The Ian Charleson Award is a British theatrical award that rewards the best classical stage performance in Britain by an actor under age 30. The award's current definition of a classical play is one written before 1918.
The Ian Charleson Award is named in memory of the renowned British actor Ian Charleson, and is run by the Sunday Times newspaper and the National Theatre.Rosenthal, Daniel. The National Theatre Story. Oberon Books, 2013. GoogleBooks "pr. 398". The award was established in 1990 after Charleson's death, and has been presented annually since then.Peter, John. "Stairway to success". Sunday Times. 20 June 2010. Recipients receive a cash prize.
The award for the previous year's performance is presented the following year. The first annual Ian Charleson Award, for a 1990 performance, was presented in January 1991.
1990s Ian Hughes (1990), for Torquato Tasso in Torquato Tasso (Actors Touring Company)"Timely tributes for a new generation of actors". Sunday Times. 13 January 1991. Joe Dixon (1991), for Jacques in an all-male production of As You Like It (Cheek by Jowl)Lees, Caroline. "Classic recipes for success". Sunday Times. 9 February 1992 Tom Hollander (1992), for Witwoud in The Way of the World (Lyric Hammersmith)"Prized Performances". Sunday Times. 21 February 1993. Emma Fielding (1993), for Agnes in The School for Wives (Almeida Theatre)Fowler, Rebecca. "Triumphant first acts". Sunday Times. 13 March 1994. Toby Stephens (1994), for Coriolanus in Coriolanus (Royal Shakespeare Company)Fowler, Rebecca. "Ribands in the cap of youth". Sunday Times. 12 March 1995. Lucy Whybrow (1995), for Eleanora in Easter (Royal Shakespeare Company)Connors, Adrienne. "Applause for these 'rare' young talents". Sunday Times. 28 April 1996. Alexandra Gilbreath (1996), for Hedda in Hedda Gabler (English Touring Theatre)Wright, Michael. "Old guard, young guns". Sunday Times. 4 May 1997 Mark Bazeley (1997) (tie), for Konstantin in The Seagull (English Touring Theatre)Harlow, John. "Winning in a double act". Sunday Times. 26 April 1998. Reprinted: . Dominic West (1997) (tie), for Konstantin in The Seagull (Peter Hall Company, Old Vic Theatre) Claudie Blakley (1998), for Nina in The Seagull (West Yorkshire Playhouse)Brooke, Richard. "Carrying the torch forward". Sunday Times. 25 April 1999. Rupert Penry-Jones (1999), for Don Carlos in Don Carlos (Royal Shakespeare Company)Wright, Michael. "And the winner is...." Sunday Times. 13 August 2000.
2000s David Oyelowo (2000), for Henry VI in Henry VI (Royal Shakespeare Company)Peter, John. "Crowning glories". Sunday Times. 25 March 2001. Claire Price (2001), for Berinthia in The Relapse (National Theatre)Connors, Adrienne. "Young, gifted and actors". Sunday Times. 19 May 2002. Rebecca Hall (2002), for Vivvie in Mrs Warren's Profession (Strand Theatre)Nicol, Patricia. "Welcome to the Hall of fame". Sunday Times. 20 April 2003.Lathan, P. "Another Hall Hits the Heights" The British Theatre Guide, April 20, 2003, retrieved November 9, 2006. Lisa Dillon (2003), for Hilda Wangel in The Master Builder (Almeida Theatre)Nicol, Patricia. "Do put your daughter on the stage". Sunday Times. 4 April 2004. Nonso Anozie (2004), for Othello in Othello (Cheek by Jowl)"Ian Charleson award-winners". Sunday Times. 22 May 2005. Mariah Gale (2005), for Viola in Twelfth Night (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Annabella in Tis Pity She's a Whore (Southwark Playhouse), and Nurse Ludmilla and Klara in The Last Waltz (Arcola Theatre)Nicol, Patricia. "The world's a stage". Sunday Times. 21 May 2006. Andrea Riseborough (2006), for Isabella in Measure for Measure and Miss Julie in Miss Julie (Peter Hall Company)Nicol, Patricia. "Move to centre stage". Sunday Times. 29 April 2007. Rory Kinnear (2007), for Pytor in Philistines and Sir Fopling Flutter in The Man of Mode (National Theatre)Connors, Adrienne. "Rory Kinnear: the son also rises". Sunday Times. 27 April 2008.Kinnear Follows Olivier With Ian Charleson Award Tom Burke (2008), for Adolph in Creditors (Donmar Warehouse)Groom, Holly. "Tom Burke scoops Ian Charleson award". Sunday Times. 17 May 2009. Ruth Negga (2009), for Aricia in Phèdre (National Theatre)"Bright young thing". Sunday Times. 20 June 2010.
2010s Gwilym Lee (2010), for Edgar in King Lear (Donmar Warehouse)Wise, Louis. "Award for young actors". Sunday Times. 19 June 2011. Cush Jumbo (2011), for Rosalind in As You Like It (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester)Wise, Louis. "Here's to a Jumbo talent". Sunday Times. 27 May 2012. Ashley Zhangazha (2012), for Ross in Macbeth (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield)"National recognition: Ashley Zhangazha’s Charleson Award shows the classics thriving in regional productions". The Sunday Times 2 June 2013. (paywall) Jack Lowden (2013), for Oswald in Ghosts (Almeida Theatre)Wise, Louis. "Haunting brilliance". Sunday Times. 4 May 2014."Jack Lowden Wins Ian Charleson Award". WestEndTheatre.com. 27 April 2014. Susannah Fielding (2014), for Portia in The Merchant of Venice (Almeida Theatre)"2015 Ian Charleson Awards". Sunday Times. 28 June 2015.Snow, Georgia. "Susannah Fielding wins Ian Charleson award". The Stage. 19 June 2015. James McArdle (2015), for Platonov in Platonov (Chichester Festival Theatre)Hawkins, Helen. "Next steppe to greatness". Sunday Times. 3 July 2016.Snow, Georgia. "James McArdle wins 2015 Ian Charleson award". The Stage. 24 June 2016. Paapa Essiedu (2016), for in Hamlet in Hamlet and Edmund in King Lear (Royal Shakespeare Company)Hawkins, Helen. "Paapa Essiedu wins the Ian Charleson award 2016". Sunday Times. 11 June 2017.Snow, Georgia. "Paapa Essiedu wins 2016 Ian Charleson award". The Stage. 6 June 2017."Ian Charleson Awards 2016". WestEndTheatre.com. 6 June 2017. Natalie Simpson (2017), for Duchess Rosaura in The Cardinal (Southwark Playhouse)Masso, Giverny. "Natalie Simpson wins 2017 Ian Charleson Award". The Stage. 18 May 2018 Bally Gill (2018), for Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company) Heledd Gwynn (2019), for Hedda in Hedda Gabler (Sherman Theatre, Cardiff) and Hastings and Ratcliffe in Richard III (Headlong)
2020s Gloria Obianyo (2020/2021), for Neoptolemus in Kae Tempest's Paradise (National Theatre) Rilwan Abiola Owokoniran (2022), for Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Earnest (English Touring Theatre) Francesca Mills (2023), for Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare's Globe) Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (2024), for Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Duke of York's Theatre) Isis Hainsworth (2025), for Isabella in Measure for Measure (Royal Shakespeare Company)
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