The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards 2023 have been announced, celebrating the very best of Irish theatre. Among the big winners were Owen Roe and Janet Moran, who took home the coveted prize for best actors. The ceremony, which was held on Sunday evening, saw a multitude of talented performers, writers and directors come together to celebrate the power of theatre in Ireland. With a diverse range of works being recognised, from contemporary drama to classic adaptations, this year’s list of winners serves as a testament to the vibrant and exciting world of Irish theatre.
On Sunday night, the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards celebrated its 25th anniversary at TU Dublin Conservatoire in Grangegorman. Owen Roe and Janet Moran were awarded the best actor and best actress prizes, respectively, while Northern Ireland Opera’s “Into the Woods” took home the best production prize. The event was in recognition of plays staged in 2022.
Roe won the best actor award for his portrayal of Thomas, a former member of the British-run police force in the early years of the new Irish State from “The Steward of Christendom” at the Gate Theatre. Moran was granted the best actress award for her performance in “Heaven,” by Fishamble: The New Play Company. Eugene O’Brien’s production received two awards, including best new play.
The best supporting actor prize was presented to Rory Nolan for his role in “An Octoroon” at the Abbey Theatre. However, the creative team behind “An Octoroon” objected to the shortlist because of the shortlisting of two white actors for best supporting actor and best supporting actress in a production with a cast consisting predominantly of actors of colour. Maeve O’Mahony was nominated for best supporting actress but lost out to Anna Healy for her performances in Portia Coughlan, The Last Return, and The Spin.
The best director award went to Judy Hegarty Lovett for her work on “The Realistic Joneses,” while Loughlin Deegan received the judges’ special award for his multifaceted contribution to Irish theatre, most recently as founding director, since 2011, of the Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art. Bosco Hogan was also given a special tribute award in recognition of his decades of work on the Irish stage.
Opera was prominent across many categories, reflecting the growing status of the art form in Ireland. Awards included David Bolger’s best movement award, Mags Mulvey’s best video design award for “Minimal Human Contact” by Aisling Ghéar Theatre Company, and Colette McGahon’s best opera award for “Semele.”
There were also awards for best costume, lighting, and video, which went to Madeleine Boyd, James C McFetridge, and Mags Mulvey of Lalla-Roukh, Big Man, and Minimal Human Contact, respectively. Conor Linehan, Carl Kennedy, Olesya Zdorovetkska, and Louis Lovett received the best soundscape award for “The Tin Soldier.” Aedín Cosgrove won the award for best set for “Good Sex.”
The audience choice award was given to No Magic Pill, and The Last Return won the best ensemble award. Editor of The Irish Times, Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, and Group Managing Director, Deirdre Veldon, chaired the judging panel while Arts and Culture Editor of The Irish Times, Hugh Linehan, presented several awards.
Speaking on behalf of the judges, Nicholas Grene, chairman of the judging panel, stated, “What we celebrate here tonight is all that theatre makers created in 2022 to give us, and live audiences across the country – satisfaction, excitement and delight. For all of that we offer you our warmest thanks and congratulations.”
Mr. Grene went on to say, “We want to thank The Irish Times for having given us that opportunity and for having sustained the Awards now for a quarter of a century. We would have liked to have been able to recognize all the wonderful performances, all the great shows we had seen. But shortlists have necessarily to be short. What we had to do, and what we did, was to look at each category in turn and apply to each one the same criteria of excellence that are laid out for the Awards. We want now to salute the great theatre work that we were not able to recognize in our nominations and to express our appreciation for the enormous pleasure it gave us in 2022.”
Hugh Linehan, Arts and Culture Editor of The Irish Times, added, “For 25 years, these awards have been a concrete signal of The Irish Times’ commitment to the arts in general and the art of theatre in particular. They recognise the special place that live dramatic performance holds in Irish culture.” He further stated that The Irish Times takes the topics of diversity and representation seriously and is committed to addressing them in a transparent and comprehensive manner.
In conclusion, Sunday night’s event celebrated the tremendous talent in Irish theatre and recognized the hard work and dedication that goes into creating such remarkable performances. The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards continues to be an essential event in the Irish theatre calendar, shining a spotlight on the best and brightest talent in the industry.
As we close the curtain on another year of exceptional Irish theatre, we cannot help but feel uplifted and inspired by the talent and creativity that graced our stages. The Irish Times Theatre Awards 2023 proved once again that Ireland is home to some of the most talented actors, directors, writers and production teams in the world. A massive congratulations to all the winners, especially Owen Roe and Janet Moran, whose performances stood out from an already impressive field. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Irish theatre and can’t wait to be back in the audience, cheering on the stars of tomorrow. Until then, congratulations again to all the winners and thank you for keeping the magic of theatre alive.
