IT WAS with great delight that I read Harry Smith's comments on the extremely successful Streets Ahead festival held earlier this month and it is difficult not to agree with most of his observations.

Yes, the crowds 'flocked' to the town and yes, the crowds 'loved' the entertainment. It was a huge success.

However, as one of the organisers of the festival who Harry would like to see 'publicly whipped', I have been concerned about how we could possibly improve on the event next year. Then Harry provided the answer.

Public floggings! They draw the crowds in many countries around the globe but why stop there? Public executions! A very popular day out for all the family as our history books testify.

Then I realised the flaw in your scheme. Such entertainment is only popular at times and in countries where people cannot make fun of authority, cannot highlight the ridiculous and cannot gather peacefully on the streets and enjoy some fun with their children and friends.

I'm sorry Harry, you will have to look elsewhere for your whippings, public or otherwise, for it is not considered entertainment here.

Oh, and to answer your question, is a half-naked man with grapes and wine considered entertainment? Since Roman times (and the woman in your photograph having a cup of wine would surely agree) the people say yes!

Alan Oatey

Director

The Met Arts Centre

ZHarry Smith says: Mr Oatey conveniently addresses only half my question and, equally conveniently, fails to recognise the manner in which the wine was dispensed.

The second part was whether it was 'entertainment' to see a naked man's buttocks, legs, back etc, (as per last week's picture) being covered in foodstuffs?

The Romans, incidentally, were Pagans. Mr Oatey doesn't presumably have that excuse and as to his public whipping, I was considering that as a punishment rather than as an entertainment.

I have to say that if he is accepting partial responsibility for that particular aspect of the otherwise great show, and he really does consider it entertainment, he's definitely in the wrong job and if I were his boss his feet wouldn't touch the ground on his way out!

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.