I share Mrs Frost's support for York's amateur companies - we have some of the best in the country and we're very proud to host visits from three of them here at the Theatre Royal.

However, I am sorry that Mrs Frost finds our professional programme so unappealing and to know that she assumes everyone will share her view.

She says she doesn't want to see a production about teenagers and drugs and I quite respect that view.

However, the production Junk is only one in our season and I'm sure that it will prove very popular with the age-group for whom it is intended.

The rest of our spring season includes Alan Bennett's Getting On, John Godber's Perfect Pitch and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet - plenty for our more mature audiences to choose from. A city's theatre has to programme for all its residents. We aim to programme as diversely as possible and, to that end, have actually increased the amount of work on offer in recent years. This year, we are presenting three productions more than last year, which has enabled us to offer an even greater choice.

Of course, the proof of the pudding is in the eating; our audiences for the period June to November have increased by more than 15 per cent over the last two years.

I do hope that Mrs Frost will continue to enjoy her visits to the amateur companies at the Theatre Royal and, perhaps, give something in our professional programme a try.

Elizabeth Jones,

Executive Director,

York Theatre Royal,

St Leonard's Place,

York.

business.thisisyork.co.uk/theatreroyal

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