Your correspondent’s proposal (Letters, 17 March) that “every town should have its resident theatre company” might have been published in the Manchester Guardian circa 1850. Founded in that city by Annie Horniman, repertory theatre flourished throughout Britain in the late 19th and 20th centuries. But we have witnessed its demise over the last 60 years. The return of resident theatre companies in every town sadly seems as likely as a library or a park in many places under prevailing cultural concerns.
Jean Marsh
Darlington
• The discussion about the costs of football and opera (Letters, 19 March) reminds me of the chap who complained about the price of his cup final ticket: “For that amount of money I could visit a house of ill-repute.” “That may be so,” replied the ticket seller, “but you wouldn’t get 45 minutes each way plus a brass band and a pie at half time.”
Sean King
Pudsey, West Yorkshire
• When did Steven Morris last travel on the A303 past Stonehenge (Report, 18 March)? The traffic rarely “thunders” past these days, giving us all a great view of this wonderful ancient site.
Giles Harrison
Sevenoaks, Kent
• Let’s also have an EU section (Letters, 18 March) in the printed version.
Barbara Rogers
Cambridge
• When our local comprehensive was transformed into an academy it became “A learning school” (Letters, passim).
Alan Smith
London
• Regarding the vote for a national bird, it surely has to be chicken tikka masala or tandoori chicken (Letters, 19 March).
Kapil Juj
Wembley, Middlesex
• A consultant referred to my wife as “this feisty lady” (Letters, 19 March). In other words, “She could be trouble!”
John Branfield
Truro, Cornwall
