The Whitbys' double act at the Canberra Area Theatre awards

At a gala event staged at the Q Theatre, Queanbeyan Robyn was awarded best costume design and Greg best set design in the Canberra Area Theatre Awards.

Judges reviewed 62 productions from 41 theatre companies in the ACT and NSW. There were over 200 nominations of which eight were for Spectrum's Present Laughter.

The Noel Coward play set in the 1930/40s provided plenty of challenges for both set and costumes.

"We wanted to capture the style of the era. Noel Coward loved to write about theatrical characters and we wanted to represent all of that," Robyn said.

"Amber (director, Amber Little) sat with me for hours and we did every actor. I loved pulling it all together."

For Greg the challenges included producing a set that would stand up to doors being slammed during arguments and giving the impression of two storeys.

The other challenge was Greg having a hip replacement in the run up to the show opening.

The sides of the room were tapered to emphasise the second floor and they also opened out to ensure the best view possible wherever the audience was seated.

"I did a technical drawing because of the perspective. It was the first time I've ever drawn a plan," Greg said as he was concerned someone else would have to build the set.

"Then I had to show how the walls would hold up. They needed extra bracing for the doors being slammed and we blue tacked all the pictures onto the walls so they didn't wobble."

Greg was at the end of his rehab after his hip operation when the build started and had help from Grant Little. Donna Cotter and the Whitbys helped to provide props appropriate to the era.

Asked about the colour of the room, Greg said duck egg blue was the colour of the time.

"We checked everything to make sure, even down to the door handles."

Greg was the go-to set builder for Spectrum for many years and costumes were a labour of love for Robyn. After she was invited to help with Spectrum's production of Oliver in 2002 she never looked back.

"I loved it, it was like going home."

Some of the costumes for present Laughter came from Spectrum's wardrobe but many came from Robyn's costume hire business, Bus Stop.

Experienced dress makers Ann Haig and Kathleen Brewster helped to make them just right for the actors concerned.

When Robyn's name was announced in a blaze of sparkling lights on stage, she said to herself "no way" but didn't have too much time to think about it as she was urged to come up on stage to collect her award.

"It was amazing but it's also a team effort," she said while sipping on a celebratory glass of bubbly after the event.

This is Robyn's second CAT Award for costumes. The last was in 2022 for costumes in Little Mermaid.

Greg said he was focused in capturing a photo of his name on the stage as one of the nominees and almost missed hearing his name called out as the winner.

"I turned to someone and said 'I think that might have been me.'"

In announcing the awards, MC Andrew Bell said Greg and Robyn were a team to be reckoned with - Pambula's finest.