I’m really only familiar with a few of Mr Hare’s later plays so the chance to look back at his earlier work was welcome.

Lordy, what a journey he’s been on. The first two plays are quite experimental in nature with thin stories and a lot of spectacle or controversy. You can see a gift for the deft phrase or fascinating situation arising here, though. The third play manages to string together an interesting plot and cast of characters, but it is Licking Hitler and Plenty where you see a genuine playwright emerging from the mists and managing to use a simple sentence or direction where the earlier writer would have wasted a whole scene to the same effect. Great stuff.