NOMINEES ANNOUNCED FOR THE
EMPTY SPACE…PETER BROOK AWARD 2026
AS PART OF THE CRITICS’ CIRCLE THEATRE AWARDS
The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards today announces the nominations for the Empty Space… Peter Brook Award 2026 (In Memory of Blanche Marvin). Sponsored by Nica Burns, the nominations are decided by a separate panel of critics chosen by the Marvin family. This year’s nominees are:
- ORANGE TREE THEATRE by Fiona Mountford – Chief Theatre Critic, The i Paper
- RED ROSE CHAIN, IPSWICH by Dominic Cavendish – Chief Theatre Critic, The Telegraph
- ROYAL COURT UPSTAIRS by Andrzej Lukowski – Theatre & Dance Editor, UK, Time Out Media
- THE OTHER PALACE STUDIO by Mark Shenton – Editor, ShentonSTAGE Theatre Newsletter
- WONDER FOOLS by Lyn Gardner – Associate Editor, The Stage
This is the fourth year of the acclaimed Empty Space…Peter Brook Award being part of the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards. Founded by Blanche Marvin MBE, who died last month just short of her 101st birthday, the award recognises a theatre that embodies the spirit of Peter Brook, both in its use of space and in relationship to its locality. Blanche’s daughter, Niki Marvin, an Oscar-nominated director/producer, has taken over the running of the award. From this year, the award has been renamed The Empty Space…Peter Brook Award (In Memory of Blanche Marvin).
The award will be presented as part of the Critics’ Circle Awards at a ceremony at the National Theatre on 26 March. These are the only prizes to be entirely voted for by the professional theatre critics who are members of the Circle, and this year’s awards are sponsored by Finto.
For the first time in the awards’ 37 year history, members have voted for longlists and shortlists. Leading the competition with five nominations each are Ivo van Hove’s production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons currently running at the Wyndham’s Theatre (Best Revival, Best Actor nominations for Bryan Cranston and Paapa Essiedu, Best Actress for Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Best Director for van Hove), and two musical revivals – Jordan Fein’s production of Sondheim’s Into the Woods currently running at Bridge Theatre (Best Revival, Best Actress for Kate Fleetwood, Best Director for Fein, Best Designer for Tom Scutt and Best Ensemble or Cast), and Jamie Lloyd’s production of Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice which ran at The London Palladium last summer (Best Revival, Best Director for Lloyd, Best Actress for Rachel Zegler, Best Designer for Soutra Gilmour and Best Newcomer for Diego Andres Rodriguez).
They are followed by Paddington The Musical, Stereophonic, The Weir and Much Ado About Nothing, all with four nominations each.
The National Theatre has eleven nominations across five productions – Inter Alia, Hamlet, The Estate, Here We Are and The Land of the Living.
Twitter: @cctheatreuk
Instagram: @criticscircletheatreuk
EMPTY SPACE… PETER BROOK AWARD 2026 (IN MEMORY OF BLANCHE MARVIN)
CRITICS’ NOMINEES AND SUMMARIES IN FULL:
NOMINATION: ORANGE TREE THEATRE
Fiona Mountford – Chief Theatre Critic, The i Paper
Under the assured leadership of artistic director Tom Littler, the Orange Tree continues to confirm its status as a boutique powerhouse of a venue, with a particularly fine line in sharply pointed revivals of classic works from the canon.
NOMINATION: RED ROSE CHAIN, IPSWICH
Dominic Cavendish – Chief Theatre Critic, The Telegraph
Red Rose Chain in Ipswich (/redrosechain.com) is a not-for-profit powerhouse, which has sadly just lost founder/creative director Joanna Carrick to cancer. Recent highlights include a bravura Hamlet at Sutton Hoo and Carrick’s The Ungodly and the company brilliantly champions inclusion through programmes for people with disabilities, young people and prisoners.
NOMINATION: ROYAL COURT UPSTAIRS
Andrzej Lukowski – Theatre & Dance Editor, UK, Time Out Media
The Royal Court Upstairs is the original Empty Space black box and after a few years of sporadic use, it’s really got its mojo back. This year almost all the programming is of debut plays sent in for consideration (rather than commissioned work) – a gesture that feels very in line with the values of the Empty Space…Peter Brook Award.
NOMINATION: THE OTHER PALACE STUDIO
Mark Shenton – Editor, ShentonSTAGE Theatre Newsletter
The Other Palace Theatre in Victoria has long set its sights on becoming a home for new musicals, first under the ownership of Andrew Lloyd Webber from 2016, then of Bill Kenwright from 2021. Bill, an old friend and champion of Blanche Marvin’s, has since died, but Blanche would be delighted to see his legacy celebrated now in hers: the warm, and intimate downstairs studio provides an accessible home for producers to nurture, develop and showcase new musicals in.
NOMINATION: WONDER FOOLS
Lyn Gardner – Associate Editor, The Stage
A ground-breaking Scottish company, Wonder Fools makes space for and connects young people with playwrights. Now one of Scotland’s most significant commissioners of new plays, is artfully making change for participants and writers.