The Marian Hotel by Caitriona Cunningham

It's 1979, and Kitty is pregnant. She is on her own, not by choice. 

She arrives at a mother and baby home. Nothing could have prepared her for this. The young women hold each other up with sharp, dark humour against the backdrop of the war in the North of Ireland. 

The Marian Hotel had a sold-out tour last year across the North of Ireland. It received standing ovations and widespread critical acclaim. 

The play is based on Caitriona Cunningham’s lived experience of being in Marianvale mother and baby home in Newry. It is a searing portrayal of a dark time in Irish history, set to a 1970s/1980s soundtrack. 

“I left the theatre deeply moved, feeling as if a weight had lifted. The writer has given us an unforgettable gift,” Mark McCollum, adoptee

This production is supported by donations from the public, for which we are deeply grateful, and Sandinos Cafe Bar.

Sole Purpose is core funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.