A play set in Derry picked up three awards last night at the 2018 Olivier Awards.
Laura Donnelly (pictured above) was awarded the best actress prize at the prestigious 2018 Olivier Awards.
The Belfast actress won the top award for her role in the Northern Ireland based play The Ferryman at a glitzy ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Sunday.
She faced competition from fellow actresses Lesley Manville (Long Day’s Journey into Night), Audra McDonald (Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill), and Imelda Staunton (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?)
Set in rural Londonderry in 1981, The Ferryman is inspired by the story of Donnelly’s real-life uncle Eugene Simons, one of the so-called Disappeared, who went missing from his Co Down home in January 1981. His body was later discovered by chance in a bog near Dundalk, Co Louth.
The play was written by Jez Butterworth and directed by Sam Mendes.
Winning huge praise from both critics and theatre audiences, The Ferryman was also awarded the best new play prize on Sunday night, while Mendes picked up the best director gong.
Meanwhile, the West End production of Hamilton swept the boards on the night with seven wins from its record-breaking 13 nominations.
The hip hop musical, which tells the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton, scooped both best new musical and outstanding achievement in music.
Giles Terera won best actor in a musical for his portrayal of Aaron Burr while his co-star Michael Jibson won the best actor in a supporting role in a musical award.
Terera said: “I am relieved and elated that we did so well.
“We did not take anything for granted. You never know how these things will be received and I knew it was very special.”
Asked if the production was a “game changer”, Terera said: “Yes, I think so.”
Elsewhere, Bryan Cranston took home the award for best actor.
After accepting his prize for the portrayal of Howard Beale in Network, Cranston called for more funding to be made available to the arts.
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