HAVE you ever been driven insane by the constant crackling of sweet papers at the theatre?

Despite the hard work and enthusiasm of the cast of Guys And Dolls the night we went we were regularly distracted by the row of young girls in front, noisily fishing out sweets from the wrappers to chew throughout the performance.

This irritation seems to happen every time I go to the theatre, not just the odd occasion.

I know the staff at the York Theatre Royal are sympathetic to this behaviour, so please, dear silent majority, don't go home grumbling about sweets being sold for consumption in an auditorium.

Instead, write or e-mail your thoughts to the Manager of the theatre and, perhaps, if enough people complain we may get a total ban on eating inside the auditorium.

This is not so controversial, because mobile phones, drinking and smoking are all prohibited in the auditorium, so why not eating? Make your voice heard!

Mrs E Bacon,

Kingsmoor Road,

Stockton-on-the Forest,

York.

Updated: 10:45 Tuesday, May 10, 2005