Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland 2025 winners revealed

The winners of the 2025 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland have been announced at a ceremony held at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.

Confessions of a Shinagawa Monkey, a collaboration between Glasgow’s Vanishing Point and Japan’s Kanagawa Arts Theatre, received four awards including Best Design, Best Technical Presentation and Best Ensemble. Sandy Grierson, who played the title role, was recognised with an Outstanding Performance award.

Based on stories by Haruki Murakami and presented in association with Tramway, the production brought together performers from both the UK and Japan.

Best Production was awarded to Hedda Gabler, the second collaboration between Gordon Barr, writer Kathy McKean and actor Nicole Cooper for Bard in the Botanics. It follows their earlier success with Medea in 2022. The adaptation of Ibsen’s classic  was staged in the Kibble Palace and presented in a new version by McKean.

A new award for Outstanding Pantomime went to Mother Goose at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr. The production, written by Ken Alexander and Fraser Boyle, included local references, political comedy and a cast including Deaf performers.

Kirsty Findlay received an Outstanding Performance award for her role in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, whe Best Director award went to Andrew Panton for A History of Paper, a co-production between Dundee Rep and the Traverse Theatre. Wild Rose at the Royal Lyceum, co-produced with Caledonia Productions and Gavin Kalin, won Best Sound and Music for the work of Sarah Travis, Davey Anderson and Tony Gayle.

Douglas Maxwell was awarded Best New Play for So Young, following his previous win last year. The production was a collaboration between the Traverse Theatre, Raw Material and Citizens Theatre.

Glass Performance’s The Yellow Canary, written by Will Gore and performed by Tashi Gore, was named Best Production for Children and Young People. The piece explored family history during the Nazi occupation of Paris and incorporated musical elements and animation.

The 2025 awards were supported by a number of organisations including the University of Glasgow, Equity, BECTU, Nick Hern Books, BB Hair Collective, Gilded Balloon, Mackie’s of Scotland and BBC Scotland Radio Drama.