1986 Laurence Olivier Awards

The 1986 Laurence Olivier Awards were presented by the Society of London Theatre on 7 December 1986 at the Royalty Theatre in London, celebrating excellence in West End theatre. It was broadcast by BBC Television, though the broadcast date and specific BBC station is not available – the 2003 Oliviers, for example, aired on BBC Two the evening after the live event.

Winners and nominees
Details of winners (in bold) and nominees, in each award category, per the Society of London Theatre.

Productions with multiple nominations and awards
The following 15 productions, including two operas, received multiple nominations:


 * 5: Les liaisons dangereuses and The Merry Wives of Windsor
 * 4: As You Like It
 * 3: Chess, Doctor Faust, Ourselves Alone, The Normal Heart and The Phantom of the Opera
 * 2: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Dalliance, H.M.S. Pinafore, The American Clock, The Magistrate, The Ring Cycle, When We Are Married and Wonderful Town

The following four productions received multiple awards:


 * 2: Les liaisons dangereuses, The Merry Wives of Windsor, The Phantom of the Opera and When We Are Married