Rufus triumphant as Rock'n'Roll rules

Rock'n'Roll blasted its way to a double victory today at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

Sir Tom Stoppard's politics and music saga, set in post-war Czechoslovakia, was named best play at London theatre's most prestigious annual awards ceremony, held at The Savoy.

The play also picked up a best actor prize for Rufus Sewell, while the best actress award went to Kathleen Turner for Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf ? as the finest plays, players and musicals of the past 12 months were honoured at the 52nd awards, compered by Ned Sherrin.

Rock 'n' Roll, which moved from the Royal Court to the Duke Of York's, beat Peter Morgan's Frost/Nixon and Conor McPherson's The Seafarer.

Sir Tom, in New York for tonight's Broadway opening of his The Coast Of Utopia, accepted the prize on film. He said: "This is not a good time for me to be 3,000 miles away. I thank the Evening Standard and am honoured."

Presented with the best actor prize by Kristin Scott Thomas for his role as a Czech dissident, Sewell, 39, said: "This award is very special because it is quite easy to get recognised for being a newcomer, but to still be in the game all these years later is fantastic."

On beating Kevin Spacey (A Moon For The Misbegotten), Michael Sheen (Frost/Nixon) and Bill Irwin (Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf ?), Sewell said: "It's unbelievable. It doesn't bear thinking about. " But Frost/Nixon, at the Gielgud Theatre - the story of David Frost's landmark 1977 TV interviews with former US president Richard Nixon - won the editor's award, an inaugural prize set up to honour an outstanding contribution to the West End. Culture Minister David Lammy handed the statuette to playwright Peter Morgan.

Kathleen Turner was named best actress for her electrifying performance as Martha in the Apollo Theatre's revival of Edward Albee's classic Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? Turner, 52, said: "As an American actress I have had Tony nominations before, but I have such great admiration for the quality of British theatre, that I am truly thrilled." She beat Sinead Cusack (Rock 'n' Roll) and Frances O'Connor (Tom And Viv).

When it came to best musical the National Theatre emerged triumphant thanks to Caroline, or Change. The civil rights musical defeated Spamalot, Evita and Sunday In The Park With George. Lyricist Tony Kushner and composer Jeanine Tesori received the award from Alan Cumming.

The National chalked up another victory as Marianne Elliott landed the Sydney Edwards Award for best director for Pillars Of The Community. Jeremy Irons handed the prize to Elliott, who beat Michael Grandage for The Wild Duck, Evita and Frost/Nixon as well as Anthony Page for Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

Kilburn's Tricycle Theatre won the special award for its pioneering work in political theatre. Tricycle director Nicholas Kent received the award from Richard Wilson for plays such as The Colour Of Justice, based on the Stephen Lawrence inquiry; Justifying War, about the Hutton Inquiry; and Guantanamo, which drew upon interviews with detainees at the US camp.

Helen McCrory presented the award for best design to Timothy Bird and David Farley for Sunday In The Park With George, which opened at the Menier Chocolate Factory before transferring to Wyndham's Theatre.