I was intrigued to see Ms Nelson's letter regarding our Poetry Brothel (Letters, April 22) and can assure her our promise of "intimate poetry" will not involve any sex (except perhaps metaphorically) and certainly is not the assault on feminism she suggests it might be.

Furthermore, I would suggest that the proximity of poetry to local schools can only be a good thing.

I invite Ms Nelson, and indeed any other intrigued or outraged readers, to attend our Poetry Brothel in May and discover whether it truly is a den of iniquity.

  • Chris Parkinson, The Young Hanoverians, Southover Street, Brighton

The literature event entitled the Poetry Brothel taking place at this year's Brighton Festival Fringe is yet another example, if one were needed, of the broad church the Fringe has now become.

The Fringe is not programmed by a small group of professionals but is open to all, unedited, censored or restricted.

Event organisers range from the naive and inexperienced putting on their first-ever show to sophisticated international promoters touring the world.

Consequently, this produces a wonderfully diverse and exciting event within which the Ladyboys of Bangkok can rub shoulders (so to speak) with Famous Brighton Back Passages and Four Poofs and a Piano sit alongside Captain Grandma and the Captured Grandchildren.

If a massage parlour doesn't float your boat, then maybe a purple cow, a sewer, a car park or a beach hut will - they all feature in this year's Fringe.

Plus there are 230 or so more conventional venues as well of course.

One thing is for sure, this year's Fringe gives the red light to boredom and the green light to fun.

  • Nick Stockman, Brighton Festival Fringe Development Manager, Pavilion Buildings, Brighton