OnTheTown: Many actors had early morning calls booked for filming the day after the music died at The Irish Times/ESB Irish Theatre Awards this week.
Actor David Herlihy was preparing to continue filming Paul Mercier's Studs, based on the play of the same name, with Brendan Gleeson in the leading role. "It's a football story, with a lot of blood, sweat and tears," he said. His friend, Phelim Drew, who is currently appearing in the Abbey's The Shaughraun, was also going to take part in the Dublin-based film the next day - playing a referee, he said.
As the champagne flowed, actors and directors, writers and designers chatted and cheered throughout the awards ceremony. "Tá sé cosúil le Aonach an Spidéil," said Pádhraic Ó Ciardha, of TG4, comparing the night of excitement and passion to a fair day in Spiddal.
Dawn Bradfield, a best actress nominee (for her role in George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion at the Gate Theatre), wore a wine taffeta gown designed by Susan Dempsey of Peekaboo in Temple Bar. She was planning to leave Dublin early the next morning for Banagher, Co Offaly, to start filming in Eugene O'Brien's Pure Mule, a new six-part television series loosely based on his play, Eden. She plays an ex-Offaly Rose, married to a garda and looking after three children and her mother.
Among the few who were absent on the night was actor and writer, Mark O'Halloran. O'Halloran, who was a nominee in the best actor category for his role in Dublin by Lamplight by Michael West, was at the Berlin International Film Festival picking up a Mini Bear for his film Adam and Paul.