LONDON (AP) 鈥� Homegrown hit “Paddington The Musical鈥� was the big winner at London鈥檚 on Sunday, where the marmalade-loving bear from Peru won seven trophies, including best new musical.
The prizes celebrating achievements in theater, opera and dance are Britain鈥檚 equivalent of Broadway鈥檚 .
Based on Michael Bond鈥檚 stories about a duffel-coated bear seeking a new home in London, 鈥淧addington The Musical鈥� was written by playwright Jessica Swale and songwriter Tom Fletcher of the band McFly.
Bond鈥檚 books have been much-loved since the 1950s赂and in recent years Paddington has become a British icon through three successful movies and an on-screen appearance with Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, just weeks before her death.
The musical has proved a major success since it opened in November, with audiences embracing the cuddly central character, brought to life through a blend of live acting and puppetry.
Its Olivier wins included a joint best actor in a musical award for James Hameed and Arti Shah, who together play the role. Hameed provides the voice and remote puppetry, while Shah 鈥� the first woman to win a best-actor Olivier 鈥� inhabits the bear costume onstage.
Hameed urged people to embrace the Paddington stories’ message of welcoming immigrants and strangers. 鈥淧addington reminds us to be welcoming, inquisitive and most importantly, kind,鈥� he said.
Cast members Tom Edden and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt won the supporting performer prizes, and the show also took trophies for director Luke Sheppard and for both set and costume design.
Sheppard hinted that this 鈥渓ove letter to London鈥� could one day be Broadway-bound. 鈥淚t would be a dream for Paddington to pack his suitcase and visit some other cities around the world,鈥� the director said backstage. 鈥淪o watch this space.鈥�
鈥楨xhilarating risk鈥�
was named best actress in a musical for her starring role in 鈥淓vita.鈥� Playing Argentine first lady Eva Peron, Zegler performed the song 鈥淒on鈥檛 Cry For Me, Argentina鈥� on an exterior balcony, attracting large crowds to the street every night while theatergoers inside watched on screens.
A much-praised production of Stephen Sondheim鈥檚 twisted fairy tale journey 鈥淚nto the Woods鈥� won the prize for best musical revival, and a second award for lighting.
In the nonmusical categories, Rosamund Pike was named best actress for playing a judge forced to question the justice system and her own ethics in 鈥淚nter Alia.鈥� She said doing the one-woman show, her first stage play in 14 years, was an 鈥渆xhilarating risk.鈥�
Jack Holden took the best actor prize for playing multiple roles in small-town murder mystery 鈥淜enrex.鈥�
鈥淎ll My Sons鈥� was named best revival, with Paapa Essiedu winning the best supporting actor trophy for Arthur Miller鈥檚 classic drama.
Julie Hesmondhalgh took home the best supporting actress prize for 鈥淧unch.鈥� The true-life crime and redemption story, which had a Broadway run last year, was also named best new play
Playwright James Graham said it had been 鈥渙ne of the honors of my life鈥� to dramatize the story of Jacob Dunne, who killed another man with a single punch in a fight but went on to reconciliation with the victim鈥檚 family. Graham was joined onstage by Dunne and the victim鈥檚 mother, Joan Scourfield.
Two significant anniversaries
The Olivier Awards were founded in 1976 and named after the late actor-director Laurence Olivier. The winners are chosen by voting groups of stage professionals and theatergoers.
鈥淭ed Lasso鈥� star hosted the 50th anniversary edition of the awards at a star-studded ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall, where Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren, Vanessa Williams and Andrew Lloyd Webber were among the trophy presenters.
The ceremony included performances from nominated musicals and numbers marking two significant anniversaries: 40 years of Lloyd Webber鈥檚 鈥淧hantom of the Opera,鈥� and 20 years of 鈥淲icked鈥� in the West End.
Elaine Paige, star of hit musicals including 鈥淐ats,鈥� 鈥淓vita,鈥� 鈥淪unset Boulevard鈥� and 鈥淧iaf,鈥� received this year鈥檚 Special Award.
The upbeat ceremony reflected the mood of London theater, which is celebrating a strong post-pandemic return. The Society of London Theatre, an industry umbrella group, says ticket sales have surpassed the levels seen before the COVID-19 pandemic. Shows in the West End 鈥� the collective name for London鈥檚 theaterland 鈥� attracted 17.6 million visitors in 2025, 3 million more than Broadway.
But there are concerns about rising ticket prices and soaring production budgets, fueled by higher costs for labor, materials and energy.
鈥淭heaters are busier than ever, but many are operating with far less financial headroom,鈥� the society said in a report published last month.
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