... Clear mystery up I should be extremely grateful to hear from anyone who has memories of the hooker and agent Stanlev 'Scruffy' Dale. Graham McCann PO Box 336 Cambridge CB1 2YA ...

... Compose some answers please I am researching the life of composer Amy Woodforde- Finden, who wrote towards the end of the 19th and begin ning of the 20th centuries. She wrote the music to the Kashmiri Song, also known as the Pale Hand I Loved. I should be delighted to hear from anyone who has any information about her, or Lawrence Hope, the novelist and poet who wrote the words to the above. ...

... Campaign for licensing equality to keep live music on track There is always the danger that well-intentioned legislation will make matters worse, because the people drawing up the new law don't really understand what its effects will be at grass-roots level. The proposed reform of the licensing laws does carry a potential threat to the working lives of musicians and other performers, and you ...

... Syd Marx tape discovered I was sad to read in the obituaries page of the death of Syd Marx, that superb comedian. My father, Eddie Featherstone, ran the Portsea Island Co-operative Employees Club for many years. He passed away himself on March 3 and, going through his effects, we have found an audio cassette of one of their old time musical nights and there, bold as brass, is Syd. If any ...

... West Cliff should stay, not Princes This letter refers to the proposed closure of either the Princes or West Cliff Theatres in Clacton. I have been a patron of both theatres all my 24 years and I feel that if either of them has to close it should be the Princes. The West Cliff theatre is a purpose built venue with a large network of supporters and it has the right atmos phere along with better ...

... Scottish casting directory was agreed by council As chair of the Scottish National Committee, I was astonished to read your article on the Scotland Casting Directory (News, December 7, Front page) as the decision to create this particular directory came via a democratic process with the full endorsement of Equity's council. Therefore I deplore any comments which undermine the launch of this ...

... Right conditions to make motions Thank you for giving front page prominence to the Theatres Trust annual report (News, December 14, Front page), for which it is to be congratulated. As well as highlighting the unsuitability of many theatres to today's needs, it also points out the appalling conditions backstage that many performers have to tolerate, which, it says, no other profession would ...

... Drawing up an encyclopedic profile Britain has such wonderful stage actors, so I highly enjoyed your series of pro files, especially Michael Gambon (Profile, November 16, page 1 1 whose work gave me great pleasure in the past. I now await eagerly your articles on other greats such as Alan Howard, Ian McKellen, Nigel Hawthorne and David Suchet. Please continue this highly interesting series. It ...

... Overlook Net gains at your peril While agreeing that actors need to exercise caution over on-line casting services (News Feature. July 27. page 6), this should not result in their general dismissal. The Internet offers a modern alternative to the way our industry currently works and is here to stay. Are directories that offer a single photograph and a few biographical details, or 10x8 and ...

... Creativity is key to recruitment ITC is right to point out problems with recruitment and retention of staff in the arts. The situation is exacerbated by the wealth of academic opportunities in arts marketing, media and administration studies producing hundreds of graduates ill-prepared for jobs in a sector where the average wage is equivalent to a trainee manager's at McDonald's. The arts have ...

... Variety makes the grade again Having just seen the last in the present series of Jim Davidson Presents, and watched most of the Bruce Forsyth's Tonight at the London Palladium, I wonder if we are seeing the rebirth of real variety on TV? We variety artists have been told by TV companies that variety is dead and that the public don't want it. I called in at the local pub recently, and what ...

... 'Time warp' is so frustrating Is British regional theatre stuck in some sort of thirties timewarp? I am part of a team that has written Jack, a romantic musical set in the period of Jack the Ripper. There is a good twist to the plot, some brilliant songs (this is what people outside the show say) and even the sets are simple. We can even offer a director. However, the two or three theatre ...