REVIEW OF THE YEAR 2024
- Neill Kovacic-Clarke
- Apr 6
- 4 min read
I saw more productions than ever in 2024 and at the end of the year i shared my countdown of my top picks for each category on social media. It's now April 2025 and the day of the Olivier Awards so I thought it was about time I shared my review of the year on the website!
It's important to remember that this is my own personal opinion and the great thing about theatre is that it is so subjective and everyone has different experiences and views on productions.
These lists are obviously only based on shows I have personally seen, and my rule is that I must have seen it for the first time in 2024. The exceptions to this rule are if it's a new production or a touring production I'd previously seen in the West End.
Some of the productions which feature on these lists may be those to which I was invited to watch and review but the fact that my ticket was gifted has played no part in them appearing here.
If I saw a show in more than one venue then the venue mentioned is the one where I reviewed it.
SHOWS OF THE YEAR
PLAY OF THE YEAR
1) SHIFTERS
Duke of York's Theatre, London
2) MACHINAL
The Old Vic, London
3) FOR BLACK BOYS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE HUE GETS TOO HEAVY
Garrick Theatre, London
4) SLAVE PLAY
Noël Coward Theatre, London
5) MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth (UK Tour)
MUSICAL THEATRE SHOW OF THE YEAR
1) THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Dominion Theatre, London
2) PASSING STRANGE
The Young Vic, London
3) HELLO, DOLLY!
The London Palladium, London
4) GUYS & DOLLS
The Bridge Theatre, London
5) TWO STRANGERS CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK
Criterion Theatre, London
CONCERT SHOW OF THE YEAR
1) COOL RIDER
The London Palladium, London
2) OKLAHOMA! IN CONCERT
Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London
3) THE BILLY JOEL SONGBOOK
The London Palladium, London (UK Tour)
4) THAT'LL BE THE DAY: SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth (UK Tour)
5) WALK RIGHT BACK
New Wimbledon Theatre, London (UK Tour)
FRINGE THEATRE SHOW OF THE YEAR
1) GANGSTA BABY
Hope Theatre, London
2) SPIT IN MY FACE
Camden People's Theatre, London
3) THE LAST TIME I SAW CAILEIGH
Baron's Court Theatre, London
4) DROP DEAD
Drayton Arms Theatre, London
5) THE HOUSE WE INHERIT
The Bridge Theatre, London
DANCE SHOW OF THE YEAR
1) THE MONOCLE
The House, Plymouth (UK Tour)
2) LITTLE MURMUR
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth (UK Tour)
3) MATTHEW BOURNE'S SWAN LAKE
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth (UK Tour)
4) THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth (UK Tour)
5) THE SÃO PAULO DANCE COMPANY
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth (UK Tour)
DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE YEAR
1) HADESTOWN
Lyric Theatre, London
2) FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Regent's Park Theatre, London
3) ALAN TURING: A MUSICAL BIOGRAPHY
Riverside Studios, London
4) JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
Princess Theatre, Torquay (UK Tour)
5) AND THEN THERE WERE NONE
Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth (UK Tour)
PANTOMIME OF THE YEAR
1) JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
Princess Theatre, Torquay
Jordan Productions
2) JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
New Wimbledon Theatre, London
Crossroads Pantomimes
3) JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: WHAT A WHOPPER!
Charing Cross Theatre, London
He's Behind You Pantomimes
4) SHIFTERS
Duke of York's Theatre, London
5) SHIFTERS
Duke of York's Theatre, London
PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR
ACTOR OF THE YEAR - FEMALE
1) ROSIE SHEEHY
as Young Woman in
MACHINAL
2) HEATHER AGYEPONG
as Des in
SHIFTERS
3) DEBBIE CHAZEN
as Princess Dragonmiroff in
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
4) OLIVIA WASHINGTON
as Kaneisha in
SLAVE PLAY
5) ANTONIA SALIB
as Her in
AFTER SEX
ACTOR OF THE YEAR - MALE
1) CAMERON RAASDAL-MUNROE
as Junior in
GANGSTA BABY
2) TOSIN COLE
as Dre in
SHIFTERS
3) KIT HARRINGTON
as Jim in
SLAVE PLAY
4) MATTHIAS MORET
as Pierre in
SPIT IT MY FACE
5) AZAN AHMED
as Him in
AFTER SEX
MUSICAL PERFORMER OF THE YEAR - FEMALE
1) GEORGIE BUCKLAND
as Andy in
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
2) AMY DI BARTOLOMEO
as Emily in
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
3) IMELDA STAUNTON
as Dolly in
HELLO, DOLLY!
4) BREE SMITH
as Hannah in
COME FROM AWAY
5) ELOISE RUNNETTE
as Sister Mary Robert in
SISTER ACT
MUSICAL PERFORMER OF THE YEAR - MALE
1) TOSH WANOGHO-MAUD
as Jud Fry in
OKLAHOMA! IN CONCERT
2) MATT HENRY
as Nigel in
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
3) MILES ANTHONT DALEY
as George Treadwell in
THE DRIFTERS GIRL
4) GILES TERERA
as Narrator in
PASSING STRANGE
5) JACK DANSON
as Romeo in
& JULIET
COVER OF THE YEAR
1) FELIPE BEJARANO
as Fiyero in
WICKED
2) LEE ORMSBY
as Doc in
BACK TO THE FUTURE
3) MADDY AMBUS
as Emily in
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
4) MAY TETHER
as Veronica Sawyer in
HEATHERS
5) MEG DIXON-BRASIL
as Jane Seymour in
SIX
DANCE PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
1) ALYSSA LISLE / CORALIE CALFOND / JEMIMA COLIN / NATASSA ARGYROPOULOU / RUTH HOWARD / ZARA PHILLIPS
performers in
THE MONOCLE
2) SUBHASH VIMAN GORANIA
as Aakash in
LITTLE MURMUR
3) STEPHEN MURRAY
as The Prince in
MATTHEW BOURNE'S SWAN LAKE
4) YASIEL HODELIN BELLO
as Prince Florimund in
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
5) JACKSON FISCH
as The Swan / The Stranger in
MATTHEW BOURNE'S SWAN LAKE
Special Mention: IMOGEN BANKS
as The Singer in
THE MONOCLE
PANTO PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
1) MATT LAPINSKAS
as Fleshcreep in
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
at Princess Theatre, Torquay
2) JOE PASQUALE
as Silly Simon in
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
at New Wimbledon Theatre, London
3) CERI DUPREE
as Dame Trott in
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
at New Wimbledon Theatre, London
4) MATTHEW BALDWIN
as Dame Dolly Trott in
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: WHAT A WHOPPER!
at Charing Cross Theatre, London
5) ROB RINDER
as The Man in the Mirror in
JSNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS
at Theatre Royal Plymouth, Plymouth
CREATIVES OF THE YEAR
THEATRE CREATIVE OF THE YEAR
MATHIEU GEFFRÉ
Choreographer
THE MONOCLE
RICHARD JONES
Director
MACHINAL
CAMERON RAASDAL-MUNRO
Writer
GANGSTA BABY
ELTON JOHN
Music
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
SHAINA TAUB & MARK SONNENBLICK
Lyrics
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
MIKE BRITTON
Set Designer
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS
MIKE STEVENS
Lighting Designer
THAT'LL BE THE DAY: SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS
GARETH OWEN
Sound Designer
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
GEORGIA NOSAL
Wigs, Hair & Make-Up
THE ARTIST
GREGG BARNES
Costume Designer
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Lists compiled by
Neill Kovacic-Clarke
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