A slightly modified excerpt from e-mail to Donna of Sirens:
London seems to have an inferiority complex of sorts, which I find at odds with the city’s ultra-conservative reputation—nothing local is good enough, and we have to beg to get anyone to come here. I’m reminded of Chester, the yippy little terrier from a couple of Warner Brothers cartoons who tries to be best buddies with bulldog Spike: the powers that be keep saying look at us, approve of us
until it comes across as desperation. The exception is things that have toughed it out long enough to become familiar—the Grand Theatre and the Home County festival seem to be doing well in spite of the environment.