Stage

The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2017: the nominations

Who’ll be named best actor, actress, production and more? Here are all the shortlists

Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards: Woyzeck in Winter, Hamnet, Far Away and Red, all nominated for best production
Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards: Woyzeck in Winter, Hamnet, Far Away and Red, all nominated for best production
Sat Jan 13 2018 - 06:00

Since they began, in 1997, the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards have celebrated the achievements of the Irish stage each year. Throughout the calendar, three independent judges visit professional productions across the country, reflecting on the highest standards of production, performance, direction and design.

BEST PRODUCTION

Red A Prime Cut and Lyric Theatre coproduction of John Logan's play

Far Away A Corcadorca production of Caryl Churchill's play

Hamnet A Dead Centre and Abbey Theatre coproduction of Bush Moukarzel, Ben Kidd and William Shakespeare's play

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Woyzeck in Winter A Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival coproduction, based on Georg Büchner's Woyzeck and Franz Schubert's Wintereisse, conceived by Conall Morrison

Best opera nominees Acis and Galatea (nominee is Opera Theatre Company), Dubliners (Wexford Festival Opera), Front of House (Ulysses Opera Theatre and Cork Opera House), and The Second Violinist (Landmark and Galway International Arts Festival)
Best opera nominees Acis and Galatea (nominee is Opera Theatre Company), Dubliners (Wexford Festival Opera), Front of House (Ulysses Opera Theatre and Cork Opera House), and The Second Violinist (Landmark and Galway International Arts Festival)

BEST OPERA

The Second Violinist A Landmark Productions and Wide Open Opera coproduction; composed by Donnacha Dennehy; libretto by Enda Walsh

Acis and Galatea An Opera Theatre Company production of Handel's work

Front of House A Ulysses Opera Theatre and Cork Opera House coproduction; composed by Tom Lane; libretto by Lily Akerman

Dubliners A Wexford Festival Opera and Opera Theatre Company coproduction; composed by Andrew Synnott, libretto by Arthur Riordan, adapted from James Joyce's Dubliners

Best new play nominees Charlie’s a Clepto (nominee is Clare Monnelly), Class (Iseult Golden and David Horan), Hamnet (Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd), and The Same (Enda Walsh)
Best new play nominees Charlie’s a Clepto (nominee is Clare Monnelly), Class (Iseult Golden and David Horan), Hamnet (Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd), and The Same (Enda Walsh)

BEST NEW PLAY

The Same By Enda Walsh, produced by Corcadorca

Hamnet By Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd, produced by Dead Centre and the Abbey Theatre

Charlie's a Clepto By Clare Monnelly, produced by Axis Ballymun

Class By Iseult Golden and David Horan, produced by Iseult Golden and David Horan

Best director nominees Garry Hynes (nominated for King of the Castle), Red (nominee is Emma Jordan), Hamnet (pic shows Ben Kidd and Bush Moukarzel with actor Ollie West between them), and The Second Violinist (Enda Walsh)
Best director nominees Garry Hynes (nominated for King of the Castle), Red (nominee is Emma Jordan), Hamnet (pic shows Ben Kidd and Bush Moukarzel with actor Ollie West between them), and The Second Violinist (Enda Walsh)

BEST DIRECTOR

Emma Jordan For Prime Cut and Lyric Theatre's coproduction of Red, by John Logan

Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd For Dead Centre and the Abbey's coproduction of Hamnet by Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd

Garry Hynes For Druid's production of King of the Castle by Eugene McCabe

Enda Walsh For Landmark Productions and Wide Open Opera's coproduction of The Second Violinist, by Enda Walsh and Donnacha Dennehy

Best ensemble nominees Crestfall (nominee is Druid Theatre Company), Disco Pigs/Sucking Dublin (Reality:Check), Dublin by Lamplight (Corn Exchange), and Ulysses (Abbey Theatre)
Best ensemble nominees Crestfall (nominee is Druid Theatre Company), Disco Pigs/Sucking Dublin (Reality:Check), Dublin by Lamplight (Corn Exchange), and Ulysses (Abbey Theatre)

BEST ENSEMBLE

Siobhán Cullen, Kate Stanley Brennan and Amy McElhatton In Druid's production of Crestfall, by Mark O'Rowe

Louis Lovett, Karen Egan, Gus McDonagh, Paul Reid, Colin Campbell, Caitríona Ennis and Frank Blake In the Abbey Theatre's presentation of Corn Exchange's production of Dublin by Lamplight, by Michael West in collaboration with the company

Bryan Burroughs, Faoileann Cunningham, Caitríona Ennis, Donal Gallery, Raymond Keane, Janet Moran, Garrett Lombard and David Pearse In the Abbey Theatre's production of Ulysses, adapted by Dermot Bolger

Gemma Kane, Honi Cooke, Ethan Dillon, Gordon Quigley, Meg Healy, Michael-David McKernan and Toni O'Rourke In Reality:Check Productions' staging of Disco Pigs and Sucking Dublin by Enda Walsh

Best actress nominees Katie Honan (for Let the Right One In), Clare Monnelly (for Charlie’s a Clepto), Catherine Walsh (for The Same), and Eileen Walsh (her sister, also for The Same)
Best actress nominees Katie Honan (for Let the Right One In), Clare Monnelly (for Charlie’s a Clepto), Catherine Walsh (for The Same), and Eileen Walsh (her sister, also for The Same)

BEST ACTRESS

Catherine Walsh For her role as Lisa in Corcadorca's production of The Same, by Enda Walsh

Eileen Walsh For her role as Lisa in Corcadorca's production of The Same, by Enda Walsh

Katie Honan For her role as Eli in Let the Right One In, adapted by Jack Thorne, in a production by the National Theatre of Scotland by arrangement with Marla Rubin Productions and Bill Kenwright, in association with the Abbey Theatre

Clare Monnelly For her role as Charlie in Axis Ballymun's production of Charlie's a Clepto, by Clare Monnelly

Best actor nominees (top left to right, then bottom left to right) Aaron Monaghan (for The Second Violinist), Patrick O’Kane (as Rothko in Red and as Woyzeck in Woyzeck in Winter), Shane O’Regan (for Private Peaceful), and Ollie West (for Hamnet)
Best actor nominees (top left to right, then bottom left to right) Aaron Monaghan (for The Second Violinist), Patrick O’Kane (as Rothko in Red and as Woyzeck in Woyzeck in Winter), Shane O’Regan (for Private Peaceful), and Ollie West (for Hamnet)

BEST ACTOR

Ollie West For his role as Hamnet in Dead Centre and the Abbey Theatre's coproduction of Hamnet, by Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd

Shane O'Regan For his role as Tommo in Pemberley Productions and Verdant Productions' coproduction of Private Peaceful, adapted by Simon Reade from Michael Morpurgo's novel

Patrick O'Kane For his role as Rothko in Prime Cut and Lyric Theatre's coproduction of Red, by John Logan, and his role as Woyzeck in Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival's coproduction of Woyzeck in Winter

Aaron Monaghan For his role as Martin in Landmark Productions and Wide Open Opera's coproduction of The Second Violinist by Donnacha Dennehy and Enda Walsh

Best supporting actress nominees Clare Dunne, Caitriona Ennis, Rosaleen Linehan, Marion O’Dwyer
Best supporting actress nominees Clare Dunne, Caitriona Ennis, Rosaleen Linehan, Marion O’Dwyer

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Rosaleen Linehan For her role as Hurdy Gurdy Man in Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival's coproduction of Woyzeck in Winter, and for her role as Mags in the Gate Theatre production of The Red Shoes, in a new version by Nancy Harris

Marion O'Dwyer For her role as Mrs Nugent in the Gate Theatre production of The Red Shoes, in a new version by Nancy Harris

Clare Dunne For her role as Sylvia in the Gate Theatre production of Tribes, by Nina Raine

Caitríona Ennis For several roles in the Abbey Theatre production of Ulysses, adapted by Dermot Bolger, and for her role as Maggie in Corn Exchange's production of Dublin by Lamplight

Best supporting actor nominees Thomas Finnegan, Mark Huberman, Robbie O’Connor and Marty Rea
Best supporting actor nominees Thomas Finnegan, Mark Huberman, Robbie O’Connor and Marty Rea

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Thomas Finnegan For his role as Ken in Prime Cut Productions and the Lyric Theatre's coproduction of Red, by John Logan

Marty Rea For his role as Nick Carraway in the Gate Theatre production of The Great Gatsby and for his role as Jemmy Maguire in Druid Theatre Company's production of King of the Castle by Eugene McCabe

Mark Huberman For his role as Tom Buchanan in the Gate Theatre's production of The Great Gatsby, adapted by Alexander Wright

Robbie O'Connor For his role as Christy in Anu Productions' staging of Hentown

Best set nominees Acis and Galatea (nominee Paul O’Mahony; this nomination is also for Futureproof), The Great Gatsby (Ciaran Bagnall; this nomination is also for Red), Hamnet (Andrew Clancy and José Miguel Jiménez), and The Second Violinist (Jamie Vartan; this nomination is also for Woyzeck in Winter)
Best set nominees Acis and Galatea (nominee Paul O’Mahony; this nomination is also for Futureproof), The Great Gatsby (Ciaran Bagnall; this nomination is also for Red), Hamnet (Andrew Clancy and José Miguel Jiménez), and The Second Violinist (Jamie Vartan; this nomination is also for Woyzeck in Winter)

BEST SET DESIGN

Ciarán Bagnall For Prime Cut Productions and the Lyric Theatre's coproduction of Red, by John Logan, and the Gate Theatre production of The Great Gatsby

Paul O'Mahony For Opera Theatre Company's production of Acis and Galatea and for the Everyman Theatre production of Futureproof, by Lynda Radley

Jamie Vartan For Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival's coproduction of Woyzeck in Winter and for Landmark Productions and Wide Open Opera's coproduction of The Second Violinist

Andrew Clancy and José Miguel Jiménez For Dead Centre and the Abbey Theatre's coproduction of Hamnet, by Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd

Best lighting nominees The Great Gatsby (nominee is Ciaran Bagnall), Far Away (Aedín Cosgrove and Paul Keogan), Dublin by Lamplight (Matt Frey), and Woyzeck in Winter (Ben Ormerod)
Best lighting nominees The Great Gatsby (nominee is Ciaran Bagnall), Far Away (Aedín Cosgrove and Paul Keogan), Dublin by Lamplight (Matt Frey), and Woyzeck in Winter (Ben Ormerod)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Ben Ormerod For Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival's coproduction of Woyzeck in Winter

Ciarán Bagnall For Prime Cut Productions and the Lyric Theatre's coproduction of Red, by John Logan, and for the Gate Theatre production of The Great Gatsby

Aedín Cosgrove and Paul Keogan For Corcadorca's production of Far Away, by Caryl Churchill

Matt Frey For Corn Exchange's production of Dublin by Lamplight, by Michael West in association with the company

Best costume nominees Così Fan Tutte (nominee is Hannah Clark), The Great Gatsby (Peter O’Brien), Radamisto (Annemarie Woods), and Woyzeck in Winter (Joan O’Clery)
Best costume nominees Così Fan Tutte (nominee is Hannah Clark), The Great Gatsby (Peter O’Brien), Radamisto (Annemarie Woods), and Woyzeck in Winter (Joan O’Clery)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Joan O'Clery For Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival's coproduction of Woyzeck in Winter

Peter O'Brien For the Gate Theatre production of The Great Gatsby

Annemarie Woods For Northern Ireland Opera's production of Radamisto, by Handel

Hannah Clark For Northern Ireland Opera's production of Così Fan Tutte, by Mozart

Best soundscape nominees Far Away (nominee Mel Mercier), Jimmy’s Hall (Ben Delaney), Two Pints (Alan Darcy) and Whitby (Tom Lane)
Best soundscape nominees Far Away (nominee Mel Mercier), Jimmy’s Hall (Ben Delaney), Two Pints (Alan Darcy) and Whitby (Tom Lane)

BEST SOUNDSCAPE

Mel Mercier For Corcadorca's production of Far Away, by Caryl Churchill

Alan Darcy For the Abbey Theatre's production of Two Pints, by Roddy Doyle

Tom Lane For Bram Stoker Festival's production of Whitby, by Joan Sheehy and Colin Dunne

Ben Delaney For the Abbey Theatre's production of Jimmy's Hall

Best movement direction nominees Let the Right One In (nominees are Stephen Hoggett and Eddie Kay), Jimmy’s Hall (Vicky Manderson), Whitby (Laura Murphy), and Red (Dylan Quinn)
Best movement direction nominees Let the Right One In (nominees are Stephen Hoggett and Eddie Kay), Jimmy’s Hall (Vicky Manderson), Whitby (Laura Murphy), and Red (Dylan Quinn)

BEST MOVEMENT DIRECTION

Dylan Quinn For the Prime Cut Productions and Lyric Theatre coproduction of Red, by John Logan

Laura Murphy For Bram Stoker Festival's production of Whitby, by Joan Sheehy and Colin Dunne

Vicky Manderson For the Abbey Theatre's production of Jimmy's Hall

Steven Hoggett and Eddie Kay For the National Theatre of Scotland's production of Let the Right One In, by arrangement with Marla Rubin Productions and Bill Kenwright, in association with the Abbey Theatre

Special award nominees Abbey Theatre, Bewleys Cafe Theatre, Corcadorca and Rough Magic
Special award nominees Abbey Theatre, Bewleys Cafe Theatre, Corcadorca and Rough Magic

JUDGES’ SPECIAL AWARD

Rough Magic For the SEEDS programme, a far-sighted initiative in 2001, and its contribution to wide-ranging professional development in the theatre sector

Abbey Theatre For Free First Previews, an innovative measure which offers a broader audience increased access to the National Theatre

Corcadorca For its commitment to bringing theatre and audiences to unusual locations, the latest of which are old Cork prison in The Same and Spike Island in Far Away

Bewley's Cafe Theatre For providing space and support for lunchtime theatre in the heart of Dublin city since 1999

Eleanor Methven speaking at the Abbey Theatre during the Waking the Feminists event in 2016 to highlight a lack of gender equality in the Theatre’s programme of events. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
Eleanor Methven speaking at the Abbey Theatre during the Waking the Feminists event in 2016 to highlight a lack of gender equality in the Theatre’s programme of events. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons

SPECIAL TRIBUTE

Eleanor Methven For challenging inequalities in Irish theatre, creating opportunities for positive change and, as a performer, always seeking richer ways to tell a story

The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards take place at the National Concert Hall, in Dublin, on Sunday, February 25th; tickets €20

Irish Theatre Awards