The Evening Standard have announced the 2023 shortlist for the 67th Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

The shortlist features the biggest names and brightest emerging talents from the London stage over the last twelve months. Recognised across nine award categories, globally-renowned actors, actresses and hit shows including Guys & Dolls, Dear England, A Strange Loop and A Mirror, will compete to win one of the coveted awards.

The winners will be announced on 19 November at an awards ceremony, held at Claridge’s. The Evening Standard Theatre Awards are hosted by the newspaper’s proprietor Lord Lebedev, alongside new co-hosts this year: David Harewood, Vanessa Kirby, Ian McKellen, Sienna Miller and this year’s presenter Susan Wokoma.

The full shortlist includes:

Best Design:

Bunny Christie, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre

Robert Jones, Dancing at Lughnasa, National Theatre

Georgia Lowe, The Good Person of Szechwan, Lyric Hammersmith

Tom Pye, My Neighbour Totoro, Royal Shakespeare Company/Barbican Theatre

Charles Wintour Award for Most Promising Playwright :

Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini, Sleepova, Bush Theatre

Kimber Lee, Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon Play, Young Vic Theatre

Anoushka Lucas, Elephant, Bush Theatre 

Isley Lynn, The Swell, Orange Tree Theatre

Emerging Talent:

Andrew Richardson, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre

Taylor Russell, The Effect, National Theatre

Tatenda Shamiso, NO I.D, Royal Court

Jack Wolfe, Next to Normal, Donmar Warehouse

Milton Shulman Award for Best Director:

Rebecca Frecknall, A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre

Rupert Goold, Dear England, National Theatre

Nicholas Hytner, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre

Jamie Lloyd, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre

Best Musical:

Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre

Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre

A Strange Loop, Barbican Theatre

Tammy Faye, Almeida Theatre

Best Musical Performance:

Kyle Ramar Freeman, A Strange Loop, Barbican Theatre

Nicole Scherzinger, Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre

Charlie Stemp, Crazy For You, Gillian Lynne Theatre

Marisha Wallace, Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre

Best Actor:

Paapa Essiedu, The Effect, National Theatre

Mark Gatiss, The Motive and the Cue, National Theatre

Paul Mescal, A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre

Andrew Scott, Vanya, Duke of York’s Theatre

Natasha Richardson Award for Best Actress in association with Mithridate:

Patsy Ferran, A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre

Sophie Okonedo, Medea, @sohoplace

Rachael Stirling, Private Lives, Donmar Warehouse

Anjana Vasan, A Streetcar Named Desire, Almeida Theatre

Best Play:

Dear England, James Graham, National Theatre

A Mirror, Sam Holcroft, Almeida Theatre

The Motive and the Cue, Jack Thorne, National Theatre

Retrograde, Ryan Calais Cameron, Kiln Theatre