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Legally Blonde the Musical were the biggest West End winners at the 2011 Laurence Olivier Awards, taking home three prizes at last night's star-studded ceremony, including Best Actress in a Musical for Sheridan Smith.

Legally Blonde Picks Up Three Awards

The show, which opened in the West End in early 2010, also picked up Best New Musical (beating off competition from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies) and an award for Best Supporting Role in a Musical, which went to Smith's co-star Jill Halfpenny.

Smith left Legally Blonde in January and is currently appearing in Terence Rattigan's Flare Path at the Theatre Royal Haymarket alongside Sienna Miller and Clive Woods.

We Will Rock You is Audience Favourite

Other popular winners on the night included the the Queen-inspired jukebox musical We Will Rock You. The show picked up the BBC Radio 2 Audience Award, which was decided by a public vote.

Elsewhere, Clybourne Park, which which transferred to the West End following a hugely successful run at the Royal Court, won Best New Play. "The Railway Children" won the Best Entertainment category. The children's drama, which features a working steam engine as part of the show, will return to the Waterloo Station Theatre this summer.

The National Theatre collected seven awards, with Nancy Carroll winning Best Actress for Thea Sharrock’s "After the Dance" at the Lyttleton. Adrian Scarborough was named as Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performance in the same production.

Sondheim Wins Special Recognition

The finale to the evening saw composer Stephen Sondheim recognised for his contribution to theatre. The "West Side Story" and "Sweeney Todd" great, who turned 80 last year, picked up the Society of London Theatre's Special Award. It was presented by Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Angela Lansbury, who had flown into London especially for the ceremony.

In a double success on the night, Sondheim's fairytale musical "Into the Woods" received an award for Best Musical Revival at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.