The winners of this year's Critics' Circle Theatre Awards were announced today (27 January), with Nick Hern Books authors Mike Bartlett and Antony Sher both taking home prizes.

King Charles III by Mike Bartlett was named Best New Play. Set in the aftermath of Elizabeth II's death, Mike Bartlett's provocative drama explores the people beneath their crowns, the unwritten rules of our democracy, and the conscience of Britain’s most famous family.

Drawing on the style and structure of a Shakespearean history play, and written largely in highly accomplished blank verse, King Charles III opened in 2014 at London’s Almeida Theatre, directed by Rupert Goold, before transferring to the West End. To celebrate its rapturous reception NHB has published a special clothbound hardback edition of the play, featuring a Foreword by the broadcaster Jon Snow, an essay on the original production and Afterword by the author, as well as the full script, which is available here.

Antony Sher's performance as Falstaff in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Henry IV Parts I and II was given the prize for Best Shakespearean Performance. Antony Sher's process of researching, rehearsing and performing one of Shakespeare’s best-known and most popular characters is the focus of his forthcoming book Year of the Fat Knight: The Falstaff Diaries. Splendidly supplemented by his own paintings and sketches, Year of the Fat Knight is published on 7 May.

Also successful at the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards was Gypsy by Stephen Sondheim, Arthur Laurents and Jule Styne, which won the Ned Sherrin Award for Best Musical. The acclaimed Chichester Festival production transfers to the Savoy Theatre, London, from 28 March 2015.