Brendan Gleeson has been honoured with the Best Actor award at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards in London for his performance in The Weir. The production marks his West End debut, and he is expected to reprise the same role in an upcoming film adaptation. His win came ahead of strong competition from Bryan Cranston and Paapa Essiedu, both of whom were nominated for their performances in All My Sons.
The awards ceremony, organised by the Critics' Circle, took place at the National Theatre on Thursday. Winners are selected by professional theatre critics, making the recognition particularly prestigious within the industry.
In the Best Actress category, Rosamund Pike took the top prize for her portrayal of Judge Jessica Parks in Inter Alia, a contemporary legal drama. Meanwhile, James Graham earned the Best New Play award for his work Punch.
Musical theatre was also well represented. Paddington The Musical, written by Tom Fletcher and inspired by A Bear Called Paddington as well as the Paddington, continued its success by winning Best New Musical.
Emerging talent was recognised with Ava Pickett receiving the Most Promising Playwright award for her historical drama 1536. In addition, Ruby Ashbourne-Serkis was named Best Newcomer for her performance in Indian Ink.
Among the other major winners, Ivo van Hove was awarded Best Director for his staging of All My Sons, which also secured the Best Revival of a Play or Musical. Jordan Fein’s production of Into the Woods earned multiple accolades, including Best Ensemble or Cast. The show’s visual achievements were also recognised, with Tom Scutt winning Best Designer.
Overall, the awards celebrated a diverse range of productions and performances, highlighting both established stars and rising talents across contemporary theatre.
