Shimla shames small-minded

Due to its elevation and magnificent surroundings, Shimla became the great favourite of the British in India. In fact, the capital has some British colonial architecture which was inspired by the Renaissance in England, in the examples of the Vice-regal Lodge, Christ Church and the neo-gothic Gaiety Theatre..

The theatre was looked upon as a serious source of entertainment and therefore became a cultural necessity for the English, hence Shimla became the home of amateur theatre.

The Gaiety produced – and still does – the best plays, all of which could be seen as performed on the stage in London. The quality of the performances is amazing – Shakespeare, Gilbert and Sullivan and Arthur Miller, to name but a few whose productions are put on at this remarkable theatre.

The Gaiety is having a facelift at the moment and its restoration is being carried out by the state government of India, to revive its old glory. The Indian government wishes to take care of its ancient monuments.

Why is it that, in a third world country, there is such appreciation for a theatre and what it represents to the public? Here in Littlehampton, we have the small-mindedness of Arun District Council, which wants to remove our theatre, pull it down and build a hotel with year another restaurant, when there are at least 12 already within 800 yards.

Early this month I rang the Ritz Theatre box office in Worthing for tickets for Tuesday, October 23, only to be told all the seats for a live relay of Swan Lake from Covent Garden were sold. As has been pointed out on numerous occasions, if £50,000 had been invested in a digital system at The Windmill, the people of Littlehampton would have this facility and The Windmill would more than adequately pay for itself.

There can be no logical explanation as to why this has not been done, given that the catering department and the bar have been licensed off and we are left with just the basic theatre.

Norma Matthews

South Terrace,

Littlehampton