Sive (play)
| Sive | |
|---|---|
| Written by | John B. Keane |
| Characters | Liam Scuab Mike Glavin Mena Glavin Carthalawn Nanna Glavin Thomasheen Seán Rua Sive Pats Bocock Seán Dóta |
| Date premiered | March 1959 |
| Place premiered | Walsh's Ballroom, Listowel, Ireland |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Illegitimacy, marriage, poverty |
| Genre | Tragedy, drama |
| Setting | Rural County Kerry, 1960s |
Sive /ˈsaɪv/ is a play by the Irish writer John B. Keane, first performed in Listowel, County Kerry in 1959.[1] Keane chose to use the name "Sive" for the play in honor of his sister, Shiela, using the Irish-Gaelic form of the name.[2]
Performance history[]
After being rejected by the Abbey Theatre, The Listowel Drama Group produced the play. Sive first performed in Christy's Ballroom, Listowel, Co. Kerry. The play was an overall success, but John B. Keane noted that some took offense to the melodramatic content of the play, calling it blasphemous and pornographic based on the appearance of Sive as a young girl.[3]
In the first performances of the play, Nora Relihan played Mena Galvin, Margaret Dillon performed as Sive, and John B. Keane himself played Carthalawn.[4]
The play is still widely known throughout Ireland, usually being a piece of theatre taught in Irish school systems.
References[]
- ^ [1]
- ^ Des., Hickey (1992-01-01). John B : the real Keane. Mercier Press. ISBN 1856350657. OCLC 28548700.
- ^ Keane, John B. (1964). Self Portrait. Cork: Mercier Press. p. 92.
Some others resented 'Sive', said it was blasphemous and ungodly, and noisily gave vent to their opinions while the play was in progress.
- ^ Keane, John B. (1964). Self Portrait. Cork: Mercier Press. pp. 87–98.
External links[]
- Plays set in Ireland
- 1959 plays
- Irish plays