A KIND friend gave me a copy of Chris Hunt's history of the Tamaritans Theatre Company which I found very interesting. It brought back many happy memories of productions enjoyed at the Little Theatre during the 1960s and '70s when the Tamaritans were one of a group of thriving amateur companies who kept theatregoing alive in the city.

Chris Hunt is wrong on one point, though. When the present Theatre Royal opened in 1982 it held just less than 1,300 seats, not 1,500. I know this as my late husband Charles May had been heavily involved as a co-opted member of the city council committee dealing with the project. He was also Secretary of the Plymouth Civic Theatre Action Committee, a group comprising the majority of the amateur music and drama societies in the city, and whose campaign slogan was 'A 1,500-seat theatre for all'. Although they did not succeed in their original aim it was felt, at just under 1,300 seats, a sensible compromise and the deciding debate, which took place in the Council Chamber in January 1979, although highly charged was of an excellent standard. I believe that when the theatre finally opened in 1982 it held 1,296 seats.

It has been interesting to re-read some of the negative comments relating to the decision to build, as time has proved the theatre's value to Plymouth and the whole region, both economically and socially. Much of the credit for this goes to the excellent chief executive Adrian Vinken who, by judicious planning, has ensured it truly is a 'theatre for all'. Were my husband still alive, his only sadness would be that economics have priced the two major amateur companies, the Plymouth Theatre Company' (previously the Plymouth Amateurs) and the Gilbert and Sullivan Fellowship out of its use. It would be lovely once again to see those two fine companies taking to its stage, perhaps even in a joint production?

FRANCES MAY

Mannamead