Hull, Manchester and Bradford win in The Stage Awards

Winners - l-r Hope Mill, Hull Truck and Bradford's pop-up Loading Bay - the venue for Common/Wealth's award-winning Public Interest

Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre has won the fringe theatre category in this year's Stage awards, while Hull Truck Theatre has won the award for theatrical innovation.

The Stage has been honouring theatres and theatre-makers with these awards for the past 15 years, shining a spotlight on everything from national theatres to hidden gems, and the unsung heroes behind the scenes.

Hope Mill founders Joseph Houston (l) and William Whelton

Hope Mill Theatre, founded by Joseph Houston and William Whelton, won after celebrating a transformative 10th anniversary year. From a £10,000 loan and a grade II*-listed mill, the tiny theatre has grown into one of the UK’s most dynamic producing houses, particularly of musical.

After a challenging period emerging from the pandemic, a new producing model allowed the theatre to stage larger regional productions in larger theatres while keeping a vibrant home programme. Beyond its shows, Hope Mill nurtures young talent through its theatre school, supports emerging companies and new writing, runs the LGBT+ festival Turn On Fest and launches degree-level training with the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.

This year’s innovation award was given to Hull Truck Theatre for its pioneering theatre-based training scheme for GPs. Developed by the theatre’s creative learning team and run in partnership with a local NHS branch, the programme uses drama techniques to build communication, empathy and confidence in trainee GPs.

Tom Saunders of Hull Truck Theatre - responsible for the GP training programme

Participants explore complex medical scenarios through role play, reflection and intervention, and the scheme supports not only future doctors and their patients but has also generated new income for the theatre, demonstrating a potential for collaboration between the arts and healthcare (see here for our story from July 2025).

The Stage's community award went to Common/Wealth, a site-specific theatre company known for creating bold, political work with local communities. Founded by Evie Manning and Rhiannon White, the Bradford and Cardiff-based company makes shows in council houses, boxing gyms and car parks, meeting audiences where they live.

A scene from Common/Wealth's Public Interest

Embedded in its communities for 17 years, Common/Wealth's most recent work was Public Interest for Bradford 2025 City of Culture, an ambitious, large-scale show that asked how we challenge narratives about young working-class people. Part music video, part-political theatre, the show premiered at Loading Bay, a Bradford 2025 pop-up venue in the heart of the city.

The 10 award categories included Theatre of the Year, Theatre Building of the Year, Producer of the Year, International Award, Innovation Award, Community Award, Campaign of the Year, Fringe Theatre of the Year, Team of the Year, and Unsung Hero, alongside a special Judges’ Award.

Welsh National Theatre founder Michael Sheen, who ranked number one in The Stage 100 - the paper's annual list of theatre-industry movers and shakers - was also presented with an award recognising his success in the annual power list.

Joint winners of Theatre of the Year were London’s Royal Court Theatre and Newbury’s Watermill Theatre - the latter well known for its musical productions in which the actors are also the musical accompaniment.