MY NOSE was broken in 1981 by a “civilised” Shakespeare lover, who launched himself across the table and set about me simply because I dared to suggest that in 1981 The Clash were more culturally relevant than the Bard.

This pattern has been repeated throughout my life as civilised and sensitive Shakespeare lovers become rabid nut-jobs simply because I say I don’t particularly care for his work.

In middle-class, educated society it's perfectly acceptable to opine: “I don’t like the plays of Christopher Marlowe/Harold Pinter/Jez Butterworth” or whoever, but to say: “I don’t like the plays of Shakespeare” is to condemn oneself as an ignoramus and cultural Philistine. It is simply not acceptable for anyone who claims to be educated or intelligent to say they do not care for the Elizabethan playwright.