... Elizabeth's love Ex-members of the Rapier Players and the Arthur Brough Players may like to know that my wife Elizabeth Grandage is now in residential nursing care. She remains cheerful in adversity and sends good wishes to you all. Eric Tripp Norbury Crescent Norbury London Heydays letters can also be found on The Stage's Web site at: www.thestage.co.uk ...

... Grand to find out details I am researching my family history and have records of my great-grandparents having appeared as professional stage artists. It seems that they mainly worked in the Yorkshire and Lancashire areas under the names of Fred Granville (comedian, entertainer, mimic and voice illusionist) and Marie Osborne (character istic serio-comic, Lancashire and American song and dance ...

... What became of favourites? I am looking for recent news or information about the following stage and screen actresses of the thirties and forties: Anne Grey (once married to actor Lester Matthews), Eve Amber, who was also known as Eve Ashley, Australian Judy Kelly, Beatrix Feilden-Kaye (who was in several George Formby films), Merle Tottenham, Jeanette Tregarthen, Yolande Terrell, Renee Clama, ...

... Voicing an unfair opinion I found it impossible to conclude what your reviewer Harry Venning really thought of our new music entertain ment show Sing It Your Way (Television Review, June 15, page 22). One minute he's calling it spectacularly unimaginative, the next it is overwhelmingly alright. What a pity that after moaning about the prevalence of docusoaps in the schedules for the last ...

... Will you help? I am researching a book on the life and career of the music hall, radio and film comedian Will Hay. I should be delighted to hear from any one who worked with or knew Will Hay. especially Glennis Lorimer, who appeared in Ask a Policeman, or any of the schoolboys from Boys Will Be Boys, Good Morning Boys, The Ghost of St Michaels and The Goose Steps Out. I should also be grateful ...

... Tell me about black performers I am a post-graduate student researching a paper on the history of black comedians in Britain. I am aware that there were black music hall enter tainers and that variety shows often featured black performers. I would appreciate any information or anecdotes that your readers could provide. Post-graduate department Faculty of British Comparative Cultural Studies ...

... Desperately seeking Dandy nease can anyone neip me I am hoping to trace a long lost relative of mine Dandy Danial. He was known in showbusiness circles as Mr Dandy and is a member of the Bebe Daniels music hall and circus family. During the late forties Dandy was the straight man with Robert Brothers Stage Circus and in the early fifties worked as principal clown with Billy Smart's Circus with ...

... Good comedians do not need TV Once again, 01 lie Wilson has proved that he does a lot of intelligent thinking before putting pen to paper. I cannot but agree with him regarding television executives' ageist attitude towards comedy (February 17, Broadside, page 24). However, we should not be too distressed about it. Talented comedians of all ages do not have to aspire to TV fame. If they are ...

... Memories of Hilda's career I am doing some family research and should be delighted if readers can help. My late mother's cousin was Hilda Glyder. Around the time of the First World War, she was a music hall artist and sang songs such as Ma, of which I have a copy with her picture on the front. It was written by Clare Conrad, possibly especially for her. Another song she sang was Oh Johnny, and ...

... A Shaw-fire hit with youngsters John Abineri's view of the National Theatre's mobile production of George Bernard Shaw's Widowers' Houses (February 24, Letters, page 9) represents only one side of the lively discussion stimulated by Fiona Shaw's production. This kind of invigorating and challenging work is designed to introduce young audiences to plays which they might otherwise find opaque, ...

... 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 ...