Success for RADA graduates at the Critics' Circle Awards

As the winners of the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards were announced in London this week, we were delighted that all four acting awards were won by RADA graduates.

2017 graduate Chris Walley won the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer for his performance as the hapless Davey in The Lieutenant of Inishmore in the West End, his professional stage debut. The role has already gained him nominations at The Stage Debut Awards, Evening Standard Theatre Awards and WhatsOnStage Awards. He is also a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit for 2018-19.

Sophie Okonedo, who was recently made an MBE in the New Year's Honours lists, won the Trewin Award for Best Shakespearean Performance for playing Cleopatra in the National Theatre's Antony and Cleopatra. She has also been nominated at the WhatsOnStage Awards, as well as winning the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress; her co-star, graduate Ralph Fiennes, won Best Actor.

Also nominated at the upcoming WhatsOnStage Awards, Patsy Ferran won the Critics' Circle Award for Best Actress for her lead role in Summer and Smoke, which played at the Almeida Theatre before transferring to the West End. She previously won the Most Promising Newcomer award back in 2015 for her performances in Blithe Spirit and Treasure Island, her first two professional roles after graduating from RADA.

Completing the acting awards, graduate Kyle Soller won Best Actor for his central role in the hugely successful The Inheritance, which also won Best New Play. The show won critical acclaim on its premiere at the Young Vic and is currently running in the West End with a cast that also includes RADA graduates Hubert Burton, Syrus Lowe, Michael Walters and Jack Riddiford. Kyle's performance has also won him nominations at the Evening Standard and WhatsOnStage Awards.

Congratulations to all our graduates; you can take a look at the full list of winners here.