John B. Keane on 'Sive' finally being performed on the Abbey stage.
'Sive' by John B. Keane was first performed by the Listowel Drama Group in 1959 and quickly became a staple of the amateur drama circuit. But despite the popularity of the play, which tells the story of 18-year-old Sive and her aunt and uncle's attempt to marry her against her will to a rich old farmer, 'Sive' was not professionally produced on the Abbey stage until 1985.
David Davin-Power spoke to John B. Keane on the opening night in the Abbey on 13 June 1985. In this interview for 'Morning Ireland', Keane says that the Abbey's production brought a tear to his eye. "They got the harshness, the bitterness, the poverty of the period". He credits the theatre's former artistic director, Joe Dowling with bringing 'Sive' to the Abbey. Keane says that it was Dowling who decided that Irish plays should be performed at the Abbey and that "at long last, a few elderly and semi-elderly Irish playwrights are getting cothrom na Féinne".
Title: |
'Sive' Finally on Abbey Stage |
Clip Duration: |
00:03:52 |
Material Type: |
Audio |
Clip Title: |
Bringing a Tear to John B. Keane's Eyes |
Series Title: |
Morning Ireland |
Information: |
'Morning Ireland' is RTÉ's breakfast news programme broadcast each weekday morning between 7am and 9am on RTÉ Radio 1. The programme was first broadcast in 1984. The programme is co-presented and over the years presenters have included David Hanly, Joe Little, Áine Lawlor, Cathal Mac Coille, Rachael English and Gavin Jennings. The accompanying image shows John B. Keane in Listowel, Co. Kerry. It was taken by Eve Holmes in 1977. © RTÉ Archives 2065/098 |
Local Keywords: |
Abbey Theatre, Drama, Literature, Plays, Playwrights, John B. Keane, Sive, Joe Dowling, David Davin-Power, Morning Ireland |
Coverage: |
Ireland |
Topic: |
Arts and Culture |
Contributor(s): |
David Davin-Power (Presenter) |
Publisher: |
RTÉ |
First Broadcast Channel: |
RTÉ Radio One |
Broadcast Date: |
14/06/1985 |
Production Year: |
1985 |
Country of Production: |
Ireland |
Original Identifier: |
QCC003366 |
IPR Restrictions: |
Rights Reserved - Free Access |
Rights, Terms and Conditions: |
Copyright RTÉ. This material may not be replicated in any form or manner without the prior express permission of RTÉ. Any form of reproduction in print, television, video, multimedia, web site or other electronic media or any form of dissemination for commercial or non-commercial use must be licensed by the RTÉ Archives.
If you wish to licence video or audio clips, still images or text, or would like further guidance please contact us. RTÉ Archives are committed to respecting the copyright of others and have attempted to source and credit the copyright owners of all material used here. RTÉ would like to hear from any copyright owners who are not properly identified here so that the necessary corrections can be made. If you feel your copyright has not been respected please contact us. |
Item Type: |
part/extract |
Sound: |
Mono |
Language: |
English (eng) |
