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Peter Ransley (review date 29 August 1974)

SOURCE: "Reflections," in The Listener, Vol. 92, No. 2370, August 29, 1974, p. 279.

Peter Gill's beautifully clear production of Twelfth Night for the RSC at Stratford is played against a sketch of Narcissus gazing at himself in a pool. And throughout the play, the precision of the direction keeps the pool clear, so that we can see not only the characters, but their endless reflections in one another.

Viola disguised as a man conveying Orsino's love to Olivia who falls in love with what she imagines Viola to be, ad infinitum, can get pretty tedious stuff unless it is as controlled and accurate as a Magritte painting. This control has to be at the expense of some life and virility, and the production's main source of energy is a tremendous Malvolio from Nicol Williamson. Its other, quieter source of life is a touching and moving Viola from Jane Lapotaire.…

From the moment Nicol...

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1. Introduction
2. Reviews And Retrospective Accounts Of Selected Productions
3. Commentary:
   1. Eric Keown (review date 20 April 1955)
   2. Peter Fleming (review date 22 April 1955)
   3. The Times (review date 22 April 1955)
   4. J. C. Trewin (review date 23 April 1955)
   5. T. C. Worsley (review date 23 April 1955)
   6. Ronald Barker (review date June 1955)
4. Commentary:
   1. Brooks Atkinson (review date 4 July 1957)
   2. Henry Hewes (review date 20 July 1957)
   3. Arnold Edinborough (review date Autumn 1957)
5. Commentary:
   1. John Wain (review date 27 April 1958)
   2. Alan Brien (review date 2 May 1958)
   3. Peter Jackson (review date June 1958)
   4. Roy Walker (review date 1959)
   5. Eric Keown (review date 25 May 1960)
   6. A. Alvarez (review date May 1960)
   7. Caryl Brahms (review date July 1960)
   8. Grave And Gay
   9. Ginned-Up Dove
   10. Sombre Complexion
   11. Old Man Feste
   12. Mocking Maria
   13. Robert Speaight (review date Autumn 1960)
   14. T. C. Worsley (review date 20 December 1960)
   15. Interesting Conception
   16. Peter Hall (essay date 1966)
6. Commentary:
   1. The Times (review date 17 June 1966)
   2. Hilary Spurling (review date 24 June 1966)
   3. J. C. Trewin (review date 25 June 1966)
   4. Jeremy Kingston (review date 29 June 1966)
   5. Hugh Leonard (review date August 1966)
   6. Robert Speaight (review date Autumn 1966)
7. Commentary:
   1. Irving Wardle (review date 22 August 1969)
   2. Simon Gray (review date 29 August 1969)
   3. Hilary Spurting (review date 30 August 1969)
   4. Jeremy Kingston (review date 3 September 1969)
   5. Robert Cushman (review date October 1969)
   6. Robert W. Speaight (review date Winter 1969)
   7. Irving Wardle (review date 7 August 1970)
   8. Benedict Nightingale (review date 21 August 1970)
   9. Peter Roberts (review date October 1970)
   10. Gareth Lloyd Evans (review date 1970)
   11. Donald Sinden (essay date 1985)
8. Commentary:
   1. B. A. Young (review date 23 August 1974)
   2. Michael Billington (review date 23 August 1974)
   3. Irving Wardle (review date 23 August 1974)
   4. J. W. Lambert (review date 25 August 1974)
   5. Peter Ransley (review date 29 August 1974)
   6. Robert Speaight (essay date Autumn 1974)
   7. Michael Coveney (review date 6 February 1975)
   8. Benedict Nightingale (review date 14 February 1975)
   9. Bernard Crick (review date 14 March 1975)
   10. Peter Thomson (essay date 1975)
   11. Production:
   12. Background:
   13. Commentary:
   14. Clive Barnes (review date 12 June 1975)
   15. John Pettigrew (review date February 1976)
   16. Berners W. Jackson (review date Winter 1976)
   17. Production:
   18. Background:
   19. Commentary:
   20. Sheridan Morley (review date 20 June 1979)
   21. Benedict Nightingale (review date 22 June 1979)
   22. Sally Aire (review date July 1979)
   23. J. C. Trewin (review date Summer 1980)
   24. Roger Warren (review date 1980)
   25. Production:
   26. Background:
   27. Commentary:
   28. Mel Gussow (review date 17 December 1980)
   29. John Simon (review date 29 December 1980)
   30. Edith Oliver (review date 29 December 1980)
   31. Michael Bertin (review date Summer 1981)
9. Production:
10. Comparisons And Overviews
    1. T. W. Craik (essay date 1975)
    2. Ralph Berry (essay date 1981)
    3. Michael Billington (essay date 1990)
11. Staging Issues
    1. Harley Granville-Barker (essay date 1912)
    2. Herbert Farjeon (essay date 1937)
    3. Arthur Colby Sprague (essay date 1944)
    4. Ngaio Marsh (essay date 1955)
    5. John Russell Brown (essay date 1966)
    6. John Russell Brown (essay date 1976)
    7. Ralph Berry (essay date 1981)
12. Further Reading
13. Copyright