Matilda Broadway show tops New York Drama Desk awards

Matilda the Musical received rave reviews from the American press after its opening night

British musical Matilda has topped the Drama Desk awards with five prizes.

The Broadway show, based on Roald Dahl's book, won outstanding musical, while Bertie Carvel took outstanding actor in a musical and Tim Minchin won for outstanding lyrics.

US critics gave it rave reviews when it transferred to Broadway in April from London's West End.

Dennis Kelly won another award for Matilda for outstanding book of a musical.

The musical's prize haul was rounded out by Rob Howell, the outstanding set design winner.

The West End production of Matilda broke records last year when it won seven Olivier Awards.

Revivals of Pippin, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? were also multiple winners.

Pippin, a revival of a 1972 musical that tells the story of a young prince who joins a performance troupe, won four awards, while Cinderella and Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf both won three apiece.

Outstanding play was won by Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike by Christopher Durang.

Tom Hanks missed out on the best actor prize for his Broadway debut in Nora Ephron's play Lucky Guy. That award went to Tracy Letts in Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Outstanding actor in a musical went to Billy Porter for Kinky Boots and the outstanding music award was won by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, for Here Lies Love, which follows the journey of Filipina first lady Imelda Marcos.

The Drama Desk Awards are voted for by theatre critics, journalists, editors and publishers.