Rachel Weisz bags Best Actress gong at Laurence Olivier Awards

Rachel Weisz has won the Best Actress gong at Laurence Olivier Awards for her role in ”A Streetcar Named Desire”.

The beauty was awarded for her portrayal of fading beauty Blanche DuBois, in the play by Tennessee Williams.

She was pitted against the likes of Gillian Anderson, Imelda Staunton and Juliet Stevenson for the title.

Also, Weisz’’s co-star Ruth Wilson won Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her outstanding performance as Stella in the play by Tennessee Williams.

Meanwhile, Mark Rylance took home the best actor for his role in ”Jerusalem”.

American playwright Katori Hall bagged the Best New Play award for her play ”The Mountaintop”.

It tells the story of Martin Luther King the night before his assassination.

She is the first black female playwright to win the award.

“The Olivier Awards reflect a year of outstanding creativity and production excellence which brought the public rushing to the theatre taking box office and attendance records to an all-time high,” the Telegraph quoted Nica Burns, President of the Society of London Theatre, as saying.

She added: “The London theatre is a shining light in the continuing recessionary gloom – something we can all be proud of.”

Winners for the 2010 Laurence Oliver Awards:

Best Actress- Rachel Weisz for A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar

Best Actor- Mark Rylance for Jerusalem at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court

Best Actress In A Supporting Role- Ruth Wilson for A Streetcar Named Desire at the Donmar

Best Actor In A Supporting Role- Eddie Redmayne for Red at the Donmar

Best New Play- The Mountaintop by Katori Hall at Trafalgar Studios 1

Best New Comedy- The Priory by Michael Wynne at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court

Best Musical Revival- Hello Dolly! book by Michael Stewart, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, based on the play ”The Matchmaker” by Thornton Wilder at the Open Air

Best New Musical – Spring Awakening music by Duncan Sheik, book and lyrics by Steven Sater, based on the play by Frank Wedekind at the Novello

Best Entertainment- Morecambe by Tim Whitnall at the Duchess

Best Actress In A Musical Or Entertainment- Samantha Spiro for Hello Dolly! at the Open Air

Best Actor In A Musical Or Entertainment- Aneurin Barnard for Spring Awakening at the Novello

Best Supporting Performance In A Musical Or Entertainment- Iwan Rheon for Spring Awakening at the Novello

Best Director- Rupert Goold for Enron at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court and now at the No?l Coward

Best Revival- Cat On A Hot Tin Roof directed by Debbie Allen at the Novello.

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