... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir, In connection with your in teresting article in last Thursday's Stage re the old Surrey Theatre, I can well remember, nearly forty years ago, seeing George Conquest in a thrilling drama, which would have raised the hair of the present Mr. 'Edgar Wallace, en titled The Stranglers of Paris. The excitement, I remember, was intense, especially in pit and ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,--It has been my misfortune recently to find placed at my disposal, at three theatres calling themselves first-class, orchestras containing one or more definitely bad instrumentalists. These three theatres are by no means alone in slipshod orchestral administration. At a time like the present, with so many good and even brilliant in strumentalists out of work, ...

... . To the Editer of THE STAGE Sir,--Mr. Horace Collins says in his letter to you on the 19th inst., that actors are quite capable business people, and well able to look after their own affairs. This is the most optimistic statement I ever heard about the members of our calling, and, contrary to all my experience so tar as yu per cent, of them is concerned. In no in stance has this been ...

... To the Editor of THE STAGE. Si r, In his interesting article, Irving's First Nights, pub lished in your issue of February 19, Mr. Alfred Berlyn makes a little slip. I hope Mr. Beriyn will not mind my pointing it out. It w-as not on the night of the Lyceum production of Louis XI. but on that of The Corsi- can Brothers, September 18, 1880. that the then Mr. A. W. Pinero, in making his first, ...

... Sir, I well remember the glorious first nights at the Lyceum referred to in Mr. Alfred Bcrlyn's article. I was present at the performance of Louis XI. in 1878. I would point out that the writer is mis taken in his statement that it was A. W. Pinero who on that occasion received on his entry the ovation ^intended for Irving. The actor in question was reallv Frank Clements, who played Philip de ...

... Sir, In your last issue Mr. Alfred Berlyn states that A. W. Pinero, when playing the barber- minister Coitier, in Louis XI., was on his first entrance mistaken for Irving, and received the chief's reception. Coitier was Louis's physician, and Oliver le Dain his barber minister, neither of which parts was played by Mr. Pinero at the first produc tion of the play at the Lyceum, March 9, 1878. ...

... To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir, In your criticism of the war play, Who Goes Next 1 M of which I am one of the authors, I notice that you say that the authors have had no war experi ence, and declare that such in formation has been put out in advance publicity of the play. No such publicity has ever been given out to the Press. I was in the war from August 4, 1914, to the end, spent nearly ...

... . Sir,--The Association of Touring and Producing Managers has been in consultation with the Home Secretary for some time upon the question of Sunday opening as it affects the touring branch of the profession. I should like to have an opportunity of placing clearly before yon the views of the association No official or member of the committee of tho association has at any time advocated the ...

... To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir, I was interested in Mr- J. M. Glover's recollections of Les Cloches de Corneville. In my large collection of programmes I cannot find the name of Miss Adeline Pragcr as playing Ger- maine. My earliest programme for the provinces, in 1879, is: Serpolctte, Miss Pattie Lavcrne; Gcrmaine, Miss Annie Poole j Henri, M. Lavedan; Gaspard, Mr. J. Howson Bailie, Mr. G. ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,-- May 1 call your attention to a condition tbat has long been existing in the theatre? I am alluding to the engaging of staff. There are many men out of an engagement who would be quite willing to work as dressers or be on tho staff, etc. actors who have- no other means of livelihood. Yet what do we find Nine out 01 ten people engaged in a theatre are doing ...

... . To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,--May I, as a member of the playgoing public, comment on the recently arranged change-over of the above house to a home for talkies. It has apparently taken three and a-half years to discover that plays lire not a profitable proposition, a strangely long time. Anyone acquainted with the houso wilt know that for any first-class booking a capacity house has ...

... To the Editor of THE STAGE. Sir,-- Mr. A. C. Armstrong's witty article on 44 Variety Vintage I caused mo much amusement. For his information, tho htuff in the glass is ginger ale. For many years it has been my custom to 4 go straight homo from tho show-- I when there has been a show to go home from. _ I wish to con tinue that practice. I havo been I much in tne tropics, but have never seen a ...