Matilda, The Musical written by Dennis Kelly was the biggest winner of the 2012 Olivier Awards, picking up a massive seven awards.

The play, based on the Roald Dahl novel, won Best New Musical, Best Set Design, Best Theatre Choreographer, Best Sound Design and Best Director.

Additionally, it also picked up the 2012's Best Actress award which was given to the four girls who shared the title role. With it, Cleo Demetriou, Kerry Ingram, Sophia Kiely and Eleanor Worthington Cox who acted in the musical became the youngest ever recipients of an Olivier Award.

In other categories, Derren Brown was awarded his second Olivier Award, winning in the Best Entertainment and Family category for Svengali based on the George du Maurier's 1894 novel Trilby while Theatre Royal Stratford East took home the Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre accolade for Roadkill.

Reuters reported that at the ceremony, Brian May joined the cast of Queen musical We Will Rock You for a rendition of Bohemian Rhapsody, while there was music and dance to celebrate special awards for lyricist Tim Rice and outgoing Royal Ballet director Monica Mason.

British actress Sheridan Smith picked up her second Olivier Awards after receiving the 2011 awards in the Best Actress category for originating the role of Elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical.

Apart from this, Edward Watson scooped the outstanding achievement in dance award for his performance in The Metamorphosis at the Royal Opera House and best new dance production went to the Bangladesh-inspired Desh at Sadler's Wells.

Presented annually at the Society of London Theatre, the Olivier Award celebrates excellence in professional theatre. Named after the renowned British actor Laurence Olivier, they are given for West End shows and other productions staged in London.

Internationally recognised, the award is regarded as the highest honour in British theatre and is considered to be the theatre industry equivalent of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for television and film.

London