Not content to have the audience in the palm of his hand, he goes one further and clinches his fist.

Making his initial impact as a critic at The Observer (1954–58 1960–63) he praised Osborne's Look Back in Anger (1956) and encouraged the emerging wave of British theatrical talent. An opponent of theatre censorship he was the first person to say 'fuck' on British television which was very controversial at the time.