Opening night draws a flotilla of fans, a flock of San Franciscans and a sprinkling of politicians. All arrive wanting to see Tyne Daly in Mother Courage and her Children. The woman who played Mary Beth Lacey in the hit series Cagney &Lacey, is about to take to the stage at the Olympia Theatre.
Paula Holt, co-producer of the play, is here with her daughter, Alexis Holt, from Los Angeles. Friends who've flown over from the US to cheer include San Franciscans Alan Weber, Michael Kirwan Carney, Julie Mullin and LA visitors Marvin Shapiro and his wife, Darryl Shapiro.
Labour leader Ruair∅ Quinn and his wife, Liz Quinn, are pleased to be here, remembering their friend, the late Agnes Bernelle, cabaret singer and actor, who had been planning to stage the Bertolt Brecht play before she died. Bernelle's son, Mark Leslie, is here too.
Other politicians spotted include Nora Owen here with his wife, Jacinta Kitt). No one mentions the Nice Treaty referendum as the lights go down, that's another day's work.
The play, which is translated by Joe O'Byrne and directed by Vanessa Fielding, features music composed by Juliet Turner.
And backstage, Donal Shiels, the show's line producer, is being called Daddy Courage because his son, Luke, was born only three weeks ago. Mother Yvonne and baby are doing fine, he says.