title: Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director of a Play
text: # Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director of a Play
  
  The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Director of a Play was an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awards in 1976, and renamed in 1984 in honour of English actor and director Laurence Olivier.
  
  This award was introduced in 1991, along with Best Director of a Musical, when the original (and singular) Best Director award was divided. The new pair of awards were last presented in 1995, after which the original Best Director award returned to the roster of Olivier Awards.
  
  ## Winners and nominees
  
  ### 1990s
  
  | Year | Director | Production |
  | - | - | - |
  | 1991 |
  | 1991 | David Thacker | Pericles, Prince of Tyre |
  | 1991 | Richard Eyre | Richard III and White Chameleon |
  | 1991 | Nicholas Hytner | The Wind in the Willows |
  | 1991 | Patrick Mason | Dancing at Lughnasa |
  | 1992 |
  | 1992 | Deborah Warner | Hedda Gabler |
  | 1992 | Declan Donnellan | Angels in America |
  | 1992 | Ian Judge | The Comedy of Errors |
  | 1992 | Sean Mathias | Uncle Vanya |
  | 1993 |
  | 1993 | Stephen Daldry | An Inspector Calls |
  | 1993 | Simon McBurney | The Street of Crocodiles |
  | 1993 | Sam Mendes | The Rise and Fall of Little Voice |
  | 1993 | Adrian Noble | Henry IV |
  | 1994 |
  | 1994 | Stephen Daldry | Machinal |
  | 1994 | Phyllida Lloyd | Hysteria |
  | 1994 | Adrian Noble | The Winter's Tale |
  | 1994 | Trevor Nunn | Arcadia |
  | 1995 |
  | 1995 | Declan Donnellan | As You Like It |
  | 1995 | Sean Mathias | Les Parents terribles |
  | 1995 | Simon McBurney | The Three Lives of Lucie Cabrol |
  | 1995 | Katie Mitchell | Ghosts |
  