Maggie Smith. In Memoriam

It's all over the news: the death of the British acting legend Dame Maggie Smith (1934-2024). Her career has spanned over six decades across stage, film, and television. On screen, she gained international recognition for her Academy Award-winning performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) (1969) and California Suite (1978). Smith delivered memorable performances in films such as A Room with a View (1985), Gosford Park (2001), and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011). While widely known for her roles as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series and the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey, Smith herself has reportedly considered these parts less ambitious and somewhat minor compared to her other work. Her theatrical prowess is equally impressive, with acclaimed performances in plays such as The Importance of Being Earnest, Private Lives" and her Tony Award-winning role in Lettice and Lovage. Smith's powerful portrayal of Desdemona opposite Laurence Olivier in Othello (1965) is considered one of her defining stage roles. Throughout her career, Smith's commanding presence, impeccable timing, and versatility established her as one of the most respected actresses of her generation.

Maggie Smith's connection to the Brontë legacy, while not widely known, is quite intriguing. Her most direct link comes through her son, Toby Stephens, who portrayed Rochester in the 2006 adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. However, Smith herself has a more obscure Brontë connection through a 1978 theatre play titled Haworth: A Portrait of the Brontës, written by her then-husband, Beverley Cross.

This play was originally slated for performance at the Stratford Festival's Avon Theatre in Ontario, Canada, with Maggie Smith and Brian Bedford in leading roles. However, the production was ultimately removed from the festival's program, reportedly due to the illness of the Festival's director, Robin Phillips [1][2]. The details of what happened next are somewhat unclear.

What we do know is that Smith rehearsed for the role and participated in a photo session, as evidenced by her appearance on the cover of the published play script in 1978 [3]. The play eventually saw its official premiere in 1981 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, starring Polly James. However, given the gap between the initial preparations and this later production, it's possible that Smith may have performed the role in some capacity during this interim period, though no definitive records of such performances are readily available. This Brontë-focused work, regardless of its full performance history, adds an intriguing footnote to Smith's illustrious career, highlighting the diverse range of roles she has engaged with throughout her time on stage.

Check more details about the play at the essential IG account @bronteghosts, which is also the source of the picture that accompanies this post.

[1] Michael Coveney, Maggie Smith. A Biography, St. Martin's Publishing Group, 2015

[2] Garebian, Keith, "The 1978 Stratford Festival." Journal of Canadian Studies/Revue d'études canadiennes 13, no. 4 (1978): 109-119. https://muse.jhu.edu/article/675424.
[2] Beverley Cross, Haworth: A Portrait of the Brontës, Theatreworks, 1978