Paul Mescal, Jodie Comer + ‘My Neighbour Totoro’ Triumph at the Oliviers

The winners of the 2023 Olivier Awards were announced this evening at the Royal Albert Hall in London. “Ted Lasso” star—and three-time Olivier nominee—Hannah Waddingham hosted the ceremony.

Big winners included the stage adaptation of “My Neighbour Totoro,” which took home six awards; the National Theatre’s “Standing at the Sky’s Edge,” which won best new musical; and the Almeida Theatre’s “A Streetcar Named Desire,” which earned best revival.

Recent Oscar nominee Paul Mescal won best actor for his performance as Stanley Kowalski in “Streetcar,” and Jodie Comer earned best actress for her stage debut in Suzie Miller’s one-woman show “Prima Facie,” which also won best new play. In a heartfelt speech, Mescal paid tribute to his mother, who is undergoing cancer treatment, while Comer acknowledged the “complete sisterhood backstage.”

In the musical categories, big winners included Arthur Darvill for “Oklahoma!” at the Young Vic and Katie Brayben for “Tammy Faye” at the Almeida.

Out of 18 individual winners, 16 collected their very first award. Beverley Knight, who performed twice during the ceremony, earned a statuette for her role as suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst in the musical “Sylvia” at the Old Vic. During her speech, she noted that Pankhurst herself had delivered a historic address on the same stage a little over a century ago.

Legendary choreographer Dame Arlene Phillips earned a special award, while Sir Derek Jacobi won a lifetime achievement award.

Among the shows that went home empty-handed were David Yazbek and Itamar Moses’ “The Band’s Visit” and Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of “To Kill a Mockingbird,” which were each nominated for six awards. 

 

Full list of winners

Best new play

“Prima Facie” – Harold Pinter Theatre

Best new musical

“Standing at the Sky’s Edge” – National Theatre

Best revival

“A Streetcar Named Desire” – Almeida Theatre

Best musical revival

“Oklahoma!” – Young Vic

Best entertainment or comedy

“My Neighbour Totoro” – Barbican

Best actor in a supporting role

Will Keen – “Patriots” – Almeida Theatre

Best actress in a supporting role

Anjana Vasan – “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Almeida Theatre

Best actress in a supporting role in a musical

Beverley Knight – “Sylvia” – Old Vic

Best actor in a supporting role in a musical

Zubin Varla – “Tammy Faye” – Almeida Theatre

Best actor in a musical

Arthur Darvill – “Oklahoma!” – Young Vic

Best actress in a musical 

Katie Brayben – “Tammy Faye” – Almeida Theatre

Best actress

Jodie Comer – “Prima Facie” – Harold Pinter Theatre

Best actor

Paul Mescal – “A Streetcar Named Desire” – Almeida Theatre

Best director

Phelim McDermott – “My Neighbour Totoro” – Barbican

Best costume design

Kimie Nakano – “My Neighbour Totoro” – Barbican

Best sound design

Tony Gayle – “My Neighbour Totoro” – Barbican

Best original score or new orchestrations

Richard Hawley and Tom Deering – “Standing at the Sky’s Edge” – National Theatre

Best theatre choreography

Matt Cole – “Newsies”

Best set design

Tom Pye – “My Neighbour Totoro” – Barbican

Best lighting design

Jessica Hung Han Yun – “My Neighbour Totoro” – Barbican

Outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre

“The P Word” – Bush Theatre

Best family show

“Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show” – Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre

Best new opera production

“Alcina” by the Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House

Outstanding achievement in opera

William Kentridge for his conception and direction of “Sibyl” at the Barbican

Best new dance production

“Traplord” by Ivan Michael Blackstock at 180 Studios (The Strand)

Outstanding achievement in dance

Dickson Mbi for his choreography of “Enowate” at Sadler’s Wells

Special award 

Dame Arlene Phillips

Lifetime achievement award 

Sir Derek Jacobi