The Fever | Anne Gill

Wallace Shawn's solo play THE FEVER premiered in 1990, performed by the author. 98.6 presents the Irish premiere of the piece, which resonates deeply in the current economic climate. The play interrogates the boundaries between the first and third worlds, between rich and poor, and the difference between personal and political responsibility. In today's world, what does it mean to have a conscience? How do you justify your own lifestyle? How do you reconcile your position in the current ever-changing global landscape?

Performed by Anne Gill and directed by Conor Hanratty, the actress talks here to entertainment.ie

What interested you in bringing this piece to an Irish audience?

There is so much discussion about the rich versus the poor, 99% vs 1%, who has lost what and how much in this recession. The economy and its effect on our society is a topic that is played out in newspapers and online media every day. For young adults of my generation who are navigating this new economy and the world in general, it is a confusing and difficult time. Many of us have less than our parents did at our age (financially, in terms of property, children, etc), and our economic status is not a given anymore as it may have been 100, 50 or even 20 years ago. A good education no longer ensures a good job, for example. I hear friends and colleagues talk about how they are 'broke' or have 'no money.' But our saying we have 'no money' is not accurate at all in context of the world at large. Living in a Western, First World society we have very little awareness or interaction with what it means to really have nothing at all. I didn't think of bringing it to an Irish audience for any particular reason other than that Dublin is my home at the moment, and I feel that the issues raised in the play are issues that people around me, and in the city in general, have at some time or other thought about, talked about or argued about.

And what brought you here?

I originally came to Ireland ten years ago to study for a year at Trinity College. I studied drama, was a member of The Players Society, and made amazing friends. I fell in love with Dublin and was heartbroken to leave. I am currently living in Dublin because I fell in love with a particular Irishman and when the opportunity presented itself to move over, I jumped at it.

How did you meet your collaborators on this project?

The director, Conor Hanratty, and I have been friends for ten years, since my year at Trinity. We've both traveled and studied all over the world in the past ten years and we both landed back in Dublin just over a year ago. I had never worked with Conor before, and had always wanted to, so it seemed obvious to take this play to him and ask him to jump on the bandwagon. Matt Smyth, producer extraordinaire, I met when he began producing the production of Brazen Tales' DURANG DURANG this spring. We had mutual aquaintances as well through the Rough Magic SEEDs programme, and I thought (hoped!) a play like this would attract him.

What are your plans for the rest of the year?

I will next be appearing in Rough Magic's production of Travesties by Tom Stoppard in June.

The Fever | Players Theatre
Date: 30 April 2012
Time: 8.00pm
Price: 10.00 - 12.00
 

Story by EI Team | 09:00 | Wednesday 25th April 2012 | Theatre

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