A Man for All Seasons | Literary Criticism & Book Review

A Man for All Seasons Critical Overview

When A Man for All Seasons made its debut on the London stage at the Globe Theater on July 1, 1960, Robert Bolt had only one moderate theater success under his belt (Flowering Cherry). Therefore, to have earned the popular and critical acclaim he did for his Brechtian historical play was a significant achievement, and it catapulted the thirty-six-year-old into the theatrical limelight, where he was to remain for the next decade. The Illustrated London News called it a "brilliant play," one which let history have its moment on stage. The New Statesman, however, identified a complaint dial would be leveled frequently at this play and at the 1966 screenplay that it privileges history over psychological depth. Nevertheless, A Man For All Seasons, starring Paul Scofield as Thomas More, ran for 320 performances in London before moving on to a year-and-a-half run on Broadway, where it earned the Tony Award...
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