Nicole Kidman and James McAvoy have taken home the top prizes at this year's London Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

Kidman's turn as British chemist Rosalind Franklin in Anna Ziegler's drama Photograph 51 landed her the Best Actress title, while X-Men star McAvoy was named Best Actor following his charismatic portrayal of Jack in The Ruling Class.

A total of 13 awards were presented on the night, including Best Musical Performance to Imelda Staunton for her role in Gypsy and Best Newcomer in a Musical to Gemma Arterton for her work in the stage show of Made in Dagenham.

Picking up her award, Kidman said it was "extraordinary" to win.
The Oscar-winning star had returned to the London stage for the first time in 17 years to play Franklin, the only woman involved in the discovery of DNA's double helix in 1953.
The actress said she had taken on the role in memory of her scientist father who died in 2014.

"Every night before I would go on stage I would kneel in front of his photograph and look into his eyes and he would give me the strength to go and do it every night," she said.

The ceremony included musical performances from Imelda Staunton, performing Everything's Coming Up Roses from Gypsy, and Pixie Lott singing Moon River from the production of Breakfast at Tiffany's, which opens in the West End next year.

Source: Press Release