I completely disagree with Harry Davies' patronising remarks. I thought the production was riveting and I can honestly say, hand on heart, that I truly felt for Mckellan's Lear. I am studying English Literature and Theatre Studies as two of my AS levels and from both perspectives I found the play to be inspiring.

Claudia McDowell, Lichfield, Staffordshire

I have to agree with Harry Davies. An astonishingly lazy production. Bewildering at times, but mostly simply tedious. The spoon-playing Fool was perhaps the worst piece of trickery. Though perhaps even the Fool was outdone by the patronising west-countryisms of Poor Tom. And as for the comment by Susan Rollins that this is the best Lear's in decades, I am flabberghasted. I can only say that Robert Stephens' captured the majesty, politics and humanity of the Lear far better than McKellen does, in a version that had none of the school play busyness of Nunn's production. There is something of the Emperor's New Clothes in all this praising.

Ben Jones, Copenhagen, Denmark

My wife and I also saw the RSC's new King Lear when Melanie Jessop was understudying Frances Barber as Goneril (and also in The Seagull). The production had settled in by then. It was/is a tribute to Melanie Jessop that her performance was the strongest of the 3 sisters. What a pity (Susan Rollins, above) that Frances Barber disappoints.

Julian Hopkins , St Albans, Herts, UK

Trevor Nunn's Lear is the best for decades; lucid, accessible, losing nothing of the truth and beauty at the centre of a storm of surreal nightmare of mind, body, family and state. Few were not moved to tears last night. McKellen avoided every histrionic pitfall of this most testing of roles, and transcended the mediocrity of much of his supporting cast. Frances Barber's camp, overblown performance was not a patch on the quiet malice of Melanie Jessup's Goneril. As a result, the play lost much of the foreboding seriousness of the first half palpable in pre-Barber performances. The essential goodness of Gloucester, Kent and Edgar was a beacon of hope in the darkness brilliantly maintained by the three superb actors who portrayed them; Gaunt as Gloucester with overtrusting naivete, but essential loyalty and courage; the other two with thrilling vigour and sincerity of heart. Nunn/McKellan have once again shown us the redemption through love Shakespeare finds at the heart of darkness

susan rollins, Reading, England

The Sir Ian Mckellen Show! A dated and unimaginative production from another dated and unimaginative director, the eagerly anticipated production is Shakespeare for the masses and by the looks of things for the 'dead white males' too. McKellen's Lear is acted with such technical ability that no real person can honestly hand on heart say they truly feel for the character. They can feel for Sir Ian Mckellen but not for King Lear. The RSC's attempt to make theatre more intimate with the Courtyard is quite arrogantly ignored by Nunn who leaves the 'up close and personal' parts of the stage unused. Perhaps Sir Trevor Nunn is afraid the audience will discover the rain that pours and the dogs that bark are not actually real. The production's Phantom of the opera characteristics will be a consolation to the tourists missing out on tickets for Andrew Lloyd Webber's real thing, having to settle for some 'Shakespeare' instead when Nunn's tedious failure of a production arrives in the West End.

Harry Davies, Stratford Upon Avon, UK