Jude Law, Weisz scoop theatre awards

LONDON — Jude Law and Rachel Weisz have been given the thumbs up from London theatregoers, winning top acting honours at the city's only stage awards decided by the public.

Law's Hamlet won him the best actor prize at the Whatsonstage awards, run by a major theatre website. Weisz was named best actress for playing faded southern belle Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire.

A sellout production of Waiting for Godot starring theatrical knights — and X-Men co-stars — Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart was voted theater event of the year.

Rowan Atkinson was named best actor in a musical for playing Fagin in Oliver! which also was voted best musical revival. The best actress in a musical prize went to Patina Miller for singing-nun show Sister Act.

Camp Aussie extravaganza Priscilla Queen of the Desert was named best new musical.

The best play trophy went to Jez Butterworth's Jerusalem, a raucous portrait of a modern-day English rogue, while the Donmar Warehouse's Streetcar, starring Weisz, was named best revival.

Organisers said 46,000 people voted over the Internet for the awards.

- AP