6 Olivier-Award Winning Shows To Book Now

The Olivier Awards were particularly jubilant this year, having been held in person for the first time since pre-pandemic. A star-studded ceremony took place at the Royal Albert Hall on 10 April 2022, filled with top names from the stage world. Cabaret and Life of Pi dominated the awards, with the former coming out tops in a whopping seven categories, and the latter scooping up five. Keen to see what all the fuss is about? Here we highlight the award-winning shows to book now. This piece is brought to you in partnership with SeatPlan, a leading seller of London theatre tickets which helps you find the perfect spot through seat reviews, interactive plans and view from seat photos.

6 Olivier-Award Winning Shows To Book Now

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

Piccadilly Theatre, London

Ever since Baz Luhrmann’s pop musical debuted back in 2001, Moulin Rouge has been the musical for those dreaming of living la vie de bohème in Paris. The glitzy stage version never gets old – and now you can see it in London. A riot of music, colour and opulence set in 19th century Paris, the show follows the love affair of writer Christian and courtesan Satine. A brilliant score features reworked pop hits including Lady Marmalade and Diamond’s Are a Girl’s Best Friend, plus original song Come What May, which was written for the film. Watch out for the eye-popping costumes too – for which Catherine Zuber won Best Costume Design at the Olivier Awards. Book tickets for Moulin Rouge! The Musical

Life of Pi

Wyndham’s Theatre, London

Johan Persson

The much-anticipated premiere of Lolita Chakrabarti’s stage adaptation of Life of Pi arrived in the West End at the end of last year. Starring Hiran Abeysekera, Mina Anwar and Nicholas Khan, the play is based on Yann Martel’s award-winning novel, which follows a group of survivors from a cargo ship disaster: a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a sixteen-year-old boy and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. It scored gold at the 2022 Olivier Awards, winning a total of five awards including Best New Play. Book tickets for Life of Pi

Cabaret

Playhouse Theatre, London

Joel Palmer

Since it premiered at the Playhouse Theatre in November 2021, Cabaret has garnered widespread critical acclaim, so it’s no surprise it was a big winner at this year’s awards. Set in Berlin on the cusp of the 1930s, the hit musical charts the friendship between Sally and writer Cliff Bradshaw, with the plot revolving around a cabaret venue called the Kit Kat Club. Eddie Redmayne was awarded Best Actor in a Musical for his role as the Emcee – which he first played 20 years ago in an Edinburgh Fringe production. Co-headlining is Jessie Buckley, who won Best Actress in Musical for her stellar performance as showgirl Sally Bowles. Book tickets for Cabaret

Back to the Future: The Musical

Adelphi Theatre, London

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Fancy taking a trip down nostalgia lane? Cult 80s film Back To The Future has been adapted for the stage by the movie’s co-writers, Bob Gale and Robert Zemeckis. Showing at London’s Adelphi Theatre, the musical follows high schooler Marty McFly (originally played Michael J. Fox) who finds himself back in 1955 as a result of a new time travelling invention by his friend, experimental scientist Dr. Emmett Brown. It won an Olivier award for Best New Musical, alongside a number of other nominations. Book Back To The Future: The Musical Tickets

Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of)

Criterion Theatre, London

From TV remakes to Bollywood versions, we’ll never tire of Jane Austen adaptations. The latest addition to the canon is one of the most fun: an all-female retelling of arguably Austen’s most iconic novel, Pride and Prejudice. First shown in Glasgow back in 2018, Isobel McArthur’s play sees the young servants of the Bennet household take centre stage as they joke, dress up and sing about the highs and lows of Regency courtship. Karaoke hits are peppered throughout – think Carly Simon’s You’re So Vain and Pulp’s Something Changed – with a lively cast featuring Tori Burgess, Christina Gordon and Meghan Tyler. It took home a gong for Best Entertainment or Comedy at the Olivier awards, and you can catch it at the Criterion Theatre from September. Book tickets for Pride and Prejudice (Sort Of)

Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical

Lyric Theatre, London

Photo by Craig Sugden

The life of world-renowned Jamaican reggae artist Bob Marley is played out on stage in new bio-musical Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical. Charting his journey from growing up in the hills of rural Jamaica to becoming a global superstar, the show explores how Marley set out to advocate for justice through his music. Unsurprisingly there’s an excellent score featuring some of his best hits, from No Woman No Cry to Three Little Birds, for which the musical took home an Olivier award. Book tickets for Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical

Main image: Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, photo by Craig Sugden

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London’s Best Musicals / Plays To Book in 2022