Letter: Companies' love of Shakespeare

From Mr Adrian Noble

Sir: Paul Taylor's remarks on the Barbican's Everybody's Shakespeare festival ("Making a drama out of a crisis", 23 February) imply that foreign companies were chosen according to their ability to pay their own way. This is an insult to the many fine artists involved, as well as to the Corporation of London, which, together with London businesses, raised over half a million pounds.

The RSC had links with each company that performed in the Barbican Theatre and The Pit, not just through our common interest in Shakespeare but also through workshops and exchanges that took place over the years before the festival.

Yours sincerely,

ADRIAN NOBLE

Artistic Director

Royal Shakespeare Company

Barbican Centre

London, EC2

28 February