OSAmag88

T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 8 8
2016. His bright spirit and his witty and
generous personality was to the fore
making him such good company. I have
been awed by the achievements of his
career and the deep intellect that was “just
Stephen being himself ” ( John Rowlands)
“I had not realised what a prolific
playwright he was. An extraordinary talent
as well as really nice guy. Also, very humble
about his achievements. An enormous loss.
He will be sorely missed”. (Phil Geering)
“How proud Stephen must have been to
know of his sons' successes achieved whilst
coping with their father's illness. I will
always remember Stephen for his
enthusiasm for our reunions. Future
meetings will not quite be the same! No
mention of our School in the Telegraph
obit but very warm words from Stephen's
contemporaries and those he inspired
coming on behind. What a wonderful
legacy from a man taken far too soon”.
(Steve Young)
“I didn’t know Stephen’s family but please
pass on my condolences. Former theatre
colleagues of mine worked with Stephen
and from the Guardian obituary, I wish I’d
known him as a playwright as well as a
schoolboy thespian. The evening we had
together at the Alchemist was really
enjoyable.” ( John Samson)
“A sad day indeed. The loss of a wonderful
man and a great friend. When I saw him
last week, he was awake and alert. We
shared some friendship, warmth and a
little mirth. However, he made it clear,
with what little communication he could
muster, that he had had enough. As I left,
we kissed hands and bade farewell”. (Alan
Palmer)
“Dear Stephen will be greatly missed by
many people but mostly, of course, by his
immediate family all of whom I have met
when my wife and I participated in
Stephen’s annual Christmas carol Charity
singing in Muswell Hill. I was pleased to
have visited him in the hospice and at one
stage it did sound as if his condition was
improving with a view to returning home.
Sadly that did not prove to be the case. My
thoughts are with his family and also with
Michael as I know their close friendship
goes back to primary school”. (Robert
Hughes)
“A very sad day indeed, but the memories
will remain. I remember Stephen living at
a house in Weston Park and so probably
being the nearest to the school in our year.
We also were on holiday at the same place
(Swanage in Dorset) in 1965 and I met his
Dominic Cooper and Alice Bailey Johnson in The Libertine by Stephen Jeffreys at
the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2016
parents and sister on the beach on a
number of days. Fond memories of a lovely
person - sincere condolence to his family.”
(Hugh Matthews)
“He is part of our legend and has already
created a huge legacy of which we are all
proud.” (David Ingham)
“It was Stephen who organised frequent
trips for members of our year to the Old
Vic during the early years of the National
Theatre. His love of words resonated with
those of his mother and sister, which
always made a visit to his home on Weston
Park a special moment. He enjoyed
humour, exemplified by one short piece in
the school magazine in which he railed
against the use of illicit fibreglass winks in
the fictitious school tiddlywinks society.
Stephen, you achieved so much in your life.
You have our admiration and leave me
with a smile and my thanks for being you”.
(Tony Mash)
On leaving school he took a gap year
courtesy of some indifferent French
teaching and worked in a Muswell Hill
shop delivering paint. From there he went
to Southampton University to read
English. What followed was an outstanding
literary career. On the basis that imitation
is the best form of flattery I have quoted
widely from the marvellous obituaries
printed in the Guardian and Daily
Telegraph.
After leaving University he took a company
to the Minack Theatre in Cornwall
directing Arthur Kopit’s Indians in which
he cast the Native Americans as women.
In 1977 he wrote Like Dolls or Angels
taking it to the National Student Drama
Festival where it won the Sunday Times
Playwriting Award. Later he would serve
for many years on the board of the NSDF.
Devoting himself to playwriting he had his
first notable success with Valued Friends
(1989) whose cast at Hampstead Theatre
included Martin Clunes (Doc Martin),
Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who) and Jane
Horrocks (Little Voice) which won him
the Evening Standard and Critics Circle
Awards for the most promising playwright.
He received the award ironically from
Princess Diana remarking later that it had
taken 17 years to become an overnight
sensation.
In 1990 he wrote The Clink for Paine’s
Plough for whom he was Arts Council
writer in residence (1987-89) and then a
Going Concern based on his experience in
the family billiard table business.
1994 saw his hit The Libertine at the
Royal Court Theatre where his 11 year
stint as Literary Associate brought him
into contact with a new generation of
emerging writers. In 1996 the American
premiere of the play directed by Terry
Johnson in Chicago led him to a continuing
association with John Malkovich which
lasted until he died, John visiting him in
the hospice in June this year. The play
became a film in 2004 starring Johnny
Depp. Stephen recalled the time in 1996
when John sidled up to him and said “do
you want to make a movie out of this?” In
Stephen’s words it was a question that did
not require an answer.
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