Much has been written in London's theatrical press recently about the threatened demise of Dress Circle, a shop that is a second home for connoisseurs of musical theatre. Some artists have come forward with offers to do benefits to support the shop. Others have countered that it's a business, not a charity and should rise or fall on its own. While the latter is technically true, Dress Circle is not just a shop -- it is a vital part of London's theatrical infrastructure, and its loss would deal a body blow to the hopes of developing the musicals of the future. When you shop on line, you don't get your questions answered by knowledgeable staff. Nor are you likely to hear new work you've never heard before or to find the thing you didn't know you were looking for. By whatever means, Dress Circle must be supported by those who have profited from it. I mean not just the customers and the artistes whose work they promote, but by producers and agents as well. A way must be found.
