Brendan Gleeson Honored with Critics’ Circle Best Actor Award for ‘The Weir’
Brendan Gleeson has been awarded Best Actor at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards for his performance in Conor McPherson’s play, The Weir. He triumphed over nominees including Bryan Cranston and Paapa Essiedu, both recognized for their work in All My Sons, as well as James Hameed and Arti Shah, who jointly portray Paddington in the new musical adaptation of Michael Bond’s bear stories. The Critics’ Circle announced the winners at a ceremony held at the National Theatre in London on Thursday.
‘All My Sons’ and ‘Into the Woods’ Also Recognized
Ivo van Hove’s direction of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons earned the production the award for Best Revival of a Play or Musical. Jordan Fein’s production of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods received two awards: Best Designer, awarded to Tom Scutt and the inaugural Best Ensemble or Cast award.
New Playwright and Innovative Venue Honored
Ava Pickett was named Most Promising Playwright for her Tudor drama, 1536, which premiered at the Almeida Theatre in London in 2025 and is slated to transfer to the West End in May. The play is also being adapted into a BBC drama series. The Empty Space Peter Brook Award, now renamed in honor of Blanche Marvin, was presented to Red Rose Chain, a not-for-profit theatre company based in Ipswich.
Additional Award Winners
Rosamund Pike won Best Actress for her performance in Suzie Miller’s Inter Alia, beating out competition from Kate Fleetwood, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Rachel Zegler. Ruby Ashbourne Serkis was named Most Promising Newcomer for her role in a revival of Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink, which opened shortly after Stoppard’s death. Hayley Atwell received the award for Best Shakespearean Performance for her portrayal of Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.
Critics’ Circle Awards Expand Voting Process
According to Guardian journalist Mark Lawson, the 2026 chair of the Critics’ Circle drama section, this year marked the first time members voted from longlists and shortlists in an effort to broaden the scope of considered works. Lawson noted that some categories were decided by a landslide, while others required recounts due to close competition, indicating a high level of quality among the nominees.
‘The Weir’ to be Adapted into a Film
Despite being omitted from the Olivier Award nominations, The Weir is being adapted into a film featuring the West End cast, directed by Conor McPherson.
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