The life and works of one of the West End’s greatest stars, Paul Scofield, is to be celebrated with a memorial service at St Margaret’s Church and the National Theatre on 19 March, exactly one year after his death.
The church service at St Margaret’s next to Westminster Abbey, is to be held between 12:00 and 13:00, with a celebration at the National Theatre taking place between 14:30 and 15:30. Admission to both events is free, but strictly by ticket only.
At the National Theatre, contributors to Paul Scofield – An Actor For All Seasons will include: Alex Jennings (compere), Eileen Atkins, Claire Bloom, Anna Calder-Marshall, Ralph Fiennes, Robert Hardy, John Harrison, John Hurt, Nicholas Hytner, Michael Pennington, Diana Rigg, Donald Sinden and John Tydeman. The tribute is directed by Gregory Doran.
Theatre professionals, theatregoers and fans who wish to attend the church service should apply for tickets by sending a stamped addressed envelope, to: Mr M Arnoldi, Room 19, The Chapter Office, 20 Dean’s Yard, London, SW1P 3PA. Those wishing to attend An Actor For All Seasons at the National Theatre should call the National Theatre Box Office on 0207 452 3000.
Scofield, who was considered one of the finest classical performers of his generation, died on 19 March 2008 at the age of 86 after battling leukaemia. Among the accolades collected during a long and fruitful career on both stage and screen are an Oscar for A Man For All Seasons and the title of the greatest Shakespearean performance ever, for his Peter Brook-directed King Lear, voted for by actors of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
MA