Olivier Awards 2025: Hopes And Predictions

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’d Like To Win: Meera Syal (I will talk to you about her performance in that play for hours if you let me)

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.