LETTER : Permanent record of stage plays

From Ms Sue Rolfe

Sir: David Lister argued (Section Two; "As not seen on TV", 6 December) that more theatre productions should be televised. Simon Curtis, executive producer of BBC's Performance series replied (Section Two, 13 December), pointing out that "superb theatre does not always make good television" and that in very many cases theatre producers refuse permission.

The Theatre Museum does offer an alternative solution: The National Video Archive of Stage Performance. The purpose of this scheme, created by Margaret Benton in 1992, with union agreement, is to provide a permanent audio- visual record of live stage performance in Britain as a national research and educational resource for performing arts professionals, students and public.

Forty productions have now been recorded - most recently Taking Sides, Mojo, The Second Mrs Kong and King Arthur. These are archival recordings of stage performances and are not therefore intended for broadcast. However they are of a very high quality and are proving invaluable for all those wishing to view past productions.

Yours sincerely,

Sue Rolfe

Head of Press and

Publicity

Theatre Museum

London, WC2

20 December