THEATRE to die for was the order of the day on Tuesday night, with thrill-seekers riddling whodunnit at the Gaiety theatre. Judging by how packed the circles were for the opening night of Anthony Shaffer's Sleuth, people could be driven to kill for a seat to watch Peter Bowles and Michael Maloney vying to outwit each other.
Among those chuckling through the proceedings were Marty Whelan and Mary Kennedy, sitting with the series producer of their Open House TV series, John Masterson. Mary said she was thrilled Peter Bowles would be on the show the following afternoon. "I think he's lovely," she said, before saying she was looking forward to a break at Easter when she's off to Disneyworld in Florida with her four children: Eva, Tom, Eoin and Lucy Kennedy, aged between seven and 15.
RTE colleague Gay Byrne was sitting across the aisle with his wife, Kathleen Watkins and their daughter Crona Byrne. Life is great, he said, since the workload has decreased - "and getting better all the time". Asked whether he had any surprises in store after The Late Late Show finished, Crona was quick to pipe up that his surprise would be "doing housework".
Business was being done, as always at these events, with the venue's executive director, John Costigan, ushering independent producer Edward Farrell to one side to do a deal on bringing Rebecca Storm to play at the theatre on March 21st. Also there were Minister for Arts, Culture, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Sile de Valera, with special adviser to the Taoiseach, Paddy Duffy. John Costigan was making no secret of the fact that he was out to impress Paddy, since the latter is on the Millennium Committee and the Gaiety has an application in for millennium funding. Among those supporting their application is Dublin city manager, John Fitzgerald, who was in the audience, along with Ronan Collins, John Creedon, Myles Dungan, June Rogers and Billie Barry.
Popscene presenter Roisin Saxe was looking particularly elegant, sipping a gin and tonic during the interval. She was with dapper-looking journalist Olaf Tyaransen, and the two were off to Tosca restaurant after the show to celebrate Olaf's 28th birthday.
