In the Dark

I’ve been writing far too many R.I.P. posts recently, but I had to say something to mark the passing of Glenda Jackson who has died at the age of 87. Glenda Jackson had an illustrious acting career during which she won many awards (including two Oscars) and then turned her hand to politics; she was a Labour Member of Parliament from 1992 to 2015.

The role in which I remember Glenda Jackson best was in the film Stevie (1978) in which she played the poet Stevie Smith, whose poetry I have admired greatly for its dark yet whimsical tone since I was introduced to it while at school. The originality of her voice is the reason I’ve posted some of her poems on this blog from time to time.

Stevie Smith, who died in 1971, made a number of radio broadcasts and, without really trying to impersonate her, I think Glenda Jackson captured perfectly her quirky mixture of wit and melancholia. It was a marvelous performance in what I think is a neglected film masterpiece.

Rest in peace, Glenda Jackson (1936-2023)

This entry was posted on June 16, 2023 at 7:27 pm and is filed under Film, Poetry, Politics, R.I.P. with tags film, Glenda Jackson, Poetry, Stevie, Stevie Smith. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.