Letter: Funding the theatre

Sir: We write in praise of Polly Toynbee's article about misdirected Lottery funding of theatres. We are the current company in residence at Greenwich Theatre. Our audiences are large, appreciative and loyal to this venue. Greenwich is a theatre which gains a wide and varied audience with its policy of affordable seat prices.

So we feel bewildered, hurt, and deeply shocked by the news that this wonderful theatre is threatened with closure. We know that the previous Tory governments have left a trail of callous thoughtlessness about our heritage of theatre, made manifest in so many dead companies and empty buildings already. But while we understand the mess Labour has to wade through, we urge the new government to have foresight and wisdom, to stop the rot now.

DESMOND BARRIT; OLIVER HADEN; ROBERT HANDS; OLIVER JACKSON; RACHEL KAVANAUGH; GRAHAM KENT; FRANK LAZARUS; DARREN ROBERTS; ELEANOR TREMAIN; LESLIE UDWIN; TONY WHITTLE

Greenwich Theatre

London SE10