The new stars of British stage were recognised in a sweep of awards for youth led by teenage playwright Anya Reiss and former Skins actor Daniel Kaluuya.
And the next generation of leading men and women were honoured as Rory Kinnear and Nancy Carroll were named best actor and actress.
Sherlock Holmes star Benedict Cumberbatch presented the most promising playwright award to 19-year-old Reiss for showing "obscenely early promise with her cracking debut".
The daughter of a Westminster Abbey canon, Reiss wrote Spur of the Moment, an expletive-strewn family drama, when she was 17. She has since completed her A-levels at Francis Holland School in Victoria.
Reiss thanked the Royal Court young writers' programme, which also spawned previous award-winner Polly Stenham.
"I know all the attention is on my age, but I hope I will come to be seen as a good playwright rather than just a good young playwright," Reiss said.
A special editor's award went to Daniel Kaluuya for shedding three stone to play a boxer in another Court hit, Sucker Punch by Roy Williams.
In an acceptance speech which was recorded because of his filming duties on Johnny English 2, Kaluuya thanked director Sacha Wares. "I was a big boy [but] she believed in me." Outstanding newcomer went to Kate Bond and Morgan Lloyd for You Me Bum Bum Train.
Rory Kinnear, 32, the son of the late actor Roy, was recognised for two Shakespearean roles including Hamlet. Liam Neeson presented the best actress award — in memory of his late wife, Natasha Richardson — to Carroll, 37, for her performance in After the Dance. She is six months pregnant with her second child. Kinnear's partner, Pandora Colin, is expecting their first baby in a week.
WINNERS OF LONDON EVENING STANDARD THEATRE AWARDS
BEST ACTOR
Rory Kinnear Measure for Measure (Almeida)/Hamlet (National's Olivier)
THE NATASHA RICHARDSON AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS
Nancy Carroll After the Dance (National's Lyttelton)
BEST PLAY
Bruce Norris Clybourne Park (Royal Court)
THE NED SHERRIN AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL
Passion Donmar Warehouse
BEST DIRECTOR
Howard Davies The White Guard (National's Lyttelton)/All My Sons (Apollo)
BEST DESIGN
Miriam Buether Sucker Punch (Royal Court)/Earthquakes in London (National's Cottesloe)
THE CHARLES WINTOUR AWARD FOR MOST PROMISING PLAYWRIGHT
Anya Reiss Spur of the Moment (Royal Court)
THE MILTON SHULMAN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER
You Me Bum Bum Train created by Kate Bond and Morgan Lloyd (LEB Building, E2)
EDITOR'S AWARD FOR A SHOOTING STAR
Daniel Kaluuya for his performance in Sucker Punch (Royal Court)
THE LEBEDEV SPECIAL AWARD
Sir Michael Gambon for his contribution to theatre
THE MOSCOW ART THEATRE'S GOLDEN SEAGULL
Sir Peter Hall
