... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,--A cry of disappointment will go up from the provincial drama members of the Actors' Association on reading the terms of the Provincial Touring Contract. Not only are the advantages obtained slight indeed, but on the rehearsal question the contract leaves tle smaliL. drama man in a ifhil w*acss pcfcutilon than he w&s before- Why KhouM tho London actor ...

... . Sir, I again crave your courtesy for space in your columns to urge upon my fellow provincial members the importance of attending the generaJ meeting callcd foe Sunday, November 30. Those members who are unable to attend should appoint proxies, dearly stating their views and instructing their proxies to vote accordingly. We have filled in an amended contract in the space provided in THE STAGE ...

... . Sir,--As a member of tbe A. A., I am grateful to tbe Council for much they have done, but I cannot see that this proposed standard contract improves the position of the provincial artist in any way, so the provincial artist must fight. I am not at all a believer in extremes. and 1 1-hould bo against any undue haste in proceeding to drastic action, such as a strike would be. until every ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir, I am forming a second company to preeernt die piayis of Shakespeare to the schools of greater London. 1 shall be only too glad to form this oompany entirely of soldier actors not forgetting sailors. Only, of course, I wont people who have I acted in these plays before. A weD-known general told us from 1 the stage of the Old Vic two years ago that aotors made ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,-- ...

... . Sir.--TV Standard Contract, as printed in your last issue, seemed to us so strikingly inadequate that we have sent the enclosed to the Council of the Actors' Association as our unanimous opinion of what the various clauses ought to be. [See page 17.] _ YVS are aU members ot the Abo citation, and we feel very strongly that some effort dhotdd ba ma-.le nt once to obtain the opinion of tho Kaat ...

... . Sir,--Permit me the courtesy of space in your columns to warn the Council of the Actors' Association of the disastrous consequences to the Association of making any definite agreement with the Theatrical Managers' Association and the Touring Managers' Association fore it (the Council) obtains the mandate of the touring provincial members of the Associalion. We trusted the Council, and, ...

... Sir, Tho Council of the Actors' Association has doubtless done its oolkv*iv.e best, and one is grateful! for tho efforts mule in the direc tion of Standard contracts, but tho new Standard Proviacial Contract iron'* if e-- at any price;, as it stands, it is an insult to one's intelligence-- -incidentally a direot insult to the provincial artist Following up tho carrying of Mr. Sharp's amendment ...

... To the Editor of THE STAGE. SiSr,-- There is one thing en which, so far, nobody has com mented in Uh> proposed Provincial Contraotth at is. Clause No. 15. Why should not this contract hold good for pantomimes, Christmas musical plays, and special short engagements in aa far as possible T I am engaged for a pantomime which is touring some of the best theatres, where I know a heap of money is ...

... . Sir, I have read with interest the letters on the above in to-day's Stage, though unfortunately missed the original letter. Having been both a resident and a touring manager, I think the reason of the decline of melodrama's a d. comes under two heads, viz. A. The PUy. B. The Theatres and their man agers. As far as A is concerned, I have always felt that melodrama (that is, provincial ...

... Sir, What a wonderful percep tion a Touring Manager pos sesses. I have read in newspaper comments dealing with the theatre that there are not many good plays to be got. What nonsense Admitted that play selection is difficult and not an exact science, and that to read a play is to submit it to a literary judgment not a dramatic. Many managers even will not take the trouble to do this. A play is ...

... To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir, Mr. Ben Greet s letter is the most sensible one that I lutve read in The Stage on this subject, for it brings right into the lime- light the very thing that is required by those who are entitled to tho above heading. It is correct-- more than correct. I am sorry to state- that ex-Service men are finding it hard to get their old jobs and, if there were more ...