Irish nominees return disappointed

IT was disappointment for the big Irish nominees at the 2005 Tony Awards in New York early yesterday morning as the three major Irish contenders failed to secure a prize.

Cork director John Crowley was nominated for his direction of The Pillowman, by London-Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, who received a best play nomination for his work. And Irish actor Brian F O’Byrne was nominated for best leading actor in a play. All three went home disappointed.

If there was a high-profile Irish success it was an Irish-American success, however, as writer John Patrick Shanley won in the best play category for Doubt, his story of abuse in the Catholic Church and the innocence (or guilt) of a popular parish priest, played by O’Byrne.

McDonagh’s The Pillowman did scoop the best lighting design award for a play, though, for Northern Ireland native Brian MacDevitt, as well as best scenic design, for Scott Pask.

But the playwright himself has yet to secure a Tony, which is the theatre world’s equivalent to the Oscars, despite having been nominated twice before.

O’Byrne, on the other hand, might get consolation from his win last year: as best featured actor in the play Frozen.

The big winner yesterday, however, was Monty Python’s Spamalot, an adaptation of the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It won in three categories in all: including best musical and best direction of a musical, for director Mike Nichols.

There was also a lifetime achievement award given to American playwright Edward Albee, who is best known for his work Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?