Critics get flak from the readers

Surely Daryl H. Miller [“Knight Has His Day in Bowl’s ‘Camelot,’ ” Aug. 16] is aware that “Camelot,” like other Lerner and Loewe musicals, traditionally has been cast with a “non-singing” male lead actor. Thus he should know that the standing ovation Jeremy Irons received after his performance Sunday night at the Hollywood Bowl was not just for his brilliant acting (which Miller backhandedly acknowledges) but also for his effective singing, which was equal to or superior to that of actors like Richard Burton and Rex Harrison who have tackled the stage role.

MICHELLE SYPERT

Berkeley

I just saw “The Great Raid.” No wonder Carina Chocano loathed this movie [“Blood, Sweat and Fear in the Pacific,” Aug. 12]! It embodies everything that’s wrong (in her mind) with America: the archaic concept that there’s a difference between good and evil, the vicious myth that violence ever solves anything, and the enduring (and no doubt perplexing to Chocano) belief that America is a noble and exceptional country. I loved it.

STEPHEN QUINN

Huntington Beach

*

Lewis Segal must have had either a bad case of indigestion or, more serious, a deadened sensibility after many years of reviewing so that he could no longer feel an appreciative response to the exhilarating and dynamic performance of the Bolshoi Ballet’s dedicated artists [“Miscast Heroics,” Aug. 15].

Fortunately, the rest of the audience responded with tremendous enthusiasm to the point of loud applause and bravos after each scene within the three acts and a long, standing ovation at the end for the brilliance of the four featured dancers, the whole Bolshoi Orchestra and the large, much-more-than-capable cast.

ALLEN BELKIND

Oceanside

*

Randy Lewis notes irony in country music but fails to see the irony in Toby Keith’s songs he calls “petty and egocentric” [“Less Fire Adds Power for Toby Keith,” Aug. 15]. In his lyrics, Keith confronts humiliation through bravado and humor. “How Do You Like Me Now” evokes the humiliation of high school rejection, and “I Wanna Talk About Me” evokes the humiliation of being ignored.

Toby Keith’s message is that humiliation is inevitable. We can either cry, fight back or sing along with Toby and laugh it off.

PAT EMERY

Los Angeles