UK Theatre Awards crowns 2022 winners

The 2022 UK Theatre Awards revealed its winners at a London ceremony yesterday (Sunday), with Leeds Playhouse coming away the most decorated. 

The theatre won three awards including the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre, Best Design for Laura Hopkins and Simon Wainwright for ‘Dracula: The Untold Story’ and Best Performance in a Musical for Divina de Campo (pictured centre) for ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’.

Best director was won by Elin Schofield, Robert Hastie and Anthony Las for ‘Rock/Paper/Scissors’. The cast of the production performed in the Crucible, Lyceum and Studios simultaneously at Sheffield Theatres.

Curve Theatre Leicester’s ‘Billy Elliot the Musical’ won Best Musical Production, while ‘Mugabe, My Dad & Me’ won Best New Play. The Best Performance in a Play was won by Giles Terera for Bristol Old Vic’s production of ‘The Meaning of Zong’.

Best Supporting Performance was awarded to Nishla Smith for her performance in Octagon Theatre and Theatre By The Lake co-production, ‘Kes’.

‘Translations’ at the Abbey Theatre and Lyric Theatre Belfast won Best Play Revival, while ‘Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World’ was awarded Best Show for Children and Young People.

Richard Mantle received the award for Achievement in Opera in recognition for his work at Opera North, and the dancers of ‘Rambert’ won the Achievement in Dance award.

Sarah Holmes was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre accolade, which was presented by Stephanie Sirr MBE and Michèle Taylor MBE.

Holmes said: “I accept this award as recognition for the quality, innovation and creative spirit which is to be found in our pioneering regional theatres.”

Offstage awards included Excellence in Arts Education which was awarded to the Lyric Theatre in Belfast; Excellence in Inclusivity which was won by English Touring Theatre; Excellence in Touring awarded to Graeae Theatre Company; Best Digital Innovation given to Chichester Festival Theatre and Best Workforce, which was awarded to The Marlowe, Canterbury.