Tosca too far away

It is wonderful to see superb singing, acting, playing and beautiful costumes in a historical setting, but the Barons' Hall at Arundel Cathedral is much too long and narrow to have traditional seating in rows the length of the hall, with all the action on an inadequate stage at the far end.

Far from being in an "intimate setting", the majority of the audience must have felt distanced and frustrated about their imposed lack of involvement in the performance of Tosca for the Arundel Festival, and at close on 50 per ticket, must have also felt short-changed.

In addition, while the previous (enchanted) evening had seen and heard a large orchestra with full string section, Tosca had to manage with a lone (though superb) cello, horn, single woodwind and piano accompaniment – one feels that Puccini would not have been very happy!

Last year, the problem seemed to have been solved, with Mozart's Don Giovanni set on one of the long sides, and the audience curved round them, fewer than 10 deep. Why, oh why, was this not the case with Tosca?

Marilyn Dennis

Old Mead Road

Littlehampton

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