... WHY ACTORS WON'T GO ON TOUR SIR,--The recently agreed new West End contract includes a compulsory touring clause. An excellent idea in principle, but actors reluctance to tour is not difficult to understand. Allowing for rent of a London home, dependants and the extra ex penses of touring, it is almost impossible to save on a tour. It is vital one should be able to do so, as overcrowding in ...

... IN-THE-ROUND CIR,-- Mr. Stephen Joseph, whose theatre m-rhe-round has won much respect, strives for more accu racy in theatrical terms and tells us [hat while ibe Ohichester theatre will have a three-sided platform Jta^e k won't be in the round. Ibts description, he suggests, should be reserved for his Studio Theatre Company and for the Pembroke. Croydon. Ik he being accurate The last time I ...

... SHEFFIELD PLAYHOUSE SIR. How terribly, but terribly. sensitive can some people get! Three members of the Board of Sheffield Playhouse chided me in these columns last week for failing, as they think, to mention recently in a few harmless notes the fact that Granada TV had contributed £2,500 to the Playhouse. One reason for the omission was Chat Dhe very welcome contribution had already been wdl ...

... MINORITY THEATRE SIR.--May I endorse Mr. Marowitz's definition of minority theatre as the life-blood of future theatre? I couldn't agree more about its needs, but I do disagree with his suggestions for alleviating them. Dependence on Government sup port rs even more risky than dependence on public whim. It eventually enta.ik all the tricky questions of direction, control and censorship. The ...

... but it must come! AS one who, since 1954, has believed that some form of sponsored television must be launched in this country sooner or later. I was interested in Television Today's Comment (September 1 issue). If I may comment on the comments: Television Today may be assured that plenty of British advertisers can and will spend many thousands a year on a programme Advertisers with ...

... SIR,-- Switching off the lights of all the theatres on Shaftesibury Avenue was a nice tribute to the late Oscar Hammcrstcin, but what a .pity someone didn't thirvk of doing it for our own Malty whose passing has been virtually ignored by the theatrical profession. Yours sr.icerelv. Henry Kendall. Weatherall Lodge, Weil Road. N.W.3 ...

... MORE TROUBLE AT THE BOX OFFICE DEAR SIR,-- As a member of the younger generation and in view of the very considerable efforts being made by producers, actors and other leading members of the theatrical profession, to encourage us and other sections of the community to take a more active interest in supporting the living theatre. 1 deplore the unhelpful and thoroughly discouraging attitude ...

... OSIRIS REPERTORY SIR,--So many misunderstandings seem to exist about the status and work of the Osiris Repertory Company that you may. perhaps, allow me to give a few of the facts. Our hrst performances of Shakespeare were given in 1927 m LCC schools, with the active co operation of the education officer. We were given headquarters in a disused school until our work-- with the lecommendation ...

... BRYAN BAILEY C'R. May 1 through your w columns say how stunned I am to learn of the death of Brvan Bailey, who was killed last week in a motor accident. Mr Bailey was as necessary to the theatre of the future, as Shakespeare was to the past. He gave me valuable constructive help in my capacity as an untried playwright. Only last week I re ceived a letter from him to arrange to discuss my new ...

... REGULATED ENTRY SIR,-- The Sponsors of a Resolution calling for the regulation of entry into the profession due for discussion at the Annual General Meeting of Equity on Sunday next have been contacting theatre companies in London and the provinces by letter in order to provoke formal discussion on this vital sub ject. Perhaps we could, through the courtesy of your columns, reach out to ...

... AMATEUR TRY-OUTS SIK,-- I was very interested read the article by Mr. Anstarr Foot in last week* stage. 1 have always been of the opinion that the best ervice the serious amateur company can perform for the professional theatre is to try out new plays and help new authors. My company, which now runs th* New Venture Theatre. Brighton, has always pursued this policy. Our last two productions. ...

... HENCE IN SOLITUDE SIR,--I have been very interested by the reactions provoked in the stage, by my ballet, Hence in Solitude. As regards my insensitive mis handling of Chopin, I suppose that to some people Urns music will arwayt suggest the romantic white world of Les Sylphides. Much m I admire Fokine's ballet, it does not seem to me the only way of approaching Chopin's music and I would ...