The Inheritance, Matthew Lopez’s two-part masterpiece, was award four awards including Best New Play.
Held at London’s Royal Albert Hall, The Inheritance took home four gongs including Best New Play for Matthew Lopez, Best Director for Stephen Daldry, Best Lighting Design for Jon Clark and Best Actor for Kyle Soller.
The show was nominated for a total of eight awards making it the most nominated play of the evening.
Related: Vanessa Redgrave is fighting for greater queer visibility: ‘These stories need to be told’
During his acceptance speech, its star Kyle Soller paid tribute to those that were lost during the AIDS epidemic.
He said: “To the people that died during the AIDS epidemic, to those that were lost, to those who continue the fight in a world where you can still be stoned to death for loving who you love – thank you.”
The Inheritance joined Come From Away and Company as the big winners of the night taking home four awards each.
2018 London production of The Inheritance | Marc Brenner
The evening featured guest presenters including Layton Williams (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) and Hollywood icon Sally Field who appears at the Old Vic later this month.
The event was attended by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall and later broadcast on ITV.
Related: LGBTQ play The Inheritance wins two leading WhatsOnStage Awards
Layton Williams & Sally Field arrives in an Audi at the Olivier Awards 2019 at Royal Albert Hall on April 07, 2019 in London, England | Dave Benett/Getty for Audi UK
The biggest night in British Theatre celebrated LGBTQ actors and storytelling throughout the night. Best Leading Actress in a Musical was awarded to openly gay actor Sharon D. Clarke for her leading portrayal in Caroline or Change.
Elsewhere, queer actor Jonathan Bailey was also awarded a gong for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role in the new gender-swapped and LGBTQ inclusive production of Company.
Related: Patti LuPone interview: ‘LGBTQ community is stronger than white supremacists’
During his acceptance speech, Jonathan made reference to recent controversy around LGBTQ inclusion – or the lack of it – in Birmingham.
“At a time where acknowledging the very existence of LGBT people in our schools is being questioned, we have been able to – as a company – show a lovely a celebratory snapshot of gay love,” he said during to great applause.
Jonathan continued: “LGBT people really aren’t that different. We are just as anxious and we’re just as flawed and desperate to fall in love as everyone else.”
His co-star, the legendary Patti LuPone, was award the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.
Could you meet a more iconic bunch?? The winning four-some from @CompanyWestEnd with their three statues! pic.twitter.com/FpqhLClmwz
— WhatsOnStage (@WhatsOnStage) April 7, 2019
A full list of winners for the 2019 Olivier Awards can be found here.
Gay Times joined Olivier Awards partner Audi UK in celebrating the best of British Theatre. More information can be found here.
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