Michael - did you ever see Peter Brook's RSC production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream - 1970, if memory serves? I saw it twice, at the Aldwych Theatre, which was then the temporary home of the RSC, and absolutely adored it. It was totally fresh - mesmerising even.

I recall seeing Peter O'Toole as Shylock at Stratford in, oh... 1960, I think - with Dorothy Tutin as Portia. Another stunning RSC production - totally different in concept from Peter Brook's "Dream", but excellent in a different way.