Laurence Olivier Awards

Olivier Awards
Current: 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards
Laurence Olivier Award, designed by the sculptor Harry Franchetti, depicting Olivier as Henry V at The Old Vic in 1937
Awarded forBest in London theatre
CountryUnited Kingdom
Presented bySociety of London Theatre
First awarded1976; 48 years ago (1976)
WebsiteOfficial website

The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Awards, but they were renamed in honour of the British actor of the same name in 1984.

The awards are given annually to individuals involved in West End productions and other leading non-commercial theatres based in London across a range of categories covering plays, musicals, dance, opera and affiliate theatre. A discretionary non-competitive Special Olivier Award is also given each year. The Olivier Awards are recognised internationally as the highest honour in British theatre, equivalent to the BAFTA Awards for film and television, and the BRIT Awards for music. The Olivier Awards are considered equivalent to Broadway's Tony Awards and France's Molière Award.

Since inception, the awards have been held at various venues and theatres across London, from 2012 to 2016 at the Royal Opera House, before moving to the Royal Albert Hall in 2017. Television coverage is broadcast in prime time on ITV1, who acquired the rights from 2013 onwards, with radio coverage by Magic Radio.

Most recent Olivier Award winners
← 2023 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards 2025 →
 
Award Best Actor Best Actress
Winner Mark Gatiss
(The Motive and the Cue)
Sarah Snook
(The Picture of Dorian Gray)
 
Award Best Actor in a Musical Best Actress in the Musical
Winner Tom Francis
(Sunset Boulevard)
Nicole Scherzinger
(Sunset Boulevard)
Award Best Director
Winner Jamie Lloyd
(Sunset Boulevard)

Previous Best Musical

Standing at the Sky's Edge

Previous Best Play
Prima Facie

Best Musical

Operation Mincemeat
Best Play
Dear England