ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS: Any successful solo composer musicals?

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS: Any successful solo composer musicals?

QUESTION: Are there any successful musicals with music and lyrics by a solo composer?

Few people have succeeded as both composer and lyricist. A very successful example from recent history is Lin-Manuel Miranda, who wrote the songs, lyrics and story for the global hit musical Hamilton, about the life of U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton.

Noel Coward was the premier musical figure of the first half of the 20th century. He was a successful composer and lyricist, known as The Master.

Coward wrote the words and music for eight musicals between 1928 and 1963. His first, Bitter Sweet, gave us the classic songs I’ll See You Again and If Love Were All.

Debbie Watson, Marlborough, Wilts

QUESTION:How much water does the average fully grown tree ‘consume’ each day?

Water is taken up by tree roots from the soil and evaporated through the pores on the surface of leaves. This is termed transpiration, and the understanding of transpiration rates is key when selecting species for forestry projects.

However, water consumption of tree species under natural forest conditions is extremely variable depending on a host of factors including prevailing climate, soil type, botanical composition, and stand structure, to name but a few.

Thus transpiration rates vary dramatically between species. The daily transpiration rates of mature oak trees range between 189 litres/day to 378 l/day. Fruit trees are particularly thirsty; even a young apple tree has midsummer transpiration rates of 60-70 l/day.

J. B. Edwards, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

QUESTIONWhat is the origin of the term ‘fleapit’ when speaking about a local cinema?

Further to earlier answers, my old dad used to tell us about the Empire in Blaenau Ffestiniog which he called the ‘laugh and scratch’. A local newspaper unintentionally advertised it as the ‘cosi’ cinema, rather than cosy cinema – cosi is the Welsh word for ‘itching’. According to folklore, one chap was carried by mites to the front.

Edna Davies, Nefyn, Gwynedd