Page "Citizens Theatre" Paragraph 50

Earlier in the autumn season of 1970 a controversial new staging of Hamlet caused outrage in the press for the nudity and alternative acting styles of the Company.

The Scotsman headline reported " Hamlet Depicted As A Gibbering Oaf " ( 7 September 1970 ) but the public flocked to the production and the theatre discovered an all new audience.

Cordelia Oliver, a longterm supporter of the Citizens in her reviews, noted in The Guardian " Schoolchildren en masse rarely sit " Hamlet " out in silence, nor are they often roused to cheering as they did at the end last Friday.

If Havergal has set his sights on a predominately youthful audience for the Citizens this reception suggest he may not be so wide off the mark " ( 10 September 1970 ).