MEET THE THEATRE JUDGES
DAVID BENEDICT (Chair)
Variety
David Benedict is a culture critic and broadcaster. After reading drama at Hull University he worked as an actor and director before becoming daily columnist, theatre editor and associate arts editor of The Independent. He was arts editor of The Observer and in 2006 he joined Variety as chief London critic. He has written extensively for the Financial Times, Evening Standard, The Guardian and Wall Street Journal Europe and is joint lead columnist for The Stage where he also reviews theatre and opera. A regular guest on BBC’s Front Row and other TV and radio arts programmes, he also plays Tristram Hawkshaw on The Archers.
ALEXANDRA COGHLAN
The Independent and The Spectator
Alexandra Coghlan is a freelance music journalist, critic and author. She has written for The Sunday Times, The Telegraph, The i Paper, Prospect, The Spectator, Opera and Gramophone magazines, and contributes programme notes to Glyndebourne, the BBC Proms, Barbican, Salzburg Festival, Scottish Opera, ENO and The Royal Opera. She makes regular appearances on Radio 3 and 4, and is Glyndebourne’s Opera Specialist. Her book Carols From King’s is published by Ebury.
SARAH CROMPTON
The Observer and Whatsonstage, Dance and Theatre
Sarah Crompton is one of Britain’s most respected writers and broadcasters, commentating on all aspects of culture. She reviews theatre for WhatsOnStage and dance for the Observer. Her work appears in the Guardian, the Sunday Times, The Times, and British and American Vogue. She produces a weekly theatre podcast “As the Actress Said to the Critic” with the actress Nancy Carroll. A regular contributor to the BBC’s Front Row, she was previously the Arts Editor in Chief of the Daily Telegraph, where she wrote a regular sports column for a decade.
MARK FISHER
The Guardian, Scottish Theatre
Mark Fisher is a freelance theatre critic and feature writer based in Edinburgh and has written about theatre since the late-1980s. He is a theatre critic for The Guardian, a former editor of The List magazine and a contributor to publications all over the world. He is the co-editor of the play anthology Made in Scotland (1995), and the author of The Edinburgh Fringe Survival Guide (2012) and How to Write About Theatre (2015) – all Bloomsbury Methuen Drama.
SARAH HEMMING
Financial Times, Theatre
Sarah Hemming is chief theatre critic for the Financial Times, writing reviews, features and interviews. Before working for the FT, she was theatre editor for The Independent and has written for multiple other national publications, including the Guardian, Times, Observer and Sunday Times. She also teaches and broadcasts about theatre and is the author of The National Theatre Guide, which takes the reader backstage to eavesdrop on all the work that goes into making a show in this flagship building. She has curated the National’s exhibition celebrating its 50th anniversary.
NICHOLAS KENYON
The Telegraph, Opera
Nicholas Kenyon is chief opera critic of the Telegraph. He was previously a music critic for the Times, The New Yorker and The Observer, and editor of the journal Early Music. In 1992 became Controller of BBC Radio 3. He was Director of the BBC Proms 1996-2007 and Managing Director of the Barbican Centre 2007-2021. He is now a Distinguished Affiliate Scholar at Pembroke College Cambridge, Chair of the ensemble Arcangelo, and Artistic Adviser to the Tetbury Music Festival. He has written books on the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Simon Rattle, Bach, Mozart and most recently The Life of Music.
HOLLY O’MAHONY
The Stage
Holly O’Mahony is a theatre critic, culture writer and editor. She reviews theatre regularly for The Stage and London Theatre, and is the UK editor for Backstage magazine. She also serves on the judging panel of The Stage Debut Awards. Her writing has appeared in Exeunt, The i Paper, the London Standard, British Vogue, Stylist and The Guardian, where she previously worked full-time, editing the late-lamented Guardian Soulmates blog and Guardian Jobs careers advice section.
LYNDSEY WINSHIP
The Guardian
Lyndsey Winship is dance critic for The Guardian. Previously, she was dance editor at Time Out, and has written on dance for the Evening Standard, Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Independent and various national and international magazines. Her book, Being a Dancer, was published in 2015. Elsewhere in her freelance career, Lyndsey has produced and directed short-form video, worked on the BBC’s Culture Show, edited websites for reality TV shows and campaigned for music education.