Thespians revel in a rare break from treading the boards

It's one of the few occasions when people can actually light up in a library without being asked to leave. The famously nicotine-addicted theatre people were doing just that last night as they mingled in their glamour in the RDS Library before going in to dine on lamb with apple stuffing and a vintage port sauce.

And nobody was looking at the books either, in another odd twist for a library background, on a rare and communal celebratory night off for the thespians. The RDS was crowded with scores of personalities from Ireland's thriving theatre scene: so busy that the waiters and waitresses bearing trays of drinks had difficulty circumnavigating the crowd.

Michael Colgan, of the Gate Theatre (winner of the Best Theatre Company Award), was sporting a Groucho Marx-type theatrical-looking cigar in one hand and a glass of red wine in the other. "This is one of the few nights the theatre profession can come together," he said delightedly. "Usually we only get together at funerals."

Michael stood resplendent as he advised Mary Finan where he would store the jar of home-made marmalade she had just been given by Margaret O Dalaigh, wife of one of the judges, Tony O Dalaigh. He offered to place it behind books on one of the library shelves under the title "Leonard".

Saying that he had expected to get the Hugh Leonard award for silence, he upbraided Jerome Hynes, who had been a judge last year, for not giving him an award then. "Jerome wants me to be a bridesmaid all my life," he said - just before being proved wrong, when the Gate got its top award.

Also in the melee was playwright Marina Carr (winner of the Best New Play award for By the Bog of Cats). "Marina is going to write a new play for the Gate," Michael Colgan revealed. "We've just been talking about it." This year looks like it's going to be a busy one for Marina. "I'm also working on a piece for Druid Theatre," she confirmed.

Patrick Mason, the outgoing artistic director at the Abbey and a nominee in the Best Director category, will be finishing his six-year stint at the theatre on December 31st next. "Just in time to celebrate the millennium in Wicklow," he said. "Then I'm going to go back to being a freelance director, but not before I've had a good rest. Six years is an awfully long time in this job."

Patrick O'Kane (winner, Best Supporting Actor, in As the Beast Sleeps) was poised for flight - to London this morning. "Rehearsals start in the morning for the new Gary Mitchell play, Trust, at the Royal Court. It'll be opening in April," he said.

A nominee in the same category was Pat Kinevane, currently in The Colleen Bawn at the Abbey, which opens at London's National Theatre in March. "After that, I'll be taking a break to work on my second play, The Plains of Enna, which is set in Sicily. That'll be for Fishamble Theatre Company."

"You can always count on actors to dress up," proclaimed Donna Dent (winner, Best Supporting Actress, in A Streetcar Named Desire), looking around her at the brilliant colours in silks and velvets which many of the actresses had chosen to don for the night.

Last night was definitely a rare night off for Donna. "And I'm going to really enjoy tonight," she promised. "I just finished in Cyrano de Bergerac at the Gate on Saturday, and have two run-throughs tomorrow for Dermot Bolger's new play at the Peacock, The Passions of Jerome."

"I'll be having a new play opening at the Abbey later in the year, called Dolly West's Kitchen," revealed playwright Frank McGuinness. Frank is also working on a film based on Marianne Faithfull's life story. "As a result, at the moment I'm steeped in 1960s music - I have those tunes playing all the time."

Niall Shanahan, who shared a Best Actor Nomination with fellow Kabosh performer Fergal McElherron, will be going on tour with Mojo Mickybo this month, starting in Galway's Town Hall Theatre.

"We're actually playing in Mullingar on a Sunday night, even though Sunday is traditionally our night off," he said, adding darkly: "I'll probably spontaneously combust as a result."

Another actor soon going on tour is Mick Lally, a nominee in the Best Actor section. "The Dead School is being revived in April, so we'll be touring around the country, playing in Cork, Tralee and lots of other places before coming to Dublin in May." The Glenroe shooting schedule means that Mick will be driven back each night to work on the television series the following day.

Olwen Fouere, nominated in the Best Actress category, was wearing an eye-catching floor-length leopardskin coat. "I'm developing a new piece for the Project @ The Mint, called Angel/Baby," she said. "It's a music-based theatre piece."

Paul Mercier, whose Dublin Trilogy, Buddelia, Kitchensink and Native City, won the Best Production Award for Passion Machine, is working on another project with Passion Machine. "And I have some of my own writing to finish for the Abbey, too. I'll also be working on a screen version of Studs."

Ben Barnes (winner of the Best Director award) has a very full year ahead. Uncle Vanya goes to New York's Lincoln Centre in July. His production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia previews this week at the Gate and Waiting for Godot opens at Montreal's Centaur Theatre later in the spring.

After that, Ben'll be drawing breath to direct Aristocrats at the Gate in May. "And Kevin's Bed is coming back, too."

It wasn't only the actors who were dressing up. Anne Enright, one of the three judges of the awards, was resplendent in a striking black and red-trimmed floor-length dress. Glamour doesn't come easy. "Whatever happens tonight, I hope I don't have to spend the whole time holding my stomach in," she confessed.