Latest news with #LadyBracknell
The Independent
06-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
How I found my way after losing my husband to a shock cancer diagnosis
To lose one husband may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness. That is, of course, a bad paraphrasing of one of Lady Bracknell's famous lines in The Importance of Being Earnest. But I did lose my husband – to cancer, in the summer of 2023. And then I lost what some people would call my 'work husband' the following year, following a bruising and lonely journey through grief. The Oscar Wilde reference is relevant because that play was a critical part of my recovery: I threw myself into the part of Lady B in a production at the Oxford Playhouse following a life-changing course of events. In the summer of 2023, I had been preparing for what was to come – the life after the empty nest, the life after 25 years of marriage. Then my husband, Brian, felt unwell and went to the GP. Blood tests revealed something was wrong, and at the Day Assessment Unit of our local hospital, he was told that he had cancer which had spread to his liver. Within a matter of days and a blurry reckoning of our past, present and future, we knew that in the nomenclature of cancer diagnoses, he had the one you absolutely do not want: small cell carcinoma. His prognosis was a year at best. We reeled in shock – our youngest was still at school, sitting exams. There was a slight delay before treatment could commence, and in that time, the relentless march of this thief of hope and joy took him out. He was gone on a Saturday morning, just six weeks after his diagnosis. While I raced around our city trying to find him prescription medications for the pain, our eldest sat by his hospital-at-home bed and watched him die. I will never forget that call from my son as I stood in line at the chemist: 'Mum, he's gone. He's dead.' I arrived home to a tableau of hysterical kids around his bed. I took one look at him and knew there was nothing more I could do. The people in the room needed me now. What followed was what I thought at the time was the right thing to do. I took just one week off from my demanding role as a global publishing director for an international firm before throwing myself into change management and contingency planning while leading the biggest team in the company. It is only when I look back now that I realise I was burning out. Just six weeks after my husband's death, I was attending an overseas crisis meeting. I had been very close to the owner of the business, and he was wonderful to me for a long time. Something changed. My grief was breaking over me like 'The Great Wave off Kanagawa' and anger and loneliness seeped through. I was confused, sad and angry – and driven. I ended up leaving the business and as a result, I lost the person whom, after my husband, I had entrusted with my deepest fears and vulnerabilities. I think somewhere back there, I unravelled. I was left with no insurance payout or coverage when my husband died, and the loss of my salary with three kids headed for university was a blow. I had to face facts, and not only the heartbreak of the loss of the job I loved, but also the connectedness I felt in the business. I hit a very low point – and then I stopped. All I had was within me, and it was my late husband who had told me to go on, to live and to do the things I was good at. I still had that. I reached out in my network and met the wonderful people I am now in a business partnership with, who could see my value and worth. They offered me the chance to launch and co-own a new publishing company, which we have named River Light Press. The Thames connects our two locations, and light is the thing we turn towards after the darkest night. It is also the Latin meaning of my name, Lucy. I am now acquiring my first titles for the press. I had felt doors slamming shut in my face at what is an exposing time for many women, but I now feel the warmth and pleasure of others opening up in their place. I can never move on from Brian, but I will move forward. My new partnership and new venture are giving me hope and purpose.
Telegraph
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Queen surprised with scene from favourite play as she hosts Hollywood stars
The Queen was surprised with a scene from one of her favourite plays when she hosted stars of stage and screen at Buckingham Palace. The Queen was joined by A-listers including Cate Blanchett, the two-time Oscar winner, Andrew Garfield, the star of the Spider-Man films and We Live In Time, and James Corden, the creator of Gavin and Stacey, at a celebration of the National Theatre. As guests mingled in the Green Room of Buckingham Palace on Tuesday night, the Queen, who is the National Theatre's patron, was interrupted in mid-conversation by the actress Sharon D Clarke, in costume as Lady Bracknell from The Importance of Being Earnest. The actress, in character, ushered the Queen to a seat in the Throne Room next door before taking to the stage with Ncuti Gatwa, the star of Doctor Who, as Algernon, and Hugh Skinner as Jack Worthing. Skinner played Prince William in the Channel 4 comedy series The Windsors. The Queen laughed as she watched them perform the famous scene in which Jack tells Lady Bracknell he was found in a handbag at Victoria Station as a baby. It concluded with the line 'Shall we go to the Palace?' followed by Jack's angry reply: 'No, I can't abide the Palace.' The Queen later disclosed that the play was 'one of my favourites' as she met the performers in the Picture Gallery, and joked that she might like to borrow some of Lady Bracknell's extravagant jewellery. Greeting Sharon D Clarke, she exclaimed: 'Lady Bracknell, herself. Did you enjoy it?' 'I have loved every second of playing Lady Bracknell, it was never something I ever expected to play,' Clarke replied. 'Fantastic, absolutely brilliant,' the Queen told her. Putting a hand on the Queen's shoulder, Clarke asked, 'It's a play that you love?' 'It's one of my favourites, it's so funny, it really makes me laugh,' the Queen replied. 'You are brilliant at it, you got her spot on.' Gesturing at the actress's gem-studded sash she said: 'I like all your decorations.' 'You can't nick any of them,' replied Clarke, adding: 'But if you want to fashion yourself like me…' 'I feel I could borrow a few, for a State Dinner. I think it would be just the job,' joked the Queen. 'That's a very big diamond.' Greeting Gatwa, she said: 'How are you? The last time I saw you, we were recording Twas The Night Before Christmas,' referring to a filmed performance of the poem that she and the King appeared in to support The Actors Benevolent Fund after the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020. 'It was so much fun,' he recalled. 'Thank you for having me back.' In a speech following the performance, Sir Damon Buffini, the chairman of the National Theatre, told the Queen: 'Thank you so much for letting us invade your home. It's absolutely fantastic that you're our patron. We are, after all, the Royal National Theatre. It means a huge amount to us to have your support. 'We'd like to see you more often. You could drag your other half along as well if you'd like to, we promise it won't be too long.' 'A very lovely occasion' Earlier, the Queen had been escorted into the reception by Rufus Norris, the National Theatre's outgoing director, whose own speech was interrupted by Sir Simon Russell Beale, the star of House of the Dragon, who performed Hamlet's Speak the Speech monologue. The Queen was also introduced to Indhu Rubasingham, who will become the National Theatre's first female director and joint chief executive, with its executive director Kate Varah. The Queen became patron of the National Theatre in 2022. The role was previously held by the Duchess of Sussex, from 2019 to 2021 and prior to that, by Queen Elizabeth II. As she left the event, she told guests: 'That was a very lovely occasion.' The National Theatre is fundraising for £125 million to upgrade its Grade II-listed home on London's South Bank, an example of brutalist architecture which in 1998 was likened to a 'nuclear power station' by the then Prince Charles.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Camilla hosts Hollywood and stage stars at National Theatre celebration
The Queen was surprised with a scene from her favourite play as she hosted a celebration of the National Theatre for a guest list that included Hollywood and stage stars. Camilla was thanked for allowing the National Theatre (NT) to 'invade' Buckingham Palace for the reception, which included singing, speeches, poetry and performances and an invitation from Lady Bracknell to borrow some jewellery from her stage costume. NT chairman Sir Damon Buffini, who was beside Camilla as she watched a scene from The Importance of Being Earnest, said 'with confidence' that the National Theatre 'is the preeminent theatre in the English language sparking imagination, nurturing talent and inspiring the world'. He thanked everyone, including the backstage stage talent who helped to put on Tuesday evening's special event, and Camilla for her support as the NT's patron since 2022. To an audience, which included actors Cate Blanchett and Andrew Garfield, Sir Damon joked with Camilla: 'We would like to see you more often and you could drag your other half along if you would like to.' Lesley Manville, James Corden, Dame Imelda Staunton and her husband Jim Carter, Sir Simon Russell Beale plus Rory Kinnear were among the other actors who have graced the stage with the NT who were part of the 50-strong guest list. Sharon D Clarke along with Doctor Who star Ncuti Gatwa and Hugh Skinner reprised their roles in the NT's hit production of The Importance of Being Earnest for a performance. Greeting Clarke after the performance, Camilla asked: 'Lady Bracknell, herself. Did you enjoy it?' The three-time Olivier Award winner replied: 'I have loved every second of playing Lady Bracknell, it was never something I ever expected to play.' Then putting a hand on Camilla's shoulder, Clarke asked, 'It's a play that you love?' Camilla responded: 'It's one of my favourites. It's so funny. It really makes me laugh. 'You are brilliant at it, you got her spot on.' And gesturing at the actress's gem-studded sash Camilla said: 'I like all your decorations.' Clarke replied: 'You can't nick any of them – but if you want to fashion yourself like me…' Camilla joked: 'I feel I could borrow a few, for a state dinner. I think it would be just the job – that's a very big diamond.' Camilla also had a brief chat with Gatwa, where she recalled that the last time she saw him was when he was recording Twas The Night Before Christmas. Both she and the King appeared in the filmed performance of the famous poem to support The Actors Benevolent Fund after the Covid-19 lockdowns of 2020. Gatwa said: 'It was so much fun. Thank you for having me back.' Sir Simon Russell Beale interrupted a speech from departing NT director Rufus Norris to perform Speak the Speech from Shakespeare's Hamlet, a monologue offering insightful advice on the art of acting. She also saw a musical number from London Road, performed with a piano. The event, attended by NT staff, supporters and performers, comes as the organisation is gearing up for a change of leadership as national director Rufus Norris is due to step down next month after a decade in the role. Indhu Rubasingham will take over and become the first woman and seventh director of the NT since 1963. She will act as joint chief executive with Kate Varah. Mr Norris described the NT as 'an incredible organisation,' telling the guests: 'It is an incredible organisation because of all the people in this room. 'There are those of you who have the vision to create the wonderful theatre stories that we tell and those of you who bring those stories to life with superlative performances and, of course, those of you who make all of this work.' Since becoming patron, Camilla has visited the NT to hear more about their ambitious nationwide work, involving partnerships with theatres and community organisations with a vision that theatre can be a force for change.
