| A compelling piece of theatre from the vivid pen of John B Keane, Sive is set in a remote area of North Kerry, and tells the story of a powerless young woman forced into a distasteful union against her will. Sive, who remains almost a mute presence throughout the play, becomes a poignant symbol for the suffering of innocents in the face of authority. Now widely considered a classic, this play has never stopped enthralling audiences since it was first performed in the sixties. This time it is in the accomplished hands of INDA (Irish Network of Dramatic Arts), an excellent London-based company of Irish actors with a mission to bring the best of Irish theatre to the English stage. INDA’s last play, the equally powerful Big Maggie, was performed to great acclaim in both England and Ireland and co-founder Susan Cummins, who received rave reviews in the lead role, wants each audience to be a part of this theatrical adventure – right down to the smell of turf that will greet them as they enter the auditorium…
Can you tell me about Sive?
It’s set in the 50s in North Kerry and it’s a John B Keane play like our last. It’s the story of a young girl called Sive who is matched with a man quite considerably older than herself. Her stepmother is actually in cahoots with the matchmaker, so she marries her off for money basically. So endearing! It’s all about what happens as a consequence of this act, really. I play the part of the stepmother.
What sort of a woman is she?
I suppose, from my own perspective as an actor, I would consider her a person very embittered about her life. She has a lot in common with Big Maggie, my last role, but I think she’s probably even crueler. She’s not a nice person – but we can let the audience decide that! It’s great playing these meaty characters; John B Keane, and Martin McDonagh too, write so incredibly well for women. In other writing the female parts just aren’t as strong.
Is that why you chose another play of his?
Well Tom Begley (co-founder of INDA UK) and I actually met on the set of one of his plays. We became firm friends, and that’s where it all started. We decided we were tired working so hard for other people, and we knew there was a market out there for Irish theatre. We’re both very passionate about John B, we think he’s a fantastic writer who’s never been given the recognition he deserves. It’s such a shame, because he tells a wonderful story – which is what it’s all about, isn’t it?
What’s the most difficult aspect of staging this?
Interesting question… To be honest, I think it’s such a strong play that it stands on its own. We had a great cast for Big Maggie but we also have a superb cast for Sive now. It’s very important that the dynamic between actors works. If it works off stage, it’ll work on stage, you know?
Are the cast all full-time actors?
I think we would all consider ourselves full-time actors, but we do other jobs! We’re in it because it’s our passion, our love in life. There is no other career or business in the world where you will get people to literally work for nothing, which is what it boils down to a lot of the time. That’s a huge issue. I think there should be some grant system putting money into fringe, because there’s just so much good theatre out there.
Is there not enough Irish theatre on stage?
I don’t think so. That’s why we set up INDA UK. We could have a lot more Irish productions on in the West End, definitely. There’s a huge gap in the market, a huge opening out there. Irish plays are generally very well received, too. and by a wide range of audiences – not just an Irish public. We’ve had people from all over the world coming to see our plays, and they all love what they see.
Does lack of funding make you guys more creative?
You have to be more creative. Obviously we would love somebody to come along and give us a grant, or say they’d like to invest in our company. But, you know, all these companies that ask you to fill out forms – I could tell them whatever I liked and they wouldn’t know the difference. I say if you come and see the show, and you like what we’re doing then that’s great, you have something tangible to go on and then you can decide.
How long have you been acting for?
Oh… since I was fourteen! I did most of my training over here in England, but back home I trained with the Cork Shakespearian Company and that was an incredible grounding – I have a huge love of Shakespeare and I learned so much. I also worked with the Everyman Theatre in Cork, and spent two years with Castle Tours in Shannon as lead actress. Then I came over here, and I’ve been working on and off ever since.
If you could act with anybody who would it be?
Anthony Hopkins, definitely. I love that man…
Interview taken from the IrishWorld - www.irishworld.com |
