ABSTRACT
Against these two judgements can be cited many words of journalistic praise for actors and the theatres which are packed with audiences for some, at least, of their productions. If all actors were incompetent, it is unlikely that there would be any theatres for them to act in. Besides, many books about Shakepeare’s plays in performance testify to enlightenment and pleasure received from seeing and studying the work of actors in all the styles that have been followed over the centuries since the plays were written.
