Olivier Awards at 50: looking back at their glamorous debut

Fifty years ago, the West End founded its own theatre awards ceremony. We look back at the first cohort to win the ‘urn’ that would become the Olivier statuette 👇

Gush review at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

★★★★ Review: Gush – Deft debut monologue about sexuality, pregnancy and parenthood.

Read The Stage's review 👇

Edinburgh’s Pleasance in fresh row about noise complaints from residents

Edinburgh Festival Fringe venue operator Pleasance Theatre Trust has become embroiled in a planning row with local residents over noise levels during the August arts festival.

Read more 👇

New British musicals at risk of ‘disappearing’, mapping project finds

New British musical theatre is "in danger of disappearing" due to a lack of visibility, according to a new project looking at 10 years of the art form.

Read more 👇

Arts Council of Wales accused of ‘bending rules’ for Michael Sheen’s theatre company

Smaller Welsh theatre companies and freelancers have criticised Arts Council of Wales for funding Michael Sheen’s new Welsh National Theatre from a pot of money earmarked for companies with "an established record".

Read more 👇

Liverpool's Royal Court facing 'reductions in every department'

Liverpool’s Royal Court is gearing up to make "reductions in every department" and has paused its youth theatre sessions in a bid to cut costs.

Read more 👇

Heart Wall at the Bush Theatre, London: easy-going energy

★★★★ Review: Heart Wall – Kit Withington’s downbeat family drama is lent charm and heart by its charismatic and committed cast 👇

Natasha Tripney on show start times

Early birds and night owls: why a show’s start time can make all the difference for audiences, writes Natasha Tripney 👇

Margaret Hodge: ACE needs a protocol to address cancel culture

Margaret Hodge has expressed concern about widespread cancel culture in the arts and culture sector, labelling it "scary" and calling on Arts Council England to develop a "protocol" to challenge it.

Read more 👇

‘Touring in crisis’: Number of plays drops 64% since 2019 – report

The number of plays touring England has fallen 64% since 2019, a report from Arts Council England reveals, warning that intervention is needed to prevent the drop hitting a "critical level".

Read more 👇

Producer Francesca Moody’s pop-up venue Shedinburgh will return to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August, before relocating to London for its first ever run in the capital.

Read more 👉 www.thestage.co.uk/news/fra...

Seyi Omooba loses bid to reopen Color Purple case against Curve in Leicester

Curve’s leaders have welcomed a court’s decision that prevents actor Seyi Omooba from reopening a case relating to her sacking from The Color Purple.

Read more 👇

Iphigenia review at the Arcola Theatre, London: never quite fulfils its potential

★★ Review: Iphigenia – Surprisingly underpowered adaptation of Euripides that uses real testimony to clarify its themes 👇

Richard Coles' Murder Before Evensong adapted for the stage

Richard Coles’ Murder Before Evensong is being adapted for the stage, and will run at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury later this year.

Read more 👇

RBO boss: Timothée Chalamet comments boosted ticket sales

Royal Ballet and Opera chief executive Alex Beard has claimed Timothée Chalamet’s controversial comments about the art forms have bolstered the company’s ticket sales.

Read more 👇

Oliviers 2026 pulls in 600,000 viewers on the night of BBC broadcast

A total of 600,000 people tuned in to watch the broadcast of this year’s Olivier Awards on BBC2, The Stage has learned.

Read more 👇

Mason Alexander Park among nominees for Ian Charleson Awards 2026

Mason Alexander Park and Francesca Mills are among those to be shortlisted for the Ian Charleson Awards 2026, which celebrates performances by actors under the age of 30 in a classical role.

Read more 👇

Matthew Hemley on the Oliviers' return to prime-time TV

Broadcasters' attitudes matter when it comes to conveying the importance and impact of theatre to the general public, writes editor Matthew Hemley following the Oliviers' return to prime-time TV 👇

Boy Blue: Cycles – a showcase for beautiful movement

★★★★ Review: Boy Blue: Cycles – Inventive and inspiring show casts hip-hop dance in a thrilling new light 👇

The Royal Shakespeare Company, the Lowry in Manchester and Brighton Dome are among cultural venues to benefit from a share of £96m awarded by Arts Council England.

Read more 👉www.thestage.co.uk/news/rsc-lowry-and-brigh...

Planet Omar review at Leeds Playhouse

★★★ Review: Planet Omar – Well-meaning, warm-hearted but underpowered adaptation of Zanib Mian’s children’s books.

Read The Stage's review 👇

Flyby at Southwark Playhouse Borough, London: wholly unpredictable

★★★★ Review: Flyby – Refreshingly unconventional new musical exploring the fallout from a deeply troubled romance.

Read The Stage's review 👇

Invisible Me review at Southwark Playhouse Borough: hopeful and warming

★★★ Review: Invisible Me – Heartening, if predictable play turns the table on old-age invisibility 👇

Munya Chawawa on curtain calls and pandering to social media

Actor and comedian Munya Chawawa has argued that curtain calls should be showcased on social media platforms, but the industry should not "cater" to online trends.

Read more 👇

Indhu Rubasingham: We need more women on the country's bigger stages

National Theatre director Indhu Rubasingham has urged theatre bosses to programme more written by women on the UK’s biggest stages.

Read more 👇

Kate Fleetwood: Regional theatre is a training ground – government must support it

Kate Fleetwood has called on central government to support local theatre, labelling regional theatre a "great training ground" for the sector.

Read more 👇

Sue Perkins: Rotating casts help shows keep running

Comedian Sue Perkins has claimed that a revolving door of talent taking turns to star in shows is beneficial for theatre, allowing flexibility for actors and helping shows to "run forever".

Read more 👇

ENO star: Timothée Chalamet is opera’s boyfriend now

British soprano Christine Rice has called Timothée Chalamet "opera’s boyfriend", claiming the Hollywood actor’s disregard for opera has sparked a wider conversation.

Read more 👇

James Graham: Theatre should not apologise for telling local stories

Playwright James Graham has urged the UK theatre industry to stop “apologising” for telling culturally specific stories, arguing that local narratives are often what resonate most strongly with global audiences.

Read more 👇

Matthew Hemley on Lesley Manville’s comments about filming curtain calls

Following Lesley Manville’s remarks, editor Matthew Hemley asks whether we need more consistent messaging around filming curtain calls 👇