The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards, founded in 1989, run by Drama Section of The Critics’ Circle, which has existed since 1913 to protect and promote cultural criticism in the UK. The in-person ceremony marked the return of the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards after the pandemic forced the organisation to skip a year’s ceremony for the first time in its history. To mark this hiatus, the Critics’ Circle created a one-off category of commendations for those “who went above and beyond to keep theatre alive” during this period.
Zadie Smith won ‘Most Promising Playwright’ for Wife of Willesden alongside Igor Memic’s Old Bridge. The Old Vic theatre, currently led by Artistic Director Matthew Warchus, received a special commendation award for exceptional-theatre making during lockdown. Other winners of this achievement included The National Theatre, Jermyn Street Theatre, Original Theatre Company and Nica Burns.
The list of full winners can be found here: https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/critics-circle-theatre-awards-2022-the-winners-in-full-jessie-buckley-cush-jumbo-ben-daniels