The nominations for this year’s The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards have been announced, which recognise the best performances and productions in Irish theatre in 2014.
Shortlists have been announced across 13 categories. Among the most nominated productions are: GIAF/Landmark’s Ballyturk, by Enda Walsh; the Abbey Theatre’s Our Few and Evil Days, by Mark O’Rowe; and the Lyric Theatre’s Punk Rock, by Simon Stephens. Each has been nominated for six awards. Among the actors nominated are Cillian Murphy, Aoife Duffin, Marie Mullen, Ciaran Hinds and Aisling O’Sullivan.
The three judges for 2014 were: Gerry Smyth, poet and former managing editor of The Irish Times; novelist Liz Nugent; and actor Fergus Cronin. Between them they saw 138 productions in conventional theatres, site-specific locations, promenade performances and even floating venues throughout the country.
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As a former managing editor of The Irish Times, Gerry Smyth founded the awards in 1997 to adjudicate all professional theatre throughout Ireland.
“At the time Irish theatre was going through a great surge, particularly in terms of international recognition, but there was no local recognition for that. The paper decided, because part of its core audience is the theatre audience, to establish the awards. I think one of the things it was welcomed for was to provide Irish theatre with a moment of celebration.”
One discovery of last year, a sixth successive year of diminished State funding for the arts, is not that theatre disappeared but that it was forced to change. “At the beginning of the year I conned myself that there would be a much lower level of activity, because I was so conscious of cuts in arts funding,” says Gerry Smyth. “That didn’t prove to be the case at all.”
This year sees the introduction of a new category: an Audience Choice award, sponsored by An Post. The public can vote for their favourite Irish theatre show of 2014, using entry forms in The Irish Times, or by logging on to irishtimes.com/theatreawards.
This year's Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards ceremony take place on February 22nd, at the National Concert Hall in Dublin. The event will also feature on The Works, on RTÉ One, on February 27th. Tickets for the awards night (€20) will go on sale on January 26th, at nch.ie.
BEST PRODUCTION
Ballyturk, written and directed by Enda Walsh for Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival
Our Few and Evil Days, written and directed by Mark O'Rowe for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
On the Wire, written and performed by Marie Boylan, Mike Finn, Conor Madden, Amanda Minihan and Shane Whisker, directed by Terry O'Donovan for Wildebeest Theatre Company
Punk Rock, by Simon Stephens, directed by Selina Cartmell for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
BEST DIRECTOR
Jimmy Fay for Pentecost, by Stewart Parker, for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
Conall Morrison for Sive by John B Keane and She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, for the Abbey Theatre
Enda Walsh for Ballyturk, for Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival
Selina Cartmell for Punk Rock, by Simon Stephens, for the Lyric Theatre
BEST ACTRESS
Judith Roddy as Marian in Pentecost, by Stewart Parker, directed by Jimmy Fay for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
Marie Mullen as Mommo in Bailegangaire, by Tom Murphy, directed by Garry Hynes for Druid Theatre, Galway
Sinéad Cusack as Margaret in Our Few and Evil Days, written and directed by Mark O'Rowe for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Aoife Duffin for A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing, adapted for the stage and directed by Annie Ryan for Corn Exchange
BEST ACTOR
Cillian Murphy in Ballyturk, written and directed by Enda Walsh for Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF)
Rhys Dunlop as William in Punk Rock, by Simon Stephens, directed by Selina Cartmell for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
Lewis J Stadlen as Solomon in The Price, by Arthur Miller, directed by Doug Hughes for the Gate Theatre, Dublin
Ciarán Hinds as Michael in Our Few and Evil Days, written and directed by Mark O'Rowe for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Aisling O'Sullivan as Dolly in Bailegangaire, by Tom Murphy, directed by Garry Hynes for Druid Theatre, Galway
Kate Gilmore in Breathless, by John MacKenna, directed by Iseult Golden for Orion Productions and Danú Theatre
Bríd Ní Neachtain as Nanna Glavin in Sive, by John B Keane, directed by Conall Morrison for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Caitriona Ennis as Annie in Spinning, by Deirdre Kinahan, directed by Jim Culleton for Fishamble The New Play Company
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Des Keogh as the Doc in Dreamland by Jim Nolan for Garter Lane, Everyman and Project Arts Centre
Simon O'Gorman as Thomasheen Seán Rua in Sive, by John B Keane, for the Abbey Theatre
Mark Lambert as Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, by William Shakespeare, for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Ian Toner as Bennett in Punk Rock, by Simon Stephens, for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
BEST NEW PLAY
Dreamland by Jim Nolan for Garter Lane, Everyman and Project Arts Centre
The Mariner by Hugo Hamilton for the Gate Theatre, Dublin
Our Few and Evil Days by Mark O'Rowe for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Conservatory by Michael West for the Peacock Theatre, Dublin
Petals by Gillian Greer for Roadkill Productions and Theatre Upstairs
BEST LIGHTING
Chahine Yavroyan for The Vortex (above) and Punk Rock, for the Gate, Dublin, and Lyric, Belfast
Adam Silverman for Ballyturk, by Enda Walsh, for Landmark Productions/GIAF
John Comiskey for Sive, by John B Keane, at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Ciaran Bagnall for Pentecost, by Stewart Parker, for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
BEST SET DESIGN
Jamie Vartan, for Ballyturk, by Enda Walsh, for Landmark Productions and GIAF
Paul Wills, for Our Few and Evil Days, by Mark O'Rowe, for the Abbey Theatre, Dublin
Alyson Cummins, for Pentecost, by Stewart Parker, for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast
Mario Beck, for Waiting in Line, for the Honest Arts Production Company
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Carl Kennedy, for Mr Foley the Radio Operator, by Frances Kay for Theatre Lovett
Teho Teardo and Helen Atkinson, for Ballyturk, by Enda Walsh, for Landmark Productions/GIAF
Fergus O'Hare, for Punk Rock, by Simon Stephens, and Pentecost, by Stewart Parker, for the Lyric
Tom Lane and Rob Moloney for Between Trees and Water, by Fiona McGeown and Thomas Conway, for Painted Bird Productions
BEST OPERA PRODUCTION
Der Vampyr by Heinrich Marschner, directed by Michael Barker-Caven and John O'Brien for Everyman and Cork Operatic Society
The Rape of Lucretia by Benjamin Britten, directed by Michael Barker-Caven for Irish Youth Opera
Silent Night by Kevin Puts, directed by Tomer Zvulun for Wexford Festival Opera
Macbeth by William Shakespeare, directed by Oliver Mears for Northern Ireland Opera
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Peter O'Brien, for An Ideal Husband, by Oscar Wilde, for the Gate Theatre, Dublin
Niamh Lunny, for Heartbreak House, by George Bernard Shaw, for the Abbey, Dublin
Catherine Fay, for Breaking Dad, by Paul Howard, for Landmark, and Our Few and Evil Days, by Mark O'Rowe, for the Abbey Theatre
Mike Britton, for How Many Miles to Babylon, by Jennifer Johnston, adapted for stage by Alan Stanford for the Lyric, Belfast
JUDGES’ SPECIAL AWARD
Limerick City of Culture: Former programmers and the current administration for using the city in the most imaginative way to rebrand Limerick as a beacon of artistic endeavour
Lyric Theatre: For a consistently high standard of productions in a most welcoming venue
The Lir: For producing skilled graduates of a very high calibre
Stage managers and technicians: For keeping the show on the road after opening night and for loyal support to cast and creatives
