FACE-FIRST in a pillow in Manhattan's Fitzpatrick Hotel yesterday, Buncrana-born playwright Frank McGuinness had to be dug out of bed at noon for comment.
This is more a precaution against jet lag than post-celebration coma, according to himself. You could permit a man a lie-in after the exhilarating success of his adaptation of A Doll's House, which won four prestigious Tony Awards at the glittering presentation ceremony in New York on Sunday night.
Having been nominated for four Tonys, it bagged all four: the best revival award (for which McGuinness's adaptation must take considerable credit) as well as best actress for Janet McTeer in her role as Nora, best supporting actor for Owen Teale, and best director for Anthony Page.
After the success of the British leg of the tour of McGuinness's Observe the Sons of Ulster in 1995, British producer Thelma Holt commissioned the adaptation of A Doll's House, which culminated in a West End run late last year.
Taking the production to the US presented some headaches with the American actor's union, US Equity. At first, three of the cast were refused work permits, so the awards are a spectacular vindication - even more so for McGuinness, who was previously nominated for a Best-Play Tony for Someone Who'll Watch Over Me in 1993.
A Doll's House has packed the 650-seater Belasco Theatre since March, and its limited run continues until July. Sunday night saw it share awards with The Last Night of Ballyhoo (best play), a revival of the musical, Chicago (six awards), and, in an important boost for new Broadway musicals, Titanic - dubbed the first disaster musical which nabbed best musical, book and original score.
"Ach, it was a great night. We never dreamed we'd make the clean sweep," said McGuinness, hoarsely. "We were all over the moon, but I came home early enough if 3 a.m. can be said to be early.
"The actors can bop around all night if they like, but I don't know, I'm getting a bit ould for that kind of stuff. Ah, but they're a great bunch of people to work with," he added, in his characteristically heart-felt way.
The playwright comes home today.