... Plays Dear Sir, I would like to bring to the notice of Lillian Frith (Tele vision Today March 16) that the dictionary definition of the word Play, is dramatic piece or performance, as well as to act on the stage therefore I would suggest that Television has every right to use the word Play. 1 agree that they are mini films, but to people like myself, Living in an area with no professional ...

... Robson Sir, I am writing a life of the great Frederick Robson, famous at the Royal Olympic Theatre from 1853-1862 in extravaganzas, and should be grateful for any letters or information your readers might have other than easily-acces sible printed sources, which would be acknowledged and returned. Frederick Robson the younger was his son, and E. M. Robson either his son or his nephew; both ...

... PANDERING TO APARTHEID SIR,-- In answer to Alan Hagan (June 24, 1976), who suggests we diould be more afraid of Russia than South Africa, has he never heard of the Domino Theory. Communism now dominates the Far East, and is knocking at the door of India. The Russians and the Chinese are involved in the Middle East. For the last few years they have been making their presence felt in the ...

... EDDIE GRAY SIR. When pros chat about comedy, one name always provokes hilarious reminiscences concerning both his on- and off-stage activities that of the late Monsewer Eddie Gray. I'd be grateful if anyone who has a first-hand Eddie Gray story to tell would contact me. so that as many as possible could be caught between the covers of a small book duly accredited, of course. Such a ...

... ON CAMERA SIR, There has been some criticism recently that drama schools do not provide training in front of television cameras. This is regret table and no doubt true. On the other hand a class at the City Literary Institute, which provided a full miniature television studio expressly for the use of would-be television actors, had to close when it first started, for lack of support. I am now ...

... SIR: To those Equity members who will not be at Sunday's meeting because they are (a) Doing the garden; (b) Having friends in for drinks; (c) Going out in the car--or; (D) Just not bloody interested--I would say The blood of Equity be on your heads if anything terrible j --j e v happens to our Union because of your lethargy. Believe me, there are serious issues at stake. From 1935 to ...

... EQUITY REORGANISATION SIR,-- The most interesting piece of recent Equity news was not even mentioned in their advertisement on January 27. This was the report of the Council's Reorganisation Sub-Committee, .which has now been largely adopted. According to this report, all of Equity's Area and National Com mittees, and most of the Specialist ones, are to be summarily disbanded within a few ...

... SPLITTING THE VOTE SIR.-- During my attendance at the AGM of the Theatre-in-education sub-committee on January 29, a meeting generally observant of democratic protocols and procedures, and mindful of collegiate unanimity (one qualification, due to an appointment elsewhere I had leave before the end), a rather disturbing and unethical event took place At the appropriate time on the agenda. ...

... WHAT ABOUT THE AUDIENCE? SIR. As a full-time trade union official I have followed with interest the recent dispute regarding the artiste to play the role of Cassie in A Chorus Line. But as a lifelong theatregoer, I have also been interested to note that in all the reports and discussions no reference appears to have been made to the role of the audience. When the opening date for the English ...

... New Faces- to be seen, not heard Dear Sir, Is it not time that the powers that be reminded the producers of New Faces of its name? It is surely not New Sounds but Faces. Who cares what the recording people think; surely its whole object is to discover talent for television and the cabaret clubs. The panel should, in my opinion, consist of someone like John Smith who employs acts in his clubs, ...

... QUESTION OF CONTENT SIR, It may cheer up the saddened Mr Birchall to know that I have spent some time considering, as advised, the question of content and have had thought about a play called The Right to Refuse to be per formed for dustmen, their wives, and other races freely mingling. It whould be sponsored by an elitist and religious group dedicated to instilling in the working classes an ...

... Portraits Sir, May we draw Cecil Madden's attention to several books, as he complains of the lack of a list of portraits in public collections. The Catalogue of Theatrical Portraits in London Public Collections was published by. the Society for Theatre Re search in 1961. This excluded the Maugham Collection, which was fully covered by our own The Artist and the Theatre in 1955. These paintings ...