‘Rules for Girls’

I was so pleased when I went to see “Rules for Girls.” I was moved by this wonderful work and was so happy to see a musical that was about women. It is such a rare treat to see a play produced, directed and written by women!

You can imagine my surprise when I read Jan Breslauer’s review (“Good Intentions Go Wrong in Retro ‘Rules for Girls,’ ” Aug. 20). Harsh and unnecessary comments and cruelty are not required to be a reviewer.

In her review, she talks about one of the characters (India) who is being kept by her yuppie boyfriend who tells her that “she’ll never get anywhere.” She follows that statement up with a comment about the Spur Posse. I believe this comment was uncalled for.

In the play, India is actually told that she will never get as far in the business as the men in the company will. I don’t know what world Breslauer lives in, but, to the best of my knowledge, it seems that women still aren’t paid equal money for equal time and that no matter how much harder they work than the men, it is still harder for them (us) to move ahead.

This was a poignant musical that dealt with issues that left most women thinking seriously about what they had just seen (never mind the countless people in the audience who were weeping!). Obviously, they did not find this play to be “offensively retro.”

SARAH BURTON

Los Angeles

Why would the editor or whoever it is that decides these things, run a big picture below a negative headline referring to a play Jan Breslauer obviously hated?

Why not instead print a picture of one of the four other plays that Breslauer reviewed, along with a more positive headline, thereby encouraging people to go to the theater?

SUSIE BALABAN

Los Angeles