Olivier awards 2012: Matilda's winning smiles and more – in pictures

Four little girls were the night's big winners – Sophia Kiely, Eleanor Worthington Cox, Kerry Ingram and Cleo Demetriou, who between them shared the best musical actress award for their part(s) in the RSC's adaptation of Matilda Photograph: Jonathan Short/AP

But don't forget the boys … writer Dennis Kelly, composer Tim Minchin and actor Bertie Carvel (left to right) also had a spectacular evening, each winning for their contributions to Matilda Photograph: Dan Wooller/Rex Features

One of the night's most bittersweet events was the special award given to the outgoing director of the Royal Ballet, Monica Mason, who has spent more than half a century with the company Photograph: Tim Whitby/Getty Images

Various West End performers trooped on stage through the evening, providing a faintly bizarre collage of performances. This is probably the only time that Shrek the Musical (pictured) has gone head to head with the Royal Ballet performing contemporary dance Photograph: Tim Whitby/Getty Images

Another lifetime achievement award went to lyricist Tim Rice, who joked that he wouldn't be thanking God, as is traditional at US ceremonies, despite having made a good deal of money out of him via Jesus Christ Superstar. Elaine Paige performed an excerpt from one of his greatest hits, Evita Photograph: Tim Whitby/Getty Images

Although One Man, Two Guvnors was entirely ignored by the jury – a decision that caused some consternation on the night – the National Theatre won elsewhere. John Hodge picked up the best new play award for his script for Collaborators, a semi-fictional depiction of the relationship between Stalin and the Russian writer Bulgakov Photograph: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images

Smaller theatres had their share of the limelight too: here Kerry Michael and Toni Racklin of Theatre Royal, Stratford East accept the award for outstanding achievement in an affiliate theatre award for their production of Cora Bissett's Roadkill, a devastatingly effective piece about sex trafficking Photograph: Tim Whitby/Getty Images

Though it is unlikely to receive anything like the column inches of larger theatres, one of the night's biggest winners was the small-scale Open Air theatre in Regent's Park, which won best musical revival (for Crazy for You, pictured) for the third year in a row Photograph: Tim Whitby/Getty Images

His and hers ... Ruth Wilson, who won best actress for her blistering performance in Eugene O'Neill's Anna Christie at the Donmar, poses with Jonny Lee Miller, who shared the best actor award with Benedict Cumberbatch (they alternated roles as Dr Frankenstein and his monster in the National's epic production) Photograph: Nick Harvey/Getty/WireImage

Also celebrating was English National Opera, headed by John Berry (right), which cleaned up in the categories it was eligible for. As well as winning outstanding achievement in opera (for the 'breadth and diversity of the artistic programme'), the company also won best new opera, for its production of Rameau's Castor and Pollux
Photograph: Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

Maybe we should leave the last word to a Matilda, though: 11-year-old Cleo Demetriou, who was so overcome when she was given her Olivier that she could barely speak. 'This is coming everywhere with me,' she told us afterwards. 'I'm not letting go' Photograph: Tim Whitby/Getty Images