What We Did Before Our Moth Days

by Wallace Shawn

And so yes, well, I'd simply dropped that whole idea of being a good person, I'd dropped it right down into some hole in the street, and down it had gone into the city's sewers, and no one ever saw it again.

Set in a rather privileged world of intelligent and gentle people, a father, mother, son and the father's long-time mistress tell the intimate story of their lives. Wallace Shawn, a student of morality whose plays have brought us frank truths about politics and sexuality, here takes on the subject of love - suffocating and freeing. Remorse, resentment, joy and sorrow play out against the background of a pleasurable and sophisticated but violent city.

'We don't understand ourselves, and we don't know why we do what we do. Ideally, then, dangerous weapons should be kept out of our hands at all times, but in romantic, sexual, and familial relationships we carry the weapon of our own feelings strapped to our chests whether we like it or not.' Wallace Shawn

What We Did Before Our Moth Days premiered at the Greenwich House Theater, New York, in March 2026.

Genres: Plays

84 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 29, 2026

About the author

Wallace Shawn, sometimes credited as Wally Shawn, is an American actor and playwright. Regularly seen on film and television, where he is usually cast as a comic character actor, he has pursued a parallel career as a playwright whose work is often dark, politically charged and controversial. He is widely known for his high-pitched nasal voice and slight lisp.

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good three-act play that could easily be a fantastic two-act play. Shawn is a remarkable writer and there are so many fascinating (and incredibly disquieting) nuggets in here. The third act gives the impression that the story got away from him a bit, however.

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm still trying to recall what rabbit hole (likely on Wikipedia) I was in when I read about this play and immediately got the book from the library. I must have been looking up a book or an author (surprise!) and found out that Wallace Shawn was not only an actor but also playwright, with a new piece out now. And when have I ever gotten to read a play as it debuted? Never, of course.

It's very easy to imagine this as a play, and, more importantly, reading it really made me want to see this performed. The New York Times ran a great piece about Shawn in February, which I highly recommend reading -- but only after you've read this.

NYT link

[Aaron]

It remains how fascinating theater is as a medium especially for writers. Text that would read as self-indulgent in other forms finds consummate expression between the playwright, director, actors, and the live audience.

On the page, this is a set of distended monologues, waiting for the above to bring it to life. It’s abstract yet singular, unpleasant yet inviting. Play.

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

not quite sure how i feel about that. there was something there but goddam like. wow everyone sucks. except for elle. that poor woman.

[Sara Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wallace Shawn can get it. This was extraordinary.