Maybe Happy Ending, a romantic-comedy about a pair of androids falling in love, has won six Tony Awards, including best new musical.
The story charts the relationship between two decommissioned robots, becoming a commentary on human themes and the passage of time.
Starring Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, Maybe Happy Ending enjoyed huge success at the 78th annual ceremony held at the Radio City Music Hall in New York on Sunday.
The acclaimed Broadway production’s awards also included Criss winning best leading actor in a musical, alongside prizes for best direction of a musical, best original theatre score, best book of a musical, and best scenic design of a musical.
In other awards, Purpose, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ drawing room drama about an accomplished black family exposing hypocrisy and pressures during a snowed-in gathering, won best new play.
Image: Darren Criss and Helen J Shen perform a number from Maybe Happy Ending at the Tony Awards. Pic: Reuters
Jacobs-Jenkins becomes the first black playwright to win the award since August Wilson took home the accolade in 1987 for Fences.
It underlines a triumphant year for Jacobs-Jenkins after scooping the Pulitzer Prize for Purpose – and winning back-to-back Tonys after his Appropriate won best play revival in 2024.
Kara Young – the first black female actor to be nominated for a Tony in four consecutive years – became the first black person to win two awards consecutively, picking up the trophy for featured actress in a play for her work in Purpose.
Image: Kara Young made history at the ceremony in New York. Pic: Reuters
Sunset Blvd won best musical revival, handing composer Andrew Lloyd Webber his first competitive Tony since 1995, when the original show won.
The current version is a stripped-down, minimalist production.
Sarah Snook took home the trophy for leading actress in a play for her tireless work in The Picture Of Dorian Gray, where she plays all 26 roles.
“I don’t feel alone any night that I do this show,” Snook said, dismissing the idea of her play as a one-woman show.
“There are so many people onstage making it work and behind the stage making it work.”
Oh Mary! saw Sam Pinkleton win best director and Cole Escola landing best actor in a play.
Image: A delighted Sam Pinkleton after winning an award at the Tonys. Pic: Reuters
Francis Jue won best actor in a featured role in a play for his work in a revival of Yellow Face.
Jak Malone won best actor in a featured role in a musical for the British import, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical.
Eureka Day, Jonathan Spector’s social satire about well-meaning liberals debating a school’s vaccine policy, won the best play revival trophy.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow – based on the 12-time Emmy-winning Netflix hit sci-fi series, won best scenic design, lighting design and sound design of a play.
The production, which has been running in London’s West End, also picked up a special award for its illusions and technical effects.
Warning: This article contains references to suicide
An NHS trust on trial following the death of a young woman at an east London hospital has been cleared of corporate manslaughter.
Alice Figueiredo, 22, took her own life while being treated at Goodmayes Hospital in July 2015.
The North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) had been charged with corporate manslaughter and was found not guilty, following a months-long trial. But it was instead found guilty of failing to ensure the health and safety of non-employees.
A not guilty verdict was also returned for hospital ward manager Benjamin Aninakwa, who was charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
Aninakwa also denied a charge of failing to take reasonable care for the health and safety of patients on the ward. He was found guilty.
The decisions were made after the joint-longest jury deliberation in English legal history.
A spokesperson for the North East London NHS Foundation Trust said their thoughts were with Alice’s family and loved ones.
“We extend our deepest sympathy for the pain and heartbreak they have suffered this past ten years,” they said.
“We will reflect on the verdict and its implications, both for the Trust and mental health provision more broadly as we continue to work to develop services for the communities we serve.”
Aninakwa was accused of failing to remove items from the ward capable of use for self-harm and failing to ensure incidents of self-harm were recorded, considered and addressed.
Ms Figueiredo was described as a bright and gifted young woman, who had been head girl at her school.
She struggled with her mental health and had been diagnosed with an eating disorder as well as bipolar affective disorder.
In February 2015, Ms Figueiredo was admitted to Hepworth Ward, an acute psychiatric unit at Goodmayes Hospital.
During her five months on the ward, the jury at the Old Bailey heard how she had attempted to harm or kill herself on 39 occasions, including 18 times with plastic bags.
Despite this, Ms Figueiredo was able to access a bag, and on 7 July she killed herself using a bag taken from a communal toilet on the ward.
Image: Alice Figueiredo was admitted to Goodmayes Hospital
The trial also heard evidence about the reporting of incidents on the hospital computer system.
Last year, Health Secretary Wes Streeting made damning remarks about NELFT at a conference of NHS leaders.
“I’m very aware of NELFT not least because NELFT has and continues to appear in the headlines for providing really poor quality care,” he said.
Ms Figueiredo’s family visited her regularly in hospital, and repeatedly raised concerns about her care.
The jury heard how her mother, Jane Figueiredo, wrote to managers warning: “It is only a matter of time before there is a fatality on this ward.”
Campaigners believe Ms Figueiredo’s death points to wider problems with mental health care.
Deborah Coles, director of the charity Inquest, said: “I hope that irrespective of the verdict, this will send shock waves and ensure that learning and change is an absolute priority.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
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