The desert set
Sir: I really must take issue with one small point in Hilary Spurling's otherwise excellent article (26 May), namely the statement that the new play- wrights whose work has been performed by the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Corn- . pany and the Royal Court 'may be mediocre.'
This may in general be true of the last two named companies, but to my knowledge the only new playwright introduced so far by the National Theatre is Tom Stoppard, whose play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, far from being mediocre, has been hailed almost unanimously by the critics as one of the most exciting and impor- tant dramatic debuts of the past decade. The re- markable fact is that the public have responded so enthusiastically that every single performance this season is sold out, whereas there are still tickets available for the two remaining matindes of The Dance of Death, starring Sir Laurence Olivier!
Antony Wilson
65 Hillway, London, N6
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