The winners of this year’s UK Theatre Awards have been announced at a ceremony hosted by Faye Tozer, which took place at 8 Northumberland Avenue this afternoon.

The UK Theatre Awards celebrate the very best of theatre across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Awards are given for creative excellence and outstanding work both on and off stage, including the Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award and the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award.

With winners representing all four nations, the ceremony celebrated the UK’s world-leading theatre industry. Leeds Playhouse’s production of Oliver! led the way, winning two awards: Best Musical Production, and Best Performance in a Musical for Jenny Fitzpatrick. Belgrade Theatre are attached to two winning productions: Swim, Aunty, Swim! (Best New Play), and Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning (Best Design for Kenneth MacLeod).

Elsewhere in the On Stage categories, Best Director was awarded to Drew McOnie for The Artist at Theatre Royal Plymouth, Rhino at Lyric Theatre Belfast snapped up Best Play Revival, and Stephen Joseph Theatre’s production of Beauty And The Beast secured Best Show for Children & Young People. Achievement in Dance was won by Mehek, an Aakash Odedra Company & Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company production, and Achievement in Opera was awarded to Welsh National Opera’s Death In Venice.

In the performing categories, David Shields won Best Performance in a Play for Punch at Nottingham Playhouse, and Chumisa Dornford-May won Best Supporting Performance (in a Musical or Play) for Evita at the Curve.

The highly coveted UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre Award was secured by Polka Theatre, coming out on top against strong competition from fellow nominees Hall for Cornwall and Octagon Theatre Bolton.

Elsewhere in the Off Stage categories, the Workforce Award was won by Buxton Opera House and Pavilion Arts Centre, Chichester Festival Theatre snapped up the newly-introduced accolade for Excellence in Sustainability, Excellence in Inclusivity went to Antony & Cleopatra at Shakespeare’s Globe, Excellence in Touring to Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru’s Parti Priodas, and Excellence in Arts Education was secured by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

As previously announced, the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre Award was Jenny Sealey OBE, Artistic Director of Graeae, whose achievements were celebrated at this afternoon’s ceremony as she was presented with her Award.

Co-CEOs of Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, Claire Walker & Hannah Essex, said: “This year’s UK Theatre Awards ceremony has been a truly joyful celebration and a real testament to the quality and diversity of the work that our members do both on and off the stage and in their local communities. We are constantly in awe of the resilience, creativity and ambition that we witness across the four nations.

“Congratulations to all the winners and nominees, and thank you to our sponsors and partners for their support. We are thrilled to have celebrated another year of phenomenal UK theatre with you all.”

For a full list of winners at the UK Theatre Awards, please click here.