RIP Sir Antony Sher

It was thanks to one of my sisters that I first learned of the talent of Antony Sher. Not only did she encourage us to see him in any and every production on the stage, but she also bought one of his drawings, which hung on the wall of her bedroom for many years. I think it was of himself as Tartuffe. Or perhaps as the Misanthrope. I remember it was mischievous and dark and flashed a bit of bare back bottom.

Sher will certainly be eulogised for his classical roles as well as his range of characters. For me his most memorable live performances included Primo, which I saw on Broadway in 2005. Alone on a simple stage, Sher drew pictures with words and filled my mind with images of Levi's experience. After leaving the theatre, I found it difficult to reenter the world and wandered the streets until I found myself in the Swedish Seamens Church where I was able to sit quietly until I found some equilibrium.

20 years earlier, my sister and I bought orchestra seats at a London theatre for Torch Song Trilogy (actually we saw it twice, first with Antony Sher and then again when Harvey Fierstein took over the role. Although Fierstein was the author, it worked much better with Sher). In those days it was a pretty groundbreaking story. I really had no idea about my own story, but Sher (who wasn't out either at that point) 's performance got to me.

And then there was the obscure film my friends Andy & Janet rented from a Shenandoah Valley library:  Genghis Cohn. Made in 1993, it was based on a 1967 French novel by Romain Gary, La Dance de Genghis Cohn, about a German policeman after WW2 who is investigating a series of murders in a small town whilst being haunted by the ghost of a 3rd-rate Jewish comedian he had murdered during the Nazi era. I don't know why so few people have heard of this production. I think it's an important perspective on the Shoah, particularly for 2nd & 3rd generation folk.

My sadness at hearing the news of Sher's death today, at the relatively young age of 72, is also infused with gratitude. His performances could push past the solid rational defences of my mind, and helped me to find some of the feelings I needed to face. I was blessed by those experiences. 

May his husband be comforted with the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. And may his memory be a blessing.

BBC online reports his death.

Guardian obit

photo gallery from the Guardian

a nice tribute from the Daily Mail

The Times obit

from the Royal Shakespeare Company