By this point readers will be well aware of the many items and issues not pursued in this book, but, at the risk of belaboring the obvious, I will conclude with a brief explanation of my rationale for inclusion and exclusion. First and most important, this study has not been intended as a comprehensive approach to the performance history of Shakespeare's plays over the last twenty-five years, a daunting task far beyond my reach. A host of pertinent studies already exist and have been cited along the way, many of them devoted to productions of a single script.

Rather, I have concentrated on stage productions I was able to see and for which I have reliable notes. Based in the United States I have managed to see a large number of United Kingdom shows starting in 1978 but have been limited to RSC, RNT, Globe, Almeida, and other productions available during my annual two or three weeks in London and Stratford, as has also been true for my encounters with productions in Oregon (between 1974 and 1993), Ontario, and other venues. I do not claim to have noted everything of significance in these productions, but especially over the last fifteen years I have sought to keep track of directors' choices – and have taken much flak from theatrical professionals, academic colleagues, and fellow playgoers for my note-taking habits at intervals or after shows.