OSAmag88

T h e O l d S t a t i o n e r - N o 8 8
Whilst playing the lead role in the stage
version in 1996 John was too old for the
film version but he played a supporting
part and his company produced it. Stephen
also wrote Lost Land (2005) about
Hungary at the end of the First World
War with Malkovich in the lead.
By then he had written I Just Stopped by
to See the Man, a tribute to the blues
singers of the Mississippi delta directed by
Richard Wilson (Victor Meldrew).
He delivered the Art of War in Sydney
(2007) and in 2009 contributed Bugles at
the Gates of Jalalabad one of the plays at
the Tricycle Theatre about Afghanistan
which became compulsory viewing for the
British and American military strategists
involved there.
As well as new work he maintained a
steady stream of adaptions. A Jovial Crew
for Royal Shakespeare Company 1992,
The Convicts Opera based on the Beggars
Opera (2000) and Hard Times by Charles
Dickens.
His stage adaptation of Backbeat the film
about the early career of the Beatles ran for
several months in the West End to critical
acclaim. Demonstrating the value of a
Stationers' education he translated the
Libretto of The Magic Flute without
having learned a word of the German
language it was in. It has been performed
in Simon McBurney’s production across
Europe.
He was often asked to re-write screen
plays. His other film Diana was a hit in
most countries other than Britain where it
was, unsurprisingly, not a critical success.
Throughout his career he retained his
North London roots having been brought
up in a household where the going currency
was words and a series of eccentric
characters passed through. His monologue
Finsbury Park commissioned by Paine’s
Plough for their 2016 series “Where I’m
From” just summed it all up.
Stephen’s selflessness was demonstrated in
his support for other playwrights who he
saw as companions not competitors. He
was hugely interested in the practicalities
of the theatre and the art of playwriting
and his book on the subject is likely to be
issued posthumously. His plays were
described by one young writer as “simple
but sophisticated; warm but incisive;
unassuming but clever-never showy or
attention-seeking-just like the man”. His
long period on the Board of the Royal
Court Theatre enabled him to give support
and guidance to many.
He also went abroad on behalf of the
British Council coaching playwrights in
countries such as Cuba and Uganda where
the writers feared that any original work
might attract the wrath of the regime. As
he once said to me, his trip to Cuba was
hardly “our man in Havana” more like our
man in a deserted holiday camp since the
accommodation he was afforded was never
palatial. It did not bother him one jot.
We always joked about his failure to up his
income by putting a big sea battle into one
of his films as he explained the relationship
between the film’s budget and the writer’s
fee. So the film he nearly did about
Florence Nightingale was the one that got
away.
Looking back over our friendship I am
struck by how two such dissimilar
personalities got on so well. We genuinely
never had a cross word, perhaps because
we realised that our lives were multifaceted
and we could stick to what we
thought worked for us. We often
bought each other the same
Christmas presents, this year being
a prime example. We were best
men at each other’s weddings. I
look back at 1999 in the garden at
Weston Park when Stephen and
Annabel looked a delightful couple
who had just visited Woodstock.
Pan 17 years and he and I wore
blue suits with white shirts and red
ties. Only a few days before, a
certain reality TV performer had
been inaugurated as President of
the USA in the same colours. We
chose ours first. In his superb
deadpan style, Stephen commented
that at least we had our own hair
and some modicum of intelligence.
The fact that his hair had hardly
changed between the two events
was a matter of private jealousy for
me. For him, I had stood up with
some gentle mocking in the best
man tradition while he produced a
superb speech full of humour while
quietly skewering me in places. I couldn’t
have asked for a better best man as he
organised everyone for photographs as if
he had been herding cats all his life.
In January this year, he was diagnosed
with an inoperable Brain Tumour. He
resisted its effects which included
increasing immobility and a loss of speech
stoically. He could still recollect school
days memories even if he had difficulty in
describing them. He was so grateful for the
letters and cards and the visitors which
were a source of comfort for the family too.
He was determined to await the exam
results of his two sons Jack and Ralph and
when he heard that Jack had achieved
entrance to Cambridge and Ralph had 11
A stars at GCSE he knew he had achieved
what he had set out to do. He died
peacefully at the hospice on 17th
September with his family beside him.
Finally I am reminded that a young Jack
sang The Elvis song Blue Christmas. We
told him Elvis was dead. He said he knew
but his songs would live on. It’s the same
with Stephen. Although he is no longer
with us in body we can be comforted that
we were friends to someone whose
personality humour and generosity of
spirit struck us and will live on with us
through his work and our own memories.
I can only say it was an honour to have
been his friend for all this time even if we
never made those millions together. Rest
in peace dear friend.
Michael Heath assisted by Tony Mash.
A book Stephen Jeffreys’ Plays, a compendium
of 6 of his works is available from Nick Hern
Books. His book Playwriting which will be of
interest to many will soon be issued by Nick
Hern Books. Other plays like “I Just Stopped
by to see the Man” are available in single
edition.
Finally, there will be a memorial event for
Stephen at the Royal Court Theatre on
Sunday 24th February. Please save the date.
Ticketing arrangements will be circulated
when available.
37