All's Not Fair In Love And War.
So I claimed, at least, when I initially sat down to pen the short script for what would become my video review of the best theatre I saw in 2018. The question is: whose love? And whose war?
Everybody's, really. If ever there was a case for illustrating theatre as an enormous psychological examination of human brains and bonds, the connections we need and the battles we face to simply keep going, 2018 was it.
Increasingly affected by a multitude of unresolved issues, destabilising developments and the uncertainty that a looming Brexit brings, the casts and crews from "our wee country" and beyond sought to grasp, examine, and illustrate the inner and outer turmoil of the populace and present it as an experience to remember, either immersively or as an observer.
There was no shortage of theatrical magic in the air, but there was also darkness, and not one of my favourite plays of the year shied away from either. Because, if you'll indulge me for a little bit, I've been able to spend the last twelve months, if not more, doing things I would never imagined possible. I've watched the arts community of Northern Ireland push themselves that step further to conquer ever-pressurising boundaries in theatre. So many rewards for the head, heart and soul.
And their goals have been about more than consistency and stability. They're about emotion and evolution. Evolving in writing about, working on, acting in and being part of extraordinary work which enlightens and entertains. Work that also delved into the benefits of nostalgia and anti-nostalgia, the latter of which the late, much beloved Sam McCready, one of my nominees, elegantly personified in his last ever role of Robert Harbinson - a performance that, like so many of McCready's at the Lyric Theatre and more, will be fondly recalled by everyone who witnessed it. What I heard then, and what I hear now, about his remarkable body of work helps to enhance my belief that theatre in Northern Ireland will continue to enrich and inspire participants and audiences as not only a way of life, but as a friend for life.
That, after all, is what Good Vibrations can do - and did do, at the very theatre McCready co-founded.
Simon Fallaha
My full list of nominees for the Si Arts NI Theatre Awards 2018. The NI Theatre Awards were originally named and broadcast on Sunday January 13, 2019.
Winners in bold. Links to full reviews, either here or at The Big List NI, where available.
BEST IN STUDENT AND TOURING THEATRE
Best Student Theatre & Director
EIGHT, directed by Rachel Coffey
Honourable Mention: Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again, directed by Fionnuala Stevens
Best Student Performance
Clare Kearney, EIGHT
Honourable Mentions: Sam Charlton & Emily Lamey, Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again
Best Student Ensemble
Let Us Go Then, You And I, Accidental Theatre
Honourable Mention: EIGHT, Chaos Theory Theatre
Best Production, Touring
COAL, Gary Clarke Company
Honourable Mentions: Titanic: The Musical, Evita
Best Director, Touring
Gary Clarke, COAL
Honourable Mention: Kim Gavin & Jack Ryder, The Band
Best Ensemble, Touring
The Band
Honourable Mentions: Titanic: The Musical; Evita
Best Set, Touring
The Band
Honourable Mentions: Titanic: The Musical; Jersey Boys
Best Male Performance, Touring
Glenn Carter, Evita
Honourable Mention: Martin Miller, The Band
Best Female Performance, Touring
TC Howard, COAL
Honourable Mentions: Cristina Hoey, Evita; Victoria Serra, Titanic: The Musical
BEST IN DANCE, BALLET AND OPERA
Best Dance Piece
Each For Other, Maiden Voyage
Best Ballet
La Fille mal gardée, Birmingham Royal Ballet
Best Opera
If You Can Find Me, NI Opera Studio
Honourable Mention: Rigoletto, NI Opera
Best Director, Opera
Kate Guelke, If You Can Find Me
Honourable Mention: Walter Sutcliffe, Rigoletto
Best Male Performance, Opera
Sebastian Cantana, Rigoletto
Honourable Mentions: Ross Scanlon, If You Can Find Me; Davide Giusti, Rigoletto
Best Female Performance, Opera
Nadine Koutcher, Rigoletto
Honourable Mentions: Marielle Murphy, La Donna Abbandonata; Jayne Wisener, The Threepenny Opera
Best Ensemble, Opera
If You Can Find Me
Honourable Mention: Rigoletto
Best Set, Opera
Rigoletto
Honourable Mention: The Threepenny Opera
BEST IN NI THEATRE, 2018
Best Play
Date Show, Three’s Theatre Company
The Man Who Fell To Pieces, Tinderbox
The Assistant’s Revenge, Cahoots NI
Lovers: Winners & Losers, Lyric Theatre
Double Cross, Lyric Theatre / Abbey Theatre
Best Director
Patrick J O’Reilly, The Man Who Fell To Pieces
Emily Foran, After The End
Vicky Featherstone, Cyprus Avenue
Emma Jordan, Lovers: Winners & Losers
Jimmy Fay, Double Cross
Best Actor
Sam McCready, No Surrender
Stephen Rea, Cyprus Avenue
Sam Gibson, Paperboy
Aaron McCusker, Good Vibrations
Ian Toner, Double Cross
Best Actress
Luna Kalo, East Belfast Granny
Maria Guiver, After The End
Roisin Gallagher, Abigail’s Party
Ruby Campbell, Lovers: Winners & Losers
Niamh Perry, Good Vibrations
Best Supporting Actor
Patrick McBrearty, The Colleen Bawn
Craig Miller, Abigail’s Party
Chris Corrigan, Cyprus Avenue
Mark Asante, The Sword And The Sand
Sean Kearns, Double Cross
Best Supporting Actress
Maeve Smyth, The Assistant’s Revenge
Emer McDaid, We’ll Walk Hand In Hand
Amy Molloy, Cyprus Avenue
Katie Tumelty, Dear Arabella
Charlotte McCurry, Double Cross
Best Original Music
Katie Richardson, The Man Who Fell To Pieces
Ursula Burns, The Assistant’s Revenge
Matthew Reeve & Johnny Martin, The Colleen Bawn
Duke Special, Paperboy
Garth McConaghie, Under The Hawthorn Tree
Best Atmosphere
Date Show, Three’s Theatre Company
The World Goes ‘Round, Blunt Fringe
Abigail’s Party, The MAC
Jimmy Ellis: Home Again, Blunt Fringe
Good Vibrations, Lyric Theatre
Best Ensemble
The Man Who Fell To Pieces, Tinderbox
Penguins, Cahoots NI
Jimmy Ellis: Home Again, Blunt Fringe
The World Goes ‘Round, Blunt Fringe
Under The Hawthorn Tree, Cahoots NI
Best New Writing
Patrick J O’Reilly, The Man Who Fell To Pieces
Dan Leith, Hubert And The Yes Sock
Marie Jones, Dear Arabella
Nicky Harley & Zoe Seaton, Freak Show
Jo Egan, The Crack In Everything
Best Costumes
Susan Pau, The Assistant’s Revenge
Grace Smart, The Colleen Bawn
Diana Ennis, Abigail’s Party
Gillian Lennox & Erin Charteris, Good Vibrations
Gillian Lennox, Double Cross
Best Set Design
Jack Scullion, After The End
Grace Smart, The Colleen Bawn
Ciaran Bagnall, Lovers: Winners & Losers
Diana Ennis, Abigail’s Party
Ciaran Bagnall, Double Cross
"Unsung Hero" Award
The Jazzabelles, directed by Neil Keery