THE OLD VIC AND NATIONAL THEATRE
SIR,—Though recognisably sincere, Lisa Hughes's letter upbraiding Bamber Gascoigne was, on the face of it, one from an enthusiast whose opinions and judgments on the theatre are described by more personal and habitual loyalties than a professional critic such as Mr. Gascoigne can allow himself. Gratuitous (and, I think, unjustified) praise for Curtmantle which seems to me to have not much bearing on the Old Vic or the National Theatre, except perversely that it is produced at the Aldwych under the wing of Peter Hall, added to this impression.
I am one average theatregoer, and I expect there arc many others, for whom Mr. Gascoigne writes, who, having seen and liked several of the productions listed by this critic, still knows exactly the pervading gloom that he describes at the Old Vic, and shares, especially after Chichester, his disappointment at the publicity value preferment of Sir Laurence Olivier to others, say even one, Peter Hall.
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