Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby staring James Kermack
Few actors have the guts or indeed the talent to perform in a one man show and of those who do, it is very rare that the audience is enthralled the entire way through. So captivated in Kermacks performance were the audience members at The Carriage works in Leeds they had to be prompted.
With a cheeky smile, a controlled lean forward and his Walthamstow twang “you can clap now” was heard, the response, honest laughter, only underlining the bond created with his performance.
Having never read or seen Fever Pitch, my fears of a football fan focused show were quickly dissipated. Rather than a trip through Arsenals football history, Kermack took us on a psychological journey, from man to boy, highlighting how the loss of his father shaped his future, making football his crutch, more often than not it fell beneath him.
The direction and set were simple but effective, the piece didn’t need fussy props or overly clever movements, the energy of the character alone drove the show, with smooth lighting changes and a totally committed performance ‘Fever Pitch’ was a massive winner for me.
In the words of Barbara Streisand
“The audience is the barometer of the truth.”
Go see.
