Billington honoured by renaming of Critics' Circle award

Published: 20 December 2019
Reporter: David Chadderton

Michael Billington Credit: Anthony Kelly

The Critics' Circle has renamed its Best Play Award after one of its longest-serving members, Michael Billington, who is to retire after nearly fifty years as a reviewer.

Billington, who has been The Guardian’s chief theatre critic since 1971, said, “I am unbelievably chuffed, and deeply flattered, to have a Critics’ Circle Award named after me. I’m also thrilled that it is for Best Play since I’ve always passionately believed that new writing is the beating heart of theatre.”

The Drama Section’s Theatre Awards were set up in 1989, after much debate about whether critics should make awards. Each member of the Drama Section independently casts their vote based on personal choice, free of any discussion or industry influence.

The Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards 2019 will take place at 1PM on Tuesday 11 February 2020 at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London’s West End, hosted by Critics’ Circle Drama Section Chairman Henry Hitchings, produced by leading industry figure Terri Paddock. Acceptance speeches will be streamed via Facebook Live on the day.

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