British theatre has dominated in this year’s Tony Award nominations racking up 41 nominations and demonstrating the breadth of world-class theatre that is being made and produced in, and by the UK. The nominations include a number of productions which had great success at the 2025 and 2026 Olivier Awards.
The 2026 Tony Award nominations include:
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York): Nominated for eight awards including Best New Musical, Best Director for Tim Jackson, Best Actor for Sam Tutty, and Best Actress for Christiani Pitts. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) was originally developed at Royal & Derngate, Northampton, and New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, before its London premiere at the Kiln Theatre in London. It subsequently transferred to the West End, and later Broadway.
Oedipus: Nominated for seven awards including Best Revival, Best Director for Robert Icke, Best Actress for Leslie Manville, and Best Actor for Mark Strong. Robert Icke’s production of Oedipus, produced by Sonia Friedman, premiered at the Wyndham’s Theatre in the West End and won Best Revival and best Actress at the Olivier Awards 2025 with Mastercard.
Giant: Nominated for four awards including Best New Play, Best Director for Nick Hytner, Best Actor for John Lithgow, and Best Supporting Actress for Aya Cash. Giant premiered at the Royal Court before transferring to the West End and then Broadway. It won Best New Play, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actor at the Olivier Awards 2025 with Mastercard.
Every Brilliant Thing: Nominated for Best Revival and Best Actor for Daniel Radcliffe. Every Brilliant Thing was developed with Paines Plough and premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014. It has been performed in over 80 countries and made its West End debut in 2025 before transferring to Broadway.
Punch: Nominated for Best Actor for Will Harrison. Premiered at Nottingham Playhouse before transferring to the Young Vic and the West End, while also playing simultaneously on Broadway. It won Best New Play and Best Supporting Actress at the Olivier Awards 2026 with Cunard, and is currently touring the UK.
Michael Harrison and Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s production of Cats: The Jellicle Ball has been nominated for nine awards including Best Revival and Best Orchestration for Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Layton Williams, who won Best Supporting Actor at the Olivier Awards 2025 with Mastercard has been nominated for the same role in Titanique on Broadway. In addition to Layton’s Award, Titanique also won the Olivier Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play.
Luke Evans has been nominated for Best Actor in Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Picture Show which originally premiered at the Royal Court in 1973 before going onto become a cult classic. It has received nine nominations including Best Revival.
SOLT & UK Theatre Co-CEO Claire Walker said:
“The Tony nominations are a fantastic celebration of the extraordinary calibre of work being made in the UK today. From new writing developed and nurtured in our regional theatres, to producers, creatives, and performers taking British stories to the world’s biggest stages, these nominations highlight the UK’s reputation as a global home for theatre.
“Congratulations to everyone nominated. It is a proud moment for our industry and a powerful reminder of British theatre’s ability to compete and lead on the international stage.”
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