21 OCTOBER 1989, Page 29

Bathtime for Jeffrey

Sir: Last Saturday, during the matinee interval of Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell at the Theatre Royal, Bath, I overheard the following exchange between two members of the audience: First Lady: 'Who is Jeffrey Bernard? Is he a real person?'

Second Lady: 'Heaven knows, I shouldn't think so, I've never heard of him.'

But take heart, Jeff. Last Thursday afternoon at 3.15 precisely, I asked a colleague of mine, a middle-aged male social worker: 'Did you see the very funny skit abut Kenneth Branagh on The Late Show last night?' Who's Kenneth Bra- nagh?' he replied.

By the way, I did enjoy the play and urge all Spectator readers to see it. The shade of Kenneth Tynan must be rejoicing nightly at the liberal and unfettered use of that familiar Anglo-Saxon expletive.

Dawn Cunningham

5 Trinity Parade, Frome, Somerset