Set against the harsh poverty and difficult times of 1950s Ireland “Sive” tells the story of an illegitimate 18-year old girl being forced into an arranged marriage with an elderly man by her relatives. Sive lives with her uncle, his mother and his bitter wife. She is in love with a local young man, but a matchmaker convinces Sive’s uncle and his wife to agree to the marriage for the sum of £200, so Sive is forced to do their will, despite the disapproval of her Nanna.
This provocative and powerful play, inspired by real life events from the time, remains a stalwart of Ireland’s theatrical canon. With a poignant final scene that lingers long after the curtain falls, “Sive” is guaranteed to stay in the memory of its audience.
