We are delighted to celebratethe award of both the Ian Charleson Award and the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Newcomer in 2025 to Francesca Amewudah-Rivers.
This prestigious recognition for outstanding classical acting by a young performer is a testament to her exceptional talent, particularly highlighted by her acclaimed performance as Juliet.
Francesca Amewudah-Rivers
Her portrayal of Juliet in the 2024 West End production of Romeo and Juliet, where she starred alongside Tom Holland at the Duke of York’s Theatre, was met with widespread acclaim.
This role, her West End debut, not only showed her remarkable stage presence and dramatic depth but also earned her this significant industry accolade.
Tom Holland, the actor. Co-stared with Francesca Amewudah-Rivers in the award-winning Romeo and Juliet
It is important to acknowledge that this celebrated achievement followed a period of unwarranted and distressing racist backlash surrounding her casting as Juliet. This discriminatory response, which director Jamie Lloyd rightly condemned as “racial abuse,” was met with powerful solidarity from over 800 Black actors who signed an open letter in support of Francesca. Her award-winning performance stands as a powerful and artistic rebuttal to this appalling prejudice, demonstrating the undeniable force of her talent.
Further solidifying her impact on the theatre scene, Francesca Amewudah-Rivers also received The Jack Tinker Award for Best Newcomer at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards in March 2025.
These collective awards underscore the profound impression she has made on critics and audiences alike.
The National Youth Theatre performing Animal Farm at Soulton
Prior to her celebrated West End run, Francesca Amewudah-Rivers had already demonstrated her capabilities closer to us in Shropshire
Her compelling performance in the acclaimed 2021 National Youth Theatre production of Animal Farm, here at Soulton Hall, allowed us to anticipate her extraordinary talent that has now deservedly received such prominent recognition…
