... Soaring chorus of disapproval As a singer, I would like to join in fortissimo with the chorus of those who are in opposition to the constitutional changes as proposed in the current Equity referendum. I was the councillor for the concert and session singers for 19 years, and my observation was that the efficiency of the council bore no relation at all to the numbers present for any debate, but ...

... What's the story of Joyce's glory? I am writing the first bio graphy of Joyce Grenfell for John Murray publishers. Did any readers, or their parents, work with her or see her perform during the Second World War, either in revues or for ENSA? Janie Hampton 80 Temple Road Oxford 0X4 2EZ e-mail:ham pton.oxforcMiWial.pipex.com ...

... Bring back the generation gap I was glad to see so many people writing to The Stage to defend good speech. Until now, I thought I was alone. I believe that one ol the main reasons for the decline of good speech is the lack of a decent generation gap. In my teens, I spoke all the latest rock'n'roll slang with my friends. At home and school, however, none of us spoke in this way. We knew we ...

... Wilson right to pick at comics I cannot really believe that Ollie Wilson's intelligent article entitled 'Comics should stand up or shut up' (Broadside, November 30, page 28) will change anything in TV programming. Nevertheless it is thera peutic for some of us to discover we are not the only ones thinking such thoughts. Dan Roro e-mail: danroro@compagnie- tete-a-tete.com ...

... We'll miss Russ The sad news about pianist Russ Conway's death must hit at the hearts of hundreds, if not thousands, of pianists who were kids in the fifties and sixties. We all spent hours trying to perfect simplified copies of Sidesaddle, China Tea, Roulette and others, and if it had not been for the invasion of the guitar playing groups of the sixties then many of us would hopefully have ...

... A precious connection I chanced upon your Web site as it contained the only bona fide reference to Steffani on the Internet. I am trying to obtain information of the Silver Songsters and in particular Steffani, who was my grand mother's uncle. I have managed to put together a ten-track CD and would be happy to provide copies on request. David Adams hieias tna House Mill Lane Hardwick Norwich ...

... Giving expenses for regional auditions is not the norm I must take issue with Michael Hucks (Letters. September 2 1 page 9) re: his outrageous statement that: It has always been the conven tion that if managements wish to audition actors outside the capital, where the theatrical profession is based, they will pay the expenses. What arrogance! There are far more members of the profession ...

... Critics-stick to what you know Michael Coveney asks critics to be a little more open- minded about musicals (Leader feature, September 14, page 8). Would that he himself had been more open-minded about ballet when he reviewed the new production The Car Man. In fact, he falls into the exact trap we have all been warning drama critics about, when he refers to current musical successes and ...

... Booking fees can be worthwhile I have to disagree with Edgar Ward's comments about agents that charge a booking fee and then do not even need to try to find them any work (Letters, September 7, page 9). I am registered with three agents in the London area who all charged a booking fee to register. For this fee (a one off payment, not annual) I am entered into a casting cata logue, receive ...

... A Day by any other name I expect some readers have followed up Simon Blumen- feld's remembrance of Frances Day (Heydays, September 7, page 1 1 in which he intimated there was a mystery about her fate. Well, according to Har well's Filmgoer's Companion, she died in 1984. Apropos her bids to resurrect her career her career, I seem to remember she even tried recording under the pseudonym of Gail ...

... Not my remit but BBC is committed to arts Unfortunately, John Tusa has thrown his gauntlet at the foot of the wrong person ('Tusa lays down gauntlet to Yentob', April 27, News, page 3). While I always have and always will champion the BBC's commitment to the arts, in my new role as director of drama, entertainment and children's I have no hands on responsibility for the BBC's arts output. John ...

... Read between the lines Lynne Harvey's letter (April 20, Letters, page 9) made a pertinent comment on the plethora of workshops and rehearsed readings for new writing. The key issue, it seems to me, is not that these do not promote new writing (they do) but that instead of being used as a catalyst for production, which is their true function, they are used as an alternative, thus enabling a ...