Hours before the Irish Times/ ESB Theatre Awards got under way the acting world let its hair down at a very different awards event and had a good laugh at itself.
The annual Really Irish Theatre Awards (RITAS) in Vicar Street were presented by comedians Pauline McLynn and Richard Cooke, who assured the gathered theatre folk that the voting and nominations process would be "democratic".
Those present yesterday put themselves forward for awards, and four nominations for each category were selected with bingo balls, and the winning ball was plucked out of a goldfish bowl by a vacuum cleaner.
McLynn promised the awards themselves would be "as exciting as the Abbey's schedule and as clear as Michael Colgan's conscience".
Mr Colgan and the Gate Theatre, where he is the director, got special treatment from the hosts, who set up a collection for the theatre. The target was £600,000, matching the grant the theatre has yet to receive from the Arts Council, but the afternoon raised just £3.71.
The Abbey and one of its more controversial plays last year also failed to escape the wit of McLynn and Cooke. The three-hour Barbaric Comedies was whittled down to a mere two-minute production but still captured all the "oohs" and "aahs" of the sex-orientated original.
Comedian Risteard Cooper did convincing portrayals of Irish Times writer Fintan O'Toole and Jim Culleton, artistic director of Fishamble Theatre Company, as well as the Abbey's Ben Barnes.
Lucky winners received a toilet brush or a toilet-paper holder. They included Tara Dennington for Really Best Director, and Maura O'Keeffe of the Dublin Theatre Festival for Really Best Prod Ad Man (producer, administrator, manager).
Really Best Designer went to Joan O'Clery of the Abbey; Really Best Actor was Stephen Roche; Really Best Stage Manager was Orla Burke of the Bickerstaffe; and Really Best Actress was Miriam Delahunt.
Many of those at the RITAS went on to the Irish Times/ESB Theatre Awards, including judges Fergus Linehan and Rose Parkinson. They presented the RITAS Lifetime Achievement Award - decided by raffle - to Michelle Read, artistic director of the Read Company.