Please let’s stop all the discussion about interpretation of Shakespeare’s plays (Editorial, 31 October). Having been on the selection committee that appointed Mark Rylance, and been Hon Pres of the Globe Friends for over 20 years, and a member of the artistic directorate along with many others, we raised all the millions needed to build this unique theatre on the understanding that the thousands of donors were giving their money to create a performing environment as near as possible to that of Shakespeare’s plays written before the theatre burned down in 1613. Do we return that money?
Jane Lapotaire
London
• Re I, Daniel Blake: Dr Stephen Smith (Letters, 1 November) might be interested to know that a doctor’s sick note is not necessarily the cure-all to benefit problems. I was deprived of benefit for nearly a year despite evidence from my GP, and the psychiatrist who recommended my retirement on ill-health grounds. I also worked with a young volunteer who failed to attend a Jobcentre appointment as he was in hospital with an acute asthma attack. The Jobcentre ignored a letter from his consultant and stopped his jobseeker’s allowance anyway. I had to refer him to the Food Bank.
Name and address supplied
• I see Mr Mike Leigh has called for me to be immortalised in the Abbey (Letters, 1 November). This is perhaps a touch overparted for a humble writer of letters to the Guardian.
W Stephen Gilbert
Corsham, Wiltshire
• As cake now appears to be a root cause of division and uncertainty in British life (Goodbye Bake Off; Northern Ireland), I am reminded of Brass Eye warning us of the dangers this terribly addictive and destructive substance. Mary and Paul, what have you done?
Ian Grieve
Steyning, West Sussex
• Another contender for oldest hotel (Letters, 31 October) is the Red Lion in Salisbury. Originally built to accommodate the draughtsmen working on the new cathedral, construction was completed in the late 13th century, and it claims to be the oldest purpose-built hotel in Europe.
Ian Page
Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex
• Join the debate – email guardian.letters@theguardian.com
