Maybe it was the romantic setting that had everybody whispering, but they came in quietly to celebrate the opening of Andrews Lane Theatre in Dublin 10 years ago. Pat Moylan, owner of the theatre, was there with husband, Hugh McCusker, greeting all of those theatrical types who had played a part in this success story over the past decade. Romance-wise: Pat and Hugh met in a crowd scene in an amateur drama group 23 years ago. The play was Sean O'Casey's Red Roses for Me. Business-wise: buying the theatre last year after her eight-year tenure as artistic and managing director, was "the high-point" of her involvement, she says. "Theatre is so precarious . . . I`m still terrified of the fact that I have a huge mortgage on a building like this, but I know I have a good premises in a prestigious location." A shy Donal O'Kelly, whose play, Judas of the Gallarus, is currently running at the Peacock, came in and smiled at the mention of his one-man show, Catalpa, which ran at Andrews Lane this year. "The great thing about being on your own (on stage) is that you never see the panic in the other person's eyes," he said, adding: "It's worse if you know there should be panic and there isn't."
Another actor who finished a run at Andrews Lane not so long ago was Enda Oates. Some will know him as the rector in Glenroe, who has been "away on parochial work" for quite a long time, he says. He's currently rehearsing for the new Pat Kinevane play, The Plains of Eanna, which will play during the city's theatre festival. Robert Ballagh came to celebrate too. Wearing his set-designer hat, he says that "it's a fairly invisible profession . . . You really only get rave reviews when you do something terrible." That is so true. Representatives from the nearby restaurant, QV2, which opened under the ownership of Tish Tinne and her brother Count Johnny McCormack nine years ago, came too. Tish, who is Count John McCormack's grand-daughter, remembers him as "a lovely big person who used to give me the strawberries out of the strawberry jam". Pat Mulvihill, manager of QV2, was there too.
Two actresses - Laurie Morton and Vir- ginia Cole - met at the door and hugged. It was very touching. The revellers all stayed late, then went home tired but happy.