Olivier Award Nominations 2026: Top nominees and predicted winners

Since premiering last autumn, Paddington the Musical has been rocking the West End scene, with its precious, fluffy Peruvian bear throwing marmalade sandwiches all around. Nominated for a record-breaking 11 Olivier Awards this year, including Best Musical, the show has delighted audiences with state-of-the-art animatronics, show-stopping choreography, and a sing-along musical score by Tom Fletcher (of McFly fame). Could this be the year that a brand-new British musical dominates the biggest night in the London theatre calendar, setting a new record? 

Also leading the charge with 11 nominations is Sondheim’s revival of Into the Woods, proving that beloved stories with a modern twist can rival the biggest showstoppers. Into the Woods offers a distinctly different theatre experience, reinventing classic fairy tales and going beyond happy endings to explore the consequences of wishes, and the stark reality of what happens when they come true. Balancing tradition with reinvention, the show blends humour with modern staging techniques and mesmerising décor, transporting audiences into familiar childhood tales such as Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. Using Sondheim's powerful music and lyrics, the revival resonates with audiences, reshaped in a modern context and carrying its legacy decades after its debut. 

Together, these two productions combine new crowd-pleasers and beloved classics. Both are praised for their captivating storytelling and for challenging theatre as we know it, and they are set to dominate this year's Olivier ceremony.  

Beyond the two headline acts, this 50th edition has plenty in store, with categories outside of musical theatre proving to be just as competitive, if not more so. Making waves in Theatreland at the end of last year were productions such as Stereophonics, KENREX and All My Sons, which secured multiple nominations. This highlights the growing number of plays and dramas with powerful storytelling taking to the West End stage. Last season had plenty to offer, from revivals of timeless favourites to new favourites with innovative staging and show-stopping performances by up-and-coming stars. 

The Producers is an all-out laugh-out-loud sparkling musical extravaganza, and the first major revival of Mel Brooks' original musical. It has met with roaring success and previously won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards. The duo of has-been producer and his accountant trying to make money from a theatrical flop is an adaptation of the classic 1968 film, and closely follows the story of the show that, against all odds, turns into a smash hit. Similarly, the Producers musical is set to win three Olivier Awards – notably with Marc Antolin and Andy Nyman both nominated in the Best Actor in a Musical category, as well as being strong contenders for the Best Musical Revival Award.

Many have predicted near total dominance for Paddington the Musical, which features one of the nation's favourite characters and blends wholesome storytelling with spectacular stage design. This makes it a top contender for a clean sweep this year, competing against more established shows with star power, artistic direction and performance. Paddington could easily dominate the technical categories, setting new standards in the portrayal of Paddington Bear through an innovative blend of design and technology with spectacular theatre storytelling.

The biggest surprise nominations in 2026

Alongside the much-expected nominations of this season's popular West End shows, there were a few surprises, demonstrating the appeal of innovative and experimental work to audiences seeking a less conventional approach. Such productions include Stereophonic, an immersive play that takes audiences into a production that blurs the lines between theatre and a studio recording experience, diving into the creative process to deliver a raw performance. Zachary Hart is nominated not once, but twice in the same category (Best Actor in a Supporting Role) for his performances in Stereophonic and The Seagull. 

Other double nominees include Georgina Onuorah, who has been nominated in two different categories: Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for her portrayal of Lulu in the UK premiere of the Broadway musical Shucked; and Best Actress in a Musical, alongside her co-star Danielle Fiamanya for sharing the role of Fiona in Brigadoon. These two productions from last year's summer season at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre have received a total of five nominations across four categories, including Best Musical for Shucked and Best Theatre Choreographer for Drew Onie's work on Brigadoon. 

This year's nominations reveal an increasing crossover between screen and live theatre. High-profile names are venturing onto one of the world's biggest theatre stages, receiving widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike. Leading the charge is Tom Hiddleston, who has been nominated for his performance in Much Ado About Nothing. This demonstrates that theatre's great classics are still a source of inspiration and can be reinvented through a new lens. Big names can bring visibility to Shakespeare's work and revitalise it, appealing to a wider audience.

Similarly, Bryan Cranston, also nominated in the same category, returned to the stage with an all-star cast in a revival of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, adding prestige to the production. This mid-20th-century drama made a notable comeback, with Cranston's star power, which made the production a must-see event last winter. He shared the stage with Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who was nominated for Best Actress, and Paapa Essiedu, who was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. In total, All My Sons received six nominations, including Best Revival.  

Revivals had a strong year, with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new production of Evita leading the charge. It challenged theatre standards and created a buzz on the busy streets of the West End. All summer long, crowds gathered at intervals on the Palladium balcony, waiting for Rachel Zegler’s show-stopping performance of Don't Cry for Me Argentina, sparking a new kind of excitement across the West End. Directed by the brilliant Jamie Lloyd, the Evita revival reinvented itself as one of the great classics of musical theatre, stepping into a new era of modernity. It is up for five awards. Nominations include Best Musical Revival, competing against other top contenders for the win, including Into the Woods, The Producers, and American Psycho. Evita leads with three nominations, including Best Actress in a Musical for Rachel Zegler and Best Actor in a Musical for her co-star Diego Andres Rodriguez. 

The 2026 nominations are packed with major productions nominated in numerous categories, hinting at the absence of smaller, critically acclaimed productions that bring original writing and more experimental work to the stage. Bigger, more mainstream productions with star power are able to build momentum, becoming the main focus of industry awards. This makes it harder for new and emerging voices to break through, although some shows have achieved this before, starting off in fringe and off-West End venues before making it to the spotlight. 

While the big players made the list as expected, and deservedly so, a few shows surprisingly didn’t make the cut. One example is Conor McPherson’s play The Weir, starring Brendan Gleeson, which received critical acclaim and widespread praise for its stellar performances. While plays such as KENREX and Stereophonic broke through and made the list, securing multiple nominations across categories and being hailed by critics for their original and bold storytelling, neither has emerged as the defining play of the year. Another show that rocked the West End last year but is missing from this year's top categories is The Great Gatsby, which received three nominations, including Best Set Design and Best Costume Design. Within the acting category, Corbin Bleu was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical.