Alumni win big at Olivier Awards as Paapa Essiedu calls for greater access
National Youth Theatre alumni and associate artists were celebrated at last night’s Olivier Awards, with several major wins across acting, writing and directing, marking a standout night for artists connected to NYT.
Paapa Essiedu won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for All My Sons at Wyndham’s Theatre. In his acceptance speech, Essiedu gave a powerful shout‑out to National Youth Theatre and other organisations Frantic Assembly, Open Door and Intermission Youth Theatre working to make the industry more accessible. He urged audiences and decision‑makers to continue supporting organisations like NYT that nurture talent from backgrounds with limited access to the arts.
He said:“There are amazing organisations all over the country, like the Ignition, like Intermission, New Theatre, like the National Youth Theatre, like Open Door Theatre, which are doing such brilliant work, but as we all know, their funding has been cut year on year on year.
I urge everyone in this room, everyone watching at home, and everyone at governmental level, to continue funding these organisations to make sure that the next generation of theatre makers had the opportunities that I had.”
More on NYT Winners
Punch by James Graham who got his first paid commission from NYT won Best New Play, with Julie Hesmondhalgh taking home Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the same production at the Young Vic & Apollo Theatre. Alum and Patron Rosamund Pike won Best Actress for Inter Alia at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton, and Luke Sheppard received Best Director for Paddington The Musical at the Savoy Theatre.
Congratulations to all nominees and winners on an exceptional night celebrating the breadth of talent across British theatre.
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