Hollywood stars outshine Australian theatre awards

Australian theatre's night of nights -- the 2011 Helpmann Awards -- have been dominated by an imported musical and two Hollywood stars, as Cate Blanchett and Geoffery Rush won top honours.

But the real story has been the dominance of the resurrected musical Mary Poppins which snagged eight category gongs.

Held at the iconic Sydney Opera House on Monday before an audience bursting with the cream of Australia's vibrant theatrical community, the annual Helpmann Awards, established ten years ago are Down Under's version of the New York's Tony Awards and honour the best of Australian stage theatre and music.

Mary Poppins swept all before her in the revitalized musical industry winning, among others, best musical, best male and female actors in a musical for its leads Matt Lee and Verity Hunt-Ballard as well as best direction and best music direction.

Hollywood siren and co-director of the Sydney Theatre Company ( STC), Cate Blanchett (The Lord of the Rings) was a posthumous victor for her performance in the the STC's Uncle Vanya while Geoffery Rush (Pirates of the Caribbean) picked up another best male actor award for his performance in long-time collaborator Neil Armfield's play The Diary of a Madman, for which Armfield won best director.

The Belvoir Theatre's Wild Duck, as expected, took out best play, while on the reinvigorated Australian live music front, the 2010 Splendour in the Grass which was held for 2011 last weekend -- won best contemporary music festival and Powderfinger's Sunsets farewell tour won best Australian contemporary concert.

Leonard Cohen's performance at Hanging Rock was named best international concert, following his record breaking 2010 tour, which has been described as 'the best live show' to ever come to Australia.

The Helpmann Awards have been named in honour of the prolific Australian performer, dramaturg and choreographer Sir Robert Helpmann who died in 1986.