Artists expected to perform 'miracles' over cuts

Garry Hynes, winner of the Best Director award for the Druid production's The Good Father and Sive, said the arts community throughout Ireland was "frightened and has reason to be".

Recent cutbacks in arts funding meant the community was now expected to perform "loaves and fishes-type miracles" when it came to improving productions, performances and rates of pay.

The cutbacks also exposed "a real need for leadership" in the community, she said. "We ourselves must do more."

She also found it extraordinary that actors who won awards at the ceremony could still end up facing six months' unemployment and that this could be accepted as normal. Equally, she found it unacceptable that there wasn't even a pension scheme for artists.

Cutbacks also probably meant the end of "non break-even touring" for theatre companies. She believed the current Minister for the Arts, Mr O'Donoghue, had a clear understanding of the problems and was "confident he will fight for the arts" at Cabinet.

We had to ask ourselves whether "we are proud of cultural life in Ireland. And, if so, are we prepared to fund the people responsible for that life?" she asked.

Lynne Parker, of Rough Magic, was especially pleased to receive the Best Production award for that company's staging of Copenhagen. She also directed the Best Actor award winner David Calder, who played Angus in The Drawer Boy. Currently, Rough Magic is rehearsing a new play by Declan Hughes. Titled Shiver, it is set in contemporary Dublin. It will open at the Project next month.

Winner of the Best Supporting Actress award Clara Simpson - for her portrayal of Mrs Haze in Lolita - broke into French, proclaiming "Vive La Republique".

Eleanor Methven, winner of the Best Actress award - for her performance as Maggie in the An Gríanán production of Dancing at Lughnasa - commented that the the judges "were an enormously perspicacious panel".

The Best New Play award was won by Tim Loane for Caught Red Handed. It was " a nice surprise", he said.