... TECHNICIANS Sir,-- With reference to the article Where are the Technicians of Tomorrow, may I pass a few comments as a technician with over 40 years' experience? firstly, 1 was surprised with John Bury's approach to the stage designer, in as much that he would ask the technician How can I do this? Surely a competent stage designer worth his salt, should be fully conversant with scenery con ...

... SOUND SIR,-- I would like to underline the comments of Denis Harbour and Gwen North. Theatre sound, is, on the whole, appalling. Though when it is good it can steal the show. In our wide tours of Scotland and England I have never come across a theatre with suitable sound equip ment. To get sound to a high standard in the theatre one needs specialised sound equipment and a sound technician, but ...

... PROTEST Sir.-- We the undersigned members of Equity currently working at the Nottingham Playhouse believe that: The Council in its present form does not provide a democratic representation of the full range of its membership. We further believe that in order to provide a coherent determination as to whether or not Equity should remain registered under the Indus trial Relations Act, the ...

... GOODWILL VISIT SIR--I was very moved to hear over Christmas Cliff Richard's recent experiences in a children's relief camn in Bangladesh. I have talked with Donald Swann about his experiences while touring in the Middle East. Danny Kaye's work for UNICEF is of course well known. All these individual efforts are admirable but what a great gesture of goodwill it would be if a plan- load of ...

... PLAYWRIGHTS Sir,--I feel much sympathy for the disheartened fellow scribes who have contributed to this forum. Although it is many years since I suffered the frustrating pangs of a beginning writer, the painful memory is still in the back of my mind, and will probably remain there forever. Fortunately, I discovered early enough in my chosen career, that writing was a rough business, and one ...

... TROOP ENTERTAINMENT Sir, I have been commissioned by a publisher to write a book about troop entertainment during the last war. This will be dealing with shows taken to the troops, ENSA, the RAF Gang Shows, Stars in Battledress, Divisional Concert Parties and so on. I would be most grateful if any of your readers who were involved in any such shows, whether they were part of an official ...

... It often improves films Dear Sir, With reference to your editorial in December 20 issue of Television Today: Television often improves films previously seen in the cinema, especially ones on large screens. Perhaps it is because faces are reduced from giant to life-size in close-ups, yet television also enhances the long-shots. I noticed this particularly in the recently shown Story of Three ...

... Writers and car workers Dear Sir, I was surprised to read in a statement from the writers' trade union that one of their members would need only to write four of those footling plays that we see on television in order to earn rather less every year than a Ford Car worker. Somebody obviously needs to get his ideas into perspec- tive. Surely, a man who sweats on a production line to turn out ...

... THEATRE SOUND Sir, The current London Palladium pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk is most enjoyable; the scenario, direction and production are very good indeed, but who was responsible for the sound? It would appear that there is something sadly lacking with both the operation and choice of sound equipment in London theatres these days and unfortunately this production is no exception. The ...

... SIR, I refer to your recent correspondence on this subject. If your playwrights don't like the way things are and the way things are likely to continue they should get out of the theatre, find cleaner work and stop moaning. The public doesn't give a damn about who wrote the play. TOM GALLACHER 21 Bristol House, 67 Lower Sloane Street. London, S.W.I ...

... SIR,--Letters from disgruntled, puzzled and unproduced playwrights were to the fore in your last three editions of 1973. Indeed, your 52nd editorial for '73 The Playwright, was much to the point. For the established, successful playwright, writing in isolation may well be a considered advantage. The newcomer or the consis tently unproduced playwright may need a little help from his friends. ...

... PLAYWRIGHTS SIR,--Having helped to open the old sore relating to the lack of new playwrights, I feel I would like to come back once again as a result of the interesting correspondence in your recent issues. A fellow reject mentions that he has waited some eight years, and will wait many more if neces sary; my pleas arose from waiting more than twice that length of time! A further ...