As a drama student at RADA and as a tyro actor in the 20s, Gielgud was a passionate playgoer, seeing everthing of note in the London theatre - ballet, revue and melodrama as well as straight plays. He attended the premieres of Shaw, O'Neill and A.A. Milne classics, and of course watched the leading players of his day. He kept every single programme, carefully noting down his views on the front cover.