British talent wins big on Broadway as West End transfers shine at Tony awards

British talent shone in New York at the Tony awards as shows that transferred from the West End to Broadway dominated the ceremony.

- Benjamin Lee, Chris Wiegand

As the awards made a return to relative normality after ceremonies were affected by Covid in recent years, the Broadway transfer of The Lehman Trilogy which made its debut at National Theatre in London in 2018 - won best play, best director and best leading actor in a play.

"This play was written as a hymn to New York but, like the Lehman brothers themselves, our show started thousands of miles away," said the playwright Ben Power, who adapted the show from the Italian playwright Stefano Massini's original.

The play's director, Sam Mendes, picked up his second Tony, praising "a season of such rampant creativity and diversity" and thanking his colleagues for "keeping this show alive during some pretty dark days".

Simon Russell Beale was named best leading actor in a play, and said he felt "a little sheepish" that he won over his two nominated co-stars, Adrian Lester and Adam Godley. The Lehman Trilogy also won for best scenic design and lighting of a play.

The Broadway transfer of Company, which originated in London's West End, was named best revival of a musical. Its star Patti LuPone won best actress in a featured role in a musical, beating A Strange Loop's L Morgan Lee, the first openly transgender actor to receive a Tony nomination. LuPone had already won an Olivier for the role.