The Fool (play)

The Fool is a play by the English playwright Edward Bond. It traces the life of the poet John Clare against the backdrop of the Industrial Revolution, from his roots in rural East Anglia via literary success in London to his final years in a lunatic asylum. The play was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre in November 1975 in a production directed by Peter Gill and featuring Tom Courtenay, David Troughton and Nigel Terry among others.

After a 35-year hiatus, The Fool was revived in the UK in late 2010 as part of the six-play Edward Bond Season at The Cock Tavern Theatre in Kilburn, London. Bond himself directed the production, with Ben Crispin playing the role of John Clare.