Alec Guinness and Cleo Sylvestre in Wise Child, 1967 We mourn the loss of Cleo Sylvestre, who has died aged 79. In 1967, aged only 19, Sylvestre appeared alongside Sir Alec Guinness in Wise Child, Simon Gray's first play, at the Wyndham's Theatre. Amongst her many wonderful performances on the stage and for [...]
We lament the loss of Hugh Whitemore, celebrated writer and dear friend, who died on 17th July. He co-adapted Simon Gray's The Last Cigarette for the stage, working with Simon after he was diagnosed with cancer. The Last Cigarette was performed at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester and the Trafalgar Studios in 2009.
Hampstead Theatre will stage Simon Gray’s Cell Mates as part of its Autumn season 2017. Directed by Artistic Director Edward Hall, this absorbing drama explores how personal freedom is an illusion and even friendship must have carefully circumscribed limits in a world where deception is a reflex response. Cast: George Blake – Geoffrey Streatfeild Philip/Viktor – Danny Lee Wynter [...]
We mourn the loss and remember the career of Hywel Bennett, who died on July 25th 2017. Among his many fine performances he appeared in Simon Gray's 1967 BBC Television play Death of a Teddy Bear. He also starred in the original production of Gray's Otherwise Engaged at the Queen's Theatre, taking on the role [...]
It is with deep sadness that we remember the actor Tim Pigott Smith who died on 7th April 2017. Amongst his many great roles, he gave a subtle, painful and haunting performance as Geoffrey Robinson, the bewildered adult son of Dickens’s mistress Nelly Ternan in SG's play Little Nell (2007, dir Peter Hall). Unforgettable.
We lament the loss and celebrate the work of Christopher Morahan who died on the 7th April 2017. He directed SG’s works for both stage and screen—including Melon (1987) starring Alan Bates; the 1992 film of the play The Common Pursuit; the TV films Unnatural Pursuits (1993)-- the film from The Early Diaries, Old Flames (1990) and the Prix [...]
A selection from Simon Gray's diaries Being Filmed I'm currently -?? even as I write this -?? being filmed. There's a camera on me, being held and pointed by a tall, pleasant, smiling young man called Patrick. Crouched beside him Margy, the director, holds a metal box with a screen in it which shows her [...]
Stephen Hollis spoke to Anthony Wilks about his career and experience working with Simon Gray in December 2012 AW: How did you first got interested in the theatre - how did it all start for you? SH: I never went to the theatre as a kid. My parents never went to the theatre, really, apart [...]
The Perils of the Playwright by Simon Callow A review of An Unnatural Pursuit and Other Pieces, first printed in The Sunday Times on 1st September 1985. The review is reprinted in Simon Callow’s book My Life in Pieces, published by Nick Hern Books on 3rd June 2010. For more information visit the Nick Hern [...]
On directing The Late Middle Classes by David Leveaux First published in the Independent on 24May 2010 In a moment of inexplicable buoyancy, I once told Harold Pinter, who was about to rehearse the role of Hirst in our production of his play No Man's Land, that I thought it essential that we didn't fall [...]