It wasn't like the Sydney Poitier film, they said. Maria Eziashi, mother of Nigerian actor Maynard Eziashi, came to see him in the opening night's performance of Guess Who's Coming for the Dinner.
She and her sister, Benaditta Campbell, both enjoyed the play. It was "nice", they said. Peter Campbell, husband of Benaditta, was also smiling at the end.
The Dublin theatre festival was one hour old when Roddy Doyle's play, which was first serialised in the monthly multi-cultural publication Metro Eireann, was staged at the Andrew's Lane Theatre.
Pat Moylan, owner of the theatre, arrived with her niece Kate Moylan, a transition year student at St Brigid's Secondary School in Callan, Co Kilkenny, who wants to study set design.
Donal O'Kelly, a founding member of Calypso Productions, which produced the play, chatted to Bairbre N∅ Chaoimh, the company's artistic director, who also directed the play.
O'Kelly is off to perform his two one-man shows - Bat the Father Rabbit the Son and Catalpa - at the new Riverbank Theatre in Newbridge, Co Kildare next Thursday and Friday.
Filmmakers Rob Walpole and Paddy Breathnach took a night out from their filming schedule to see the play. They're currently shooting an animated film called Ape near Co Westmeath. The film, which is aimed at an adult audience, is directed by Rory Bresnihan and features the voices of actor Alfred Molina and comedian Dom Irrera. It's about an ape who escapes from the Bronx Zoo and has an adventure. Yes, On the Town can identify with that.