"Omigod you guys!"

It seemed like a land-slide for the West-ends musical version of 'Legally Blonde' at this years annual Laurence Olivier Awards. Legally Blondes leading lady (and star of screen hits such as 'Gavin and Stacey' and '2 Pints of Lager and a packet of crisps') Sheridan Smith, has been crowned the queen of the West End after winning best musical actress at the Laurence Olivier Awards in London.

Super-star Smith won the award for her role in the show, based on the 2001 ultimate chick-flick and co-star Jill Halfpenny also won best supporting role in a musical. Frothy, film-inspired funfest Legally Blonde: The Musical was named best new musical at the Britain's equivalent of Broadway's Tonys on Sunday.

The story of the bright and bubbly California girl, Elle Woods, burst onto the British stage January of 2010 and won over the rainy streets of London like a burst of sunshine. 

Based on the 2001 Reese Witherspoon movie and novel by Amanda Brown West-ends production of Legally Blondes: The Musical followed the lukewarm reviewed Broadway version. Despite Laura-Bell Bundy's outstanding performance, Broadway's production closed in October 2008 after 595 performances. But London's often curmudgeonly critics greeted the new show with open arms. 

Leading Blonde Sheridan Smith told her audience:

"It's credit crunch, terrible weather, and all you want to do is have two and a half hours of escapism," Smith reaffirmed its appeal was obvious.

In what has been dubbed an emotional acceptance speech, Sheridan Smith thanked Legally Blonde's US creators for letting a "chav play an American rich girl".

Keep your eyes out for star of stage and screen, Sheridan Smith, as she has been hotly tipped to star in an up-and-coming on stage performance of smash hit film of 20-something spinster Bridget Jones. 

The National Theatre's revival of playwright Terence Rattigan's After the Dance also won four awards. After the Dance, a play about 1920s "pretty young things" sinking into drink and despair, winnings included best revival, costume design, best supporting actor for Adrian Scarborough, and best actress for Nancy Carroll. 

These two productions were the biggest winners at the most prestigious ceremony in the London theatre calendar.

Not such good news was afforded to Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom sequel Love Never Dies which went home empty-handed despite seven nominations.

The sequel to monster hit Phantom of the Opera had more nominations than any other show, but won nothing. The musical opened a year ago to mixed reviews, and recently announced a series of cast changes as it fights to match Phantom's success.

At the ceremony's climax, legend; Sondheim, received a special prize in recognition of his contribution to theatre. Sir Cameron Mackintosh described the composer and lyricist as a "true legend", paying tribute to his "unique theatrical muscle".

It seems West-end stars really do have something to make a song and dance about this week. Congratulations!

-ZB