Honouring the city's best theatre.

Launched in 1955, the Evening Standard Theatre Awards have helped shape the course of London’s theatrical history over the past six decades and, in turn, helped to put the West End on the global map. In its first year it set the precedent for honouring the city’s best theatre, including Richard Burton’s acclaimed performance in Henry V at the Old Vic and the London premiere of Waiting for Godot, directed by Peter Hall and has continued to celebrate the greats of the age from Laurence Olivier and Vanessa Redgrave to new and exciting talent like Cush Jumbo and Andrew Garfield.

Hosted by Evening Standard proprietor Evgeny Lebedev and co-hosted by Dame Anna Wintour, the theatre awards remain the Evening Standard’s signature event for which it is celebrated the world over. It is the first major awards occasion of the season and attracts the best talent because it uniquely marries prestige with fun — intimate and accessible, yet glamorous and magical.