On the Positive Side . . .

As the playwright of “The Cat’s Meow,” I’m sorry that David Miller did not like our production (Saturday Letters, Nov. 29). Still, he’s entitled to his opinion.

As for Philip Brandes’ Los Angeles Times review, I’m pleased to inform you, and other L.A. Times theater devotees, that he was not alone in his enthusiasm; in fact, 10 of the 14 critics who reviewed our play gave it a hearty recommendation. As a result, our six-week sold-out run at the Coast Playhouse has now extended for at least three more weeks at the Matrix Theatre.

STEVEN PEROS

Los Angeles

It is true that substandard theatrical criticism in Los Angeles further cripples an art form in desperate need of critical care. Theatrical criticism in Los Angeles is certainly unique in that the script is almost never given its due. Actors, directors and designers are of course essential, but they are elements of the entire production and not the sole reason for the play’s existence. My work has been performed in several regional theaters, and even in the most isolated farming communities, the play itself is always the primary focus.

But the L.A. theater critic focuses on the actors’ physical attributes or personality traits, not their interpretations of their characters, and on the physical aspects of the staging, set and costumes. With all the attention paid by critics to the visual, rather than the verbal, L.A. theater has gone the way of film: all style and no substance.

GENE FRANKLIN SMITH

Los Angeles