I said a fond farewell on Tuesday to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre as I have known and loved it for nearly 40 years. The new production of Coriolanus will be the last play seen there before a three-year rebuilding programme begins.

Though it was disliked almost from its opening in 1932 by many actors, I have always enjoyed its facilities on my side of the footlights. Like many people, I am sure, I first visited the theatre as a schoolboy. The occasion was Trevor Nunn's 1968 production of King Lear, with Eric Porter in the title role. Since then I have seen most of the Stratford Lears, including Donald Sinden's in 1976, Michael Gambon's in 1982, John Wood's in 1990, Robert Stephens's in 1993, Nigel Hawthorne's in 1999 and Corin Redgrave's three years ago.

Other highlights of my visits there over the years have been supplied by Sir Antony Sher, in a remarkable series of performances that have included defining studies of Richard III, Malvolio, Shylock and Leontes. Richard Griffiths, Daniel Radliffe's co-star in Equus, hugely impressed me, too, as Henry VIII in 1983, when he was sketched for the programme by Ralph Steadman.