My Neighbour Totoro and A Streetcar Named Desire take centre stage at this year’s Olivier Awards!
Posted on 3 April 2023
Out of an incredible nine nominations, My Neighbour Totoro, the magical stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s cult animated film, took home six awards at last night’s ceremony, including Best Entertainment or Comedy Play, and Best Director.
Jodie Comer and Paul Mescal picked up the prestigious Best Actress and Best Actor awards for their West End debuts in Prima Facie and A Streetcar Named Desire respectively. The Killing Eve and Normal People stars were in great company, with 16 of the 18 winners receiving their first Olivier award at last night's ceremony.
Mescal's co-star Anjana Vasan won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance, while Will Keen, also appearing at the Almeida, won in his densely packed category (there were a total of 10 actors nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role thanks to the 6 nominated Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy performers) for his turn in Patriots.
101 years after Emmeline Pankhurst stood on stage at the Royal Albert Hall and declared a meeting to incite rebellion and political activism amongst her fellow women, Beverly Knight accepted the Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical award for her performance in Sylvia, the story of Emmeline’s second daughter. This was Knight’s first Olivier award win, having been nominated twice previously.
Other notable wins include Standing At The Sky’s Edge which won Best New Musical, and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! winning Best Musical Revival 80 years and 2 days after the show first premiered on 31 March 1943 at Broadway's St James’ Theatre. Oklahoma! star, and Doctor Who favourite, Arthur Darvill, also took home an Olivier for Best Actor in a Musical Olivier for his portrayal of Curly.
Full list of Olivier Award winners and nominees
Mastercard Best New Musical
The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier - WINNER
Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
Delta Air Lines 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
Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre - WINNER
To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Cunard Best Revival
The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier
Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Jerusalem at Apollo Theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre - WINNER
Magic Radio Best Musical Revival
My Fair Lady at London Coliseum
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic - WINNER
South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells
Best Actress
Jodie Comer for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre - WINNER
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 – Lyttelton
Nicola Walker for The Corn Is Green at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Best Actor
Tom Hollander for Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Paul Mescal for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre - WINNER
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 – Lyttelton
Best Actress in a Musical
Katie Brayben for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre - WINNER
Anoushka Lucas for Rodgers & 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 – Olivier
Best Actor in a Musical
Alon Moni Aboutboul for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Arthur Darvill for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic - WINNER
Julian Ovenden for South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells
Andrew Rannells for Tammy Faye at Almeida 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 – Olivier
Sharon Small for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Anjana Vasan for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre - WINNER
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh & Kaine Lawrence 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 - WINNER
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 – Lyttelton
Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Beverley Knight for Sylvia at The Old Vic - WINNER
Maimuna Memon for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Liza Sadovy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Marisha Wallace for Rodgers & 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 - WINNER
Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play
Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium
My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre - WINNER
My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) at Garrick Theatre & Ambassadors Theatre
One Woman Show at Ambassadors Theatre
Best Family Show
Blippi The Musical at Apollo Theatre
Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show at Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre - WINNER
Midsummer Mechanicals at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe
The Smartest Giant In Town at St Martin’s Theatre
Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer
Matt Cole for Newsies at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre - WINNER
Lynne Page for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Kate Prince for Sylvia at The Old Vic
Basil Twist for Puppetry Direction for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Best Costume Design
Frankie Bradshaw for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton
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 - WINNER
d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design
Bobby Aitken for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Tony Gayle for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre - WINNER
Drew Levy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Ben & Max Ringham for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Best Original Score or New Orchestrations
David Yazbek, Jamshied Sharifi & Andrea Grody – Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek, Orchestrations by Jamshied Sharifi & Additional Arrangements by Andrea Grody – The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Joe Hisaishi & Will Stuart – Music by Joe Hisaishi & Orchestrations and Arrangements by Will Stuart – My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Daniel Kluger & Nathan Koci – Orchestrations and Arrangements by Daniel Kluger & Additional Vocal Arrangements by Nathan Koci – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Young Vic
Richard Hawley & Tom Deering – Music and Lyrics by Richard Hawley & Orchestrations by Tom Deering – Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier - WINNER
Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design
Miriam Buether for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Tom Pye for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre - WINNER
Ben Stones for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Mark Walters for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium
White Light Award for 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 - WINNER
Tim Lutkin for The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier
TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production
Alcina by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House - WINNER
Least Like The Other by Irish National Opera and Royal Opera at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Peter Grimes by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Sibyl at Barbican 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 - WINNER
Antony McDonald for his design of Alcina at Royal Opera House
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) - WINNER
Triptych (The Missing Door, The Lost Room, And The Hidden Floor) by Peeping Tom at Barbican 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 - WINNER
Raquel Meseguer Zafe for her dramaturgy of Ruination by Lost Dog at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Catrina Nisbett for her performance in Family Honour by Spoken Movement at Sadler’s Wells
Unusual Rigging Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre
Age Is A Feeling at Soho Theatre
Blackout Songs at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
The P Word at Bush Theatre - WINNER
Paradise Now! at Bush Theatre
Two Palestinians Go Dogging at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director
Rebecca Frecknall for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Robert Hastie for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Justin Martin for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Phelim McDermott for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre - WINNER
Bartlett Sher for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Special award
Dame Arlene Phillips
Lifetime achievement award
Sir Derek Jacobi
