I saw Wallace Shawn perform this piece in early 1991, at the Cottesloe, with Bobbie.
The Fever by Wallace Shawn, Cottesloe Theatre, 9 February 1991
But Janie hadn’t seen it before and Clare Higgins is a cracking good actress.
Also, in the post crash times that were late 2008/early 2009 when we booked to see this production, I thought the piece might have a different, meaningful resonance.
In many ways it did.
Yet it wasn’t quite the same thing as seeing Wallace Shawn perform it himself. How could it be?
- Michael Billington in the Guardian gave it three stars and expresses his thoughts on the comparison between the versions well;
- Michael Coveney in the Independent admires the piece’s searing honesty and a dry, elegant wittiness;
- Philip Fisher on British Theatre Guide wonders about the bigger stage for apiece that was originally conceived as a private performance piece.