The actor David Roper's tales of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School (The Argus Weekend, May 3) brought back some happy memories.

Like him, I studied at the school, although seven years earlier (1962-64), including the year Nat Bremmer took over as principal.

He immediately re-auditioned us all, in pairs, using the Macbeth scene mentioned by David, the one in which the death of Lady Macbeth is announced.

Doubling with a Canadian, Brian Petchey, as Macbeth and the servant who announces the death, I was deeply embarrassed when, in three attempts, I could not say "The queen, my lord, is dead" without becoming helpless with laughter.

At Nat's tight-lipped suggestion, we swapped roles. But it was no good.

As soon as Brian raised his head to tell the bad news, we were unable to control our mirth.

"I think we'll break for lunch," said Nat and his tone suggested I would not enter the second year.

Luckily, a later tour de force as Ben Jonson's Volpone changed that and still later he recommended me for a job at the Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Drama.

-Frederick Robinson, De La Warr Parade, Bexhill