by I was delighted to see one of the hats I made for Dame Maggie Smith in Nicholas Hytner’s 1993 production of The Importance of Being Earnest pictured above in Michael Coveney’s obituary (27 September). The fittings for this show took place at a location on Old Church Street in Chelsea, which she was initially a bit hesitant about until costume designer Jane Law told her the name of the last person who had done it there: Lauren Bacall. This precedent seemed to satisfy Dame Maggie, who gave a wonderful performance.
Mark Wheeler
London
• I think the BBC may have overreacted by canceling this interview because Boris Johnson received Laura Kuenssberg’s briefing notes (Report, October 3). After all, he won’t have read them, will he?
Stephen Chicken
Duns, Scottish Borders
• This is why the Vatican Bank fired a couple for violating the ban on marriage between employees (Report, October 2). Would the Pope have preferred them to live in sin?
Pete Lavender
Woodthorpe, Nottinghamshire
• It gives me great pleasure to read the Birthdays column and see the short description “Former Conservative MP” alongside a growing number of names.
Rod price
Mollington, Oxfordshire
• Do you have an opinion on anything you read in the Guardian today? Please e-mail Send us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our Letters Section.
