dame judi: sod off, spencer!

dame judi dench, the first lady of british theatre, has done what every actor in the world has likely wanted to do at one time or another: fought back against a critic.

after receiving less than glowing notices for her performance in yukio mishima's madame de sade, dench sent a less than glowing letter of reply to the daily telegraph's theatre critic charles spencer.

"I've always rather admired you but now I realise you're an absolute shit," she wrote.

Referring to a stage accident which caused her to miss some performances, she added: "I'm only sorry I didn't get a chance to kick you when I fell over – maybe next time."

mr. spencer himself has since responded to the response, suggesting more actors take this tack. my letters to critics in washington d.c. and portland are now in the works.