Last Sunday evening took place the Olivier Awards 2024. A big night for the British theatre community as it’s a way to celebrate the art, some of the best production of the year and the performers and creatives that bring it all to life throughout the season.

Three hours, 7 big performances, lots of thank yous and emotional speeches… We were in for a treat, whether we were sitting among the greats at the Royal Albert Hall or in the comfort of our own home and couches!

So sit back and enjoy our 5 highlights from yesterday’s ceremony!

1- Hannah Waddingham is a star 

Of course, she returned. For the second year in a row, Hannah Waddingham hosted the ceremony. And quite brilliantly and elegantly! With witty comments and an incredible ease, she commanded the show and sent if off in the most impressive way: with a rendition of Anything Goes. Not only is her voice incredible, but she is a force to be reckoned with and her love for theatre and the art is even more beautiful to witness.

Please, have her come back every year. We need more strong female leader being their fabulous selves on stage!

2- Sunset Boulevard is the (rightful) big winner…

Jamie Lloyd’s take on the 90s musical was the big winner of the night with no-less than 7 awards, including Best Musical Revival, Best Actress in a Musical for Nicole Scherzinger, Best Actor in a Musical for her male counterpart Tom Francis and Best Director for the mastermind behind the show, Jamie Lloyd. After a successful run at the Savoy Theatre, Sunset Boulevard will be heading to Broadway this September. There is no doubt that the Tonys will also have their eyes on the production and our hopes are very high for this stunning show!

3- … and Tom Francis delivers the performance of the night 

Here is one that truly stole the show. In a black and white settings outside the Royal Albert Hall, Tom Francis took our breath away (quite literally) as he performed the title number from “Sunset Boulevard”. Snaking his way through the corridors and through the audience and onto the stage, he received a very well deserved standing ovation from his peers. Hats off to Shayna McPherson, the camera operator who filmed Francis on Sunday night because that in itself was also a breathtaking performance!

4- Dame Arlene Philipps brings the community together 

“I’m now 80 and this is my first Olivier!”. Dame Arlene Philipps received a standing ovation after winning her first ever Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer for her work on the incredible Guys & Dolls. But what truly brought her to tears, is the community coming together to applause and honour the artist. In an instant, they were all up on their feet and sheering as she slipped, “I am totally and utterly overwhelmed”.

Again, it reminded us of why we love theatre so much: its community and the sense of camaraderie that comes with it. Whether you are new to it or an actor turned legend over the years, there will always be someone to cheer on you and lift you up. Throughout the whole ceremony, it is what stayed with us: never seeing frowning for losing an award, but instead welcoming the loss as someone else’s win! Yay, theatre community!

5- Operation Mincemeat is a revelation. 

It took home the award for Best New Musical and won over the heart of millions in front of their TV with their performance of “Bord To Lead”. Operation Mincemeat is absolutely the revelation of this ceremony. Extended eight times already in the West End, the show has been slowly working his way to success through the years and wowed many audiences with  its gag-packed tracks and gender-swapped roles. Not only did it win Best New Musical but the show also took home the award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Jack Malone’s portrayal of Hester Leggett. Now head over to the Fortune Theatre where Operation Mincemeat will be playing until November 2024!