I bumped into Angela Binnie yesterday. With admirable frankness, she said the following:

"You see, the thing is I really love Shakespeare. I know his texts really well. And I don't like them being messed about with. I've been to see a lot of his plays over the years. And I know that these modern adaptations can work really well. You know, taking the script and updating it to a different time period. I've seen that done a lot. But I just thought, hearing what you were doing with the Tempest, that I wouldn't like it. So to be quite honest with you, that's why I didn't come."

I think this supercedes as my favourite excuse, Edward's "I started reading the script and I hated it so if you don't mind, I'm not going to come. It's nothing personal.

I shall aspire to such honesty.