2025 Ian Charleson Award Nominees Announced
The nominees for the prestigious 2025 Ian Charleson Award have been revealed, celebrating the outstanding performances by actors under the age of 30 in classical stage roles. The award, named in memory of the acclaimed actor Ian Charleson, who tragically passed away in 1990, recognizes excellence in classical theatre, with a focus on roles written before 1918.
This year's judging panel comprises actor Fisayo Akinade, Alastair Coomer (head of casting at the National Theatre), Robert Hastie (deputy artistic director at the National Theatre), and casting director Hannah Miller.
Francesca Amewudah-Rivers (26) – Romeo and Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre
Melanie-Joyce Bermudez (24) – Love’s Labour’s Lost, Royal Shakespeare Company
Ralph Davis (28) – Othello, Shakespeare’s Globe
Tom Glenister (28) – A Doll’s House, The Crucible, Sheffield
Madeleine Gray (29) – Uncle Vanya, Orange Tree Theatre
Éanna Hardwicke (27) – The Cherry Orchard, Donmar Warehouse
Oli Higginson (29) – Othello, Shakespeare’s Globe
Nadeem Islam (27) – Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare’s Globe
Siena Kelly (28) – A Doll’s House, The Crucible, Sheffield
Francesca Mills (27) – The Duchess of Malfi, Shakespeare’s Globe
Daniel Quinn-Toye (21) – Romeo and Juliet, Duke of York’s Theatre
Andrew Richardson (28) – Uncle Vanya, Orange Tree Theatre / A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Barbican
Rumi Sutton (24) – The Importance of Being Earnest, Royal Exchange
The winners of the 2025 Ian Charleson Award will be announced at a ceremony in London later this spring, with each nominee having demonstrated exceptional skill and artistry in their respective classical performances.
