My passion for the stage pursued me to Oxford University where I featured in a famous production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” directed by Nevill Coghill. He was the famous professor who created the wonderful modern English translation of “The Canterbury Tales”. It was a swash-buckling version where the final words of ‘The Miller’s Tale’ read –

“And Nicholas is branded on the bum,

And God save all of us to Kingdom Come.”

We performed the show in Worcester College Gardens, the most beautiful in Oxford, including its famous lake. I played Puck. They built duckboards just under the surface of the water so that when I went to collect the magic purple-hearted bloom I was able (apparently) to run across the water. There was a communal gasp from the audience at this brilliant coup de theatre. The great actor John Gielgud came to see it and was mightily impressed.