Irish Times Theatre Awards 2022

The Irish Times Irish Theatre Award nominations for 2022 are on Sunday 12th June and we're thrilled to see so many Abbey productions and co-productions nominated by the judges.

10th June 2022 – After “an unprecedented 24 months for the Irish theatre industry”, the Irish Times Theatre Awards for 2020 and 2021 will be held this weekend. 2020 and 2021 showed two years of ingenuity and commitment from the Irish theatre community. We want to extend our congratulations to all the nominees and in particular some that were involved with productions across our stages.

Thornton Wilder’s The Long Christmas Dinner leads the Abbey’s nominations this year, with five nominations including Best Ensemble and Best Production. Michael Gallen’s Elsewhere – a co-production between Straymaker and the Abbey Theatre in association with Miroirs Étendus and Once Off Productions – based on the radical ‘Monaghan Asylum Soviet’ of 1919, received two nominations for Best Opera and Best Costume for Katie Davenport

Purple Snowflakes and Titty Wanks, a co-production with London’s the Royal Court Theatre, also received two nominations. Written and performed by Sarah Hanly, it has been nominated for Best New Play. Sarah Hanly, Bríd Ní Neachtain, Niamh Cusack, Nigel Lindsay, Máire Ní Ghráinne and Bosco Hogan were nominated for their performances across a range of productions at the Abbey too.

Dear Ireland has also been nominated for a Judges Special Award for creating innovative opportunities for creativity, collaboration, and performance in the midst of lockdown.

And finally, we’re delighted to see our beloved colleague and long-time collaborator Ros Kavanagh awarded The Irish Times Special Tribute Award for using his artistic skill to create an invaluable visual record of the many artists and productions that make up the history of modern irish theatre.

Full list of Abbey Theatre nominations as follows:

The Long Christmas Dinner

By Thornton Wilder

An Abbey Theatre production

Supporting Actress (Máire Ní Ghráinne)

Best Director (Sarah Jane Scaife and Raymond Keane)

Best Lighting (Stephen Dodd)

Best Ensemble 

Best Production

Elsewhere

By Michael Gallen

Straymaker and the Abbey Theatre is association with Miroirs Étendus and Once Off Productions

Best Costume (Katie Davenport)

Best Opera (in terms of best overall theatrical experience)

Purple Snowflakes and Titty Wanks

By Sarah Hanly

An Abbey Theatre and Royal Court Co-Production

Best New Play

Best Actress (Sarah Hanly)

Faith Healer

By Brian Friel

An Abbey Theatre production

Supporting Actress (Niamh Cusack)

Supporting Actor (Nigel Lindsay)

One Good Turn

By Una McKevitt

An Abbey Theatre production

Best Actor (Bosco Hogan)

Laethanta Sona

By Samuel Beckett

Company SJ and Abbey Theatre in association with Dublin Theatre Festival and Galway International Arts Festival

Best Actress (Bríd Ní Neachtain)

Best Set (Ger Clancy)

Hansel and Gretel

By Engelbert Humperdinck

An Irish National Opera, Theatre Lovett and Abbey Theatre co-production

Best Lighting (Sarah-Jane Shiels)

Best Opera (in terms of best overall theatrical experience)

You can see the full list of nominations on the Irish Times website.

Image: The Long Christmas Dinner by Thornton Wilder © Ros Kavanagh