AUDIENCES ACROSS Ireland must have been facing empty stages on Sunday, given that most of the big names in Irish drama had exited stage right to Santry's Crowne Plaza Hotel for the 11th Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards, writes Fiona McCann.
Familiar figures from the Irish theatre world mixed with some newer additions as Mark O'Regan and Michael James Ford - rechristened Ant and Dec for the evening - entertained the audience with new award categories, among them the Grand Master of Feng Shui Award, which they gave to Abbey director Fiach Mac Conghail for "triumphantly rearranging the furniture in the Abbey".
Brendan Gleeson, whose film In Bruges premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month, was there too, but in a supporting role. "I'm here to support my son and I'm very proud to do that," he said. His son Domhnall was shortlisted for the best supporting actor award, which went to Rory Keenan, his co-star in the Siren Productions staging of Macbeth.
"In the play, I play Rory's nemesis. I couldn't ask for a better night in terms of getting ready for my play," he joked.
Actor Marie Mullen said she was delighted to see that theatre in Ireland was fighting fit, thanks to the emergence of so much young talent. "There are a lot of young, beautiful actors and actresses coming up through the ranks and continuing the tradition," she said.
Mullen was joined by her husband, actor Sean McGinley, who hailed a new generation of playwrights. "We still have Tom Murphy and Brian Friel, but we also have all these great young writers, Mark O'Rowe, Enda Walsh, Sean O'Loughlin. It's very exciting," he said.
One man present with a foot in both the acting and writing worlds was IFTA award winner Mark O'Halloran, who is writing a new TV series for RTÉ.
As well as plans for another film with director Lenny Abrahamson, he will also be taking to the stage again in an Abbey production of An Ideal Husband. "I play Lord Goring; he's very posh," said O'Halloran with a grin.
Culture Ireland chief executive Eugene Downes had flown back from Los Angeles to attend the awards, admitting that having no tickets for the Oscar ceremony had helped ease his disappointment at missing Glen Hansard's triumph.
There was plenty of red-carpet glamour to compensate at the Crowne Plaza, however, with Pat Moylan magnificent in a red Claire Garvey dress. Seated with her partner at Lane Productions, Breda Cashe, Moylan revealed that the duo have plans to put on a new play by Robert Massey, as well as overseeing the return of I, Keano to the Olympia in May. The former artistic director of Andrews Lane Theatre said she still had difficulty walking past the site where she spent 18 years of her professional life. "When I go up Trinity Street I have to look the other way," she admitted.
Angeline Ball, glamorous in gold, said she was taking a break after her four-month run in Playboy of the Western World to spend time with her daughter Katie, but she admitted there were plans afoot for a film with Adrian Dunbar at the end of April.
Booker Prize winner Anne Enright was accompanied by her husband Martin Murphy, artistic director of the Pavilion Theatre in DúLaoghaire.
Ten years on from her own stint as judge for the theatre awards, Enright, with a book of short stories due out next month, said she had no other writing projects on the go. "I've had four books and two children in seven years, so I think we'll just call it a day!" she joked.
Also at the event were Maureen Kennelly, artistic director of Mermaid Arts Centre, actors Jane Brennan, Barry McGovern and Karen Ardiff, and Lynne Parker, artistic director of Rough Magic.