Will Waspe
Shrinking into a small corner after last week's extended splurge, Waspe has space to add but a small footnote to hi S survey of the critics, and begs to inquire politely about the privileges and connections of a couple of 'critics' who are frequently seen around in free seats at the Royal Opera House but who do not seem actually to write anywhere.
One is Bryan Magee — MP for somewhere unspeakable in East London and strongly tipped to take over from Hugh Jenkins as the next Minister for the Arts. (Many were surprised to see Magee at the dress rehearsals of the Covent Garden Ring, during the last week of the October election campaign. "First things first," he said lightly, a sentiment I trust was not reported back to his constituency party.) Even more mysterious is one Evan Senior, whose sole critical function seems to be asking very long and tedious questions at every Covent Garden press conference. It is a habit that frays everyone's nerves, especially those of Philip Hope-Wallace, who groans audibly at the fellow's every piping utterance, the estimable PH-W being keenly aware from long experience, that the sole object of these occasions is to fall upon the Opera House's excellent hock with the minimum of delay.
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