Brendan Gleeson has been named best actor at the Critics’ Circle theatre awards for his West End debut in Conor McPherson’s pub drama The Weir. He triumphed over fellow nominees including Bryan Cranston and Paapa Essiedu, both recognised for All My Sons, and the duo James Hameed and Arti Shah, who together portray Paddington in the new musical. The Weir, which was entirely omitted from the Olivier awards nominations, is being turned into a film with Gleeson and the rest of the West End cast.
All My Sons, Arthur Miller’s classic at Wyndham’s theatre, won two categories: best revival of a play or musical and best director for Ivo van Hove. A new production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods, directed by Jordan Fein at the Bridge theatre, also won two prizes – best designer (Tom Scutt) and the inaugural award for best ensemble or cast.
Rosamund Pike won best actress for her performance as a judge in Suzie Miller’s Inter Alia, beating Kate Fleetwood (Into the Woods), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (All My Sons) and Rachel Zegler (Evita). Hayley Atwell claimed best Shakespearean performance for her Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, outperforming her co-star Tom Hiddleston, who was also nominated. Ruby Ashbourne Serkis was named most promising newcomer for her role in a revival of Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink.
Other winners included Paddington: The Musical for best new musical, and James Graham’s Punch for the Michael Billington award for best new play. Ava Pickett received the most promising playwright award for her Tudor drama 1536, which transfers to the West End in May and is being adapted for a BBC drama series. The Empty Space Peter Brook award, renamed in memory of Blanche Marvin, went to the not-for-profit theatre company Red Rose Chain in Ipswich.
Mark Lawson, 2026 chair of the Critics’ Circle drama section, noted that this was the first year members voted from longlists and shortlists. “Some categories were won by a landslide, but others were tight five- or six-way contests eventually decided after a recount, suggesting strong quality among the quantity,” he said.
