3 JUNE 1960, Page 13

'THE TROJANS'

SIR.--Mr. Pages's letter prompts two questions. First, was he at the first night of The Trojans, the only night of Mr. Sisson's cabal? Had he been, he might have felt that the booing, although in fact directed at the production (for want of a better word) of the Royal Hunt and Storm, could as well have applied to its performance which, though finely conceived, seemed on this one occasion to fall to pieces technically in the middle; so much so that one well-known critic thought that the booing was, or should have been, aimed at the musicians.

Second, does he suggest that we should never react spontaneously for fear of hurting someone's feelings? This would presumably mean that applause should either be forbidden or be regulated for dura- tion and volume, irrespective of the quality of the performance, lest some clique should have the ill manners to show its preference for this artist or that.

On this occasion I was naïve enough to hope that the Management might take the hint and refrain (inter alia) from exposing the offending horses in the remaining performances. I should, of course, have known that a letter appearing in a peribdical some days, weeks or months later would stand an equal chance of success.--Yours faithfully,