Missing Door, The Lost Room, And The Hidden Floor) by Peeping Tom at Barbican Theatre
Best actress
Jodie Comer for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Patsy Ferran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Mei Mac for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Janet McTeer for Phaedra at National Theatre
Nicola Walker for The Corn Is Green at National Theatre
Best actor
Tom Hollander for Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Paul Mescal for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Rafe Spall for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
David Tennant for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Giles Terera for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre
Best director
Rebecca Frecknall for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Robert Hastie for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre
Justin Martin for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Phelim McDermott for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Bartlett Sher for To Kill a Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Outstanding achievement in affiliate theatre
Age Is a Feeling at Soho Theatre
Blackout Songs at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
The P Word at Bush Theatre
Paradise Now! at Bush Theatre
Two Palestinians Go Dogging at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Best family show
Blippi the Musical at Apollo Theatre
Hey Duggee the Live Theatre Show at Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre
Midsummer Mechanicals at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe
The Smartest Giant in Town at St Martin’s Theatre
Best new play
For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
To Kill a Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Best new musical
The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Standing at the Sky’s Edge at National Theatre
Sylvia at the Old Vic
Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
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