"the merchant of venice"      1972    directed by jonathon miller      old vic, london
starring laurence olivier, joan plowright, jeremy brett, derek jacobi

quote by laurence olivier      the sun, 1971
"i'm all for getting rid of barriers. they only exist if you make them exist. if a person is clever, talented, then it doesn't matter what he does. jim dale was a pop singer. he's now with us - and we're lucky to have him. he's a great find because it's difficult to get really agreeable, intelligent, funny shakespearian clowns."

reviewer  irving wardle,  the london times
"jim dale's launcelot gobbo is easily the best i have seen, and almost redeems that wretched part with the addition of legitimately inventive clowning."

g.b.     time and tide
"jim dale makes an outstandingly funny launcelot gobbo, a cross between elizabethan clown and tv comedian with catch-line malapropisms. superb."