Dear Editor,

On Sunday, January 30, I attended the play Ova mi dead body at Stages Production. On my arrival at about 5 pm there were several empty chairs and the aisles leading to the exits in the event of an emergency were unobstructed. Within 15 minutes the empty seats were occupied and Stages Productions employees could be seen filling the aisles with chairs to accommodate additional patrons. Both emergency exits were blocked by chairs. The desperate complaints of a number of patrons that filling the aisles with chairs was a safety hazard fell on deaf ears as more people kept filing in to fill the seats in the aisles.

As I sat there in utter amazement at the potential risk to patrons, I wondered whether the relevant authorities had ever thought of planning surprise visits to places like Stages to ensure that safety rules are being adhered to. Something ought to be done to ensure the safety of people attending such events as this before lives are lost in the pursuit of the almighty dollar.

A second observation I made was the presence of at least five children under the age of 10 in the theatre. While adult content did not characterise the storyline, there was enough to warrant the prohibition of children from the theatre. This, I believe, is a matter for the Child Development Agency as it is highly inappropriate for children to be exposed to such sexually overt content.

I trust that by writing this letter the proprietors of Stages Productions and the relevant authorities will take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of patrons and the protection of our children from exposure to inappropriate adult content.

Nya Wright

Kingston