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Angela Lansbury wins first Olivier Award; ‘Sunny Afternoon’ is night’s biggest winner

Angela Lansbury shows off her supporting actress award for "Blithe Spirit" during the Lawrence Olivier Awards in London on April 12.

Angela Lansbury shows off her supporting actress award for “Blithe Spirit” during the Lawrence Olivier Awards in London on April 12.

(Justin Tallis / AFP/Getty Images)
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It seems that four decades have proved to be the charm for Angela Lansbury, who on Sunday picked up her first-ever Olivier Award following a 40-year sabbatical from the London stage.

At 89, Lansbury was the belle of the awards ceremony, which honors British theater, opera and dance, with her supporting actress win for her work as eccentric psychic Madame Arcati in a revival of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit.” (Lansbury’s last jaunt on a London stage was as Gertrude in Peter Hall’s 1975 production of “Hamlet” at the National Theatre.)

“Here I am creeping up to 90 and feeling like a million dollars,” said the London native, who first appeared onstage in the 1940s.

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But the “Murder, She Wrote” alum wasn’t alone in all the glory that was handed down at London’s Royal Opera House on Sunday night.

“Sunday Afternoon,” which tells the story of the ‘60s English rock band the Kinks, topped the night with the most awards (4), including best musical, while the classic Arthur Miller drama “A View From the Bridge” wasn’t far behind with three wins to its name.

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Here’s the full list of winners:

New play: “King Charles III”

New musical: “Sunny Afternoon”

New comedy: “The Play That Goes Wrong”

Entertainment: “La Soiree”

Revival: “A View From the Bridge”

Musical revival: “City of Angels”

Actress -- play: Penelope Wilton, “Taken at Midnight”

Actor -- play: Mark Strong, “A View From the Bridge”

Actress -- musical: Katie Brayben, “Beautiful”

Actor -- musical: John Dagleish, “Sunny Afternoon”

Supporting actor -- play: Nathaniel Parker, “Wolf Hall” and “Bring Up the Bodies”

Supporting actress -- play: Angela Lansbury, “Blithe Spirit”

Supporting actress -- musical: Lorna Want, “Beautiful”

Supporting actor -- musical: George Maguire, “Sunny Afternoon”

Director: Ivo van Hove, “A View From the Bridge”

Theater choreography: Sergio Trujillo, “Memphis: The Musical”

Outstanding achievement in music: Ray Davies, “Sunny Afternoon”

New opera production: “The Mastersingers Of Nuremberg,“ English National Opera

Outstanding achievement in opera: Director Richard Jones

New dance production (tie): “32 Rue Vandenbranden” and “Mats Ek’s Juliet and Romeo”

Outstanding achievement in dance: Choreographer Crystal Pite

Set design: Es Devlin, “The Nether”

Lighting design: Howard Harrison, “City of Angels”

Sound design: Gareth Owen, “Memphis: The Musical”

Costume design: Christopher Oram, “Wolf Hall” and “Bring Up the Bodies.”

Audience award for most popular show: “Wicked”

Outstanding achievement in an affiliate theater: “Bull” at the Young Vic

Special awards: Sylvie Guillem, Kevin Spacey

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

I tweet about TV (and other things) here: @villarrealy

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