Liverpool sophist
Sir: Your critic writes (February 5) of Alpha Beta at the Royal Court that Ted Whitehead's portrayal of the Liverpool "common man" is based on "Sloane Square illusion" and that "his train of thought has been shunted up the same so phisticated siding " as Noel Coward. I would simply like to point out that Ted Whitehead wrote this play while he was still working in Liverpool, where he had lived from birth — and before he had ever made contact with any theatre or "his new Chelsea-set admirers." In fact he had neither had a play produced when he wrote it nor any guarantee that he ever would.
These are simple facts. I would not attempt to discuss Mr Hurren's notions about the authenticity or honesty of the writing.
Anthony Page Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1
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