... Dear Sir, Congratulations on Ann Pursers article on the Des O'Connor Show. Could not agree with her more. Your faithfully. G. H. Pearce, 110 Lansdowne Road, Leicester. ...

... Cleo de Merode SIR,-- Will there ever be another star as radiant and scintillating as Cleo de Merode, whose death at ninety-one has just been announced? She was the very incarnation of La Belle Epoque; her journeys were State Progresses; kings lay enslaved at her feet; and she herself as the most beauuful woman in Europe, ruled over a more loyal and devoted empire than any sover eign. She ...

... Latecomers CIR. Theatre managers are quite v right to protest and take measures against latecomers but there is one small but vital point in which they themselves are at fault. If the times of performances were printed on the tickets instead of that tiresome injunction to read the daily press which isn't always available when you want it a lot of unpunctuality would be pre vented from people ...

... Writers the Regions are being frozen out Dear Sir, I was very interested in the discussion by Allan Prior about new plays and in particular radio plays. Richard Imison's letter to him quoted last week must have raised an ironical cheer in the Regions for there is an often expressed feeling in writers' circles at least in this part of the world that, as far as the BBC is concerned, the ...

... An 'In' Group for series and serials Dear Sir, The writer of last week's letter in Television Today on an In group for series and serials should feel indebted to you for keeping his name a secret. He used, apparently, little thought, and a pen filled with the juice of sour grapes. A few questions for him. Why stop at serials? Or television? In justice, why should Laurence Olivier, on top of ...

... Blaming the Public SIR, I am heartily sick o f this everlasting moaning the fact that the Rep. here is to close and the reason being laid at the public's feet-- lack of support! The reason for the public's disinterest is that both plays and players have been so abysmal over the recent months that people, like myself, can no longer bear to go. Gone are the days when we had a decent leading-man ...

... History series on Grampian ^pOMORROW Grampian be gins a new series of history programmes called Ups and Downs. The series i$. concerned with some historical ''figure who was associated with Scotland. The programmes will take the form of illustrated lectures, writ ten and presented by Alastair Borthwick. Edward Joffe is direc tor. ...

... Guild's new section Dear Sir, In Mr. Emms' letter concerning the formation of the Advertising Writers' Section of the Writers' Guild, he stated that this particular Section was created by the Guild's Executive Council without reference to the general Membership. This is not true. First, the Executive Council's proposal to form the Advertising Writers' Section was put to the Membership at the ...

... Hamlet's Age Sir, I have read with interest fhe criticism of Hamlet at the Aldwych Theatre and the subse quent letters on the subject, but neither Mr. Hall, nor your critic or correspondents seem to have noticed that Hamlet's age is clearly given in the text. If they will take the trouble to read the graveyard scene, they will find that the gravedigger states that he began his career as ...

... Professionals SIR, May I encroach on a small space to endorse the remarks in the stage on Professionals. As an old performer of over 60 years in the theatre in variety, con cert party, revue and pantomime, the remarks make one wonder if financial standing, influence or rela tives is any advancement? After nearly 18 months of correspondence, it makes one feel very frustrated to think it's a ...

... Shop Window SIR, Surely it would be more encouraging for young dramatists to have, instead of bursaries, a shop window for their work. This could be achieved by sup porting those repertory companies who present new plays. Many of them flourish quite happily without being subsidised, but a guarantee against loss would strengthen their aims. Contemporary drama could then be seen by audiences all ...

... Musicals SIR, I was interested in the sug gestion contained in your lead- y article concerning the formation a company to perform musicals and operettas, as I recently wrote to the Arts Council in reply to their request for information for their Opera and Ballet enquiry, and one of the paragraphs read: There is also a large provincial audience for Operetta and Musical Comedy. To ensure that ...