Profile: Jean Stephenson

Loft credits (click a play title to view details)

• Mrs Pearce, Pygmalion (1980)
• Maria Helliwell, When We Are Married (1977)
• Washerwoman, Toad of Toad Hall (1977)
• Mrs Railton-Bell, Separate Tables (1976)
• Lady Brockhurst, The Boy Friend (1974)
• Agnes, Hadrian VII (1971)
• Georgiana Tidman, Dandy Dick (1970)
• Madame Arcati, Blithe Spirit (1969)
• Director, Night Must Fall (1969)
• Mum, The Anniversary (1968)
• Emma Hornett, Watch it, Sailor! (1968)
• Lucy Fitton, All in Good Time (1967)
• Mrs Noah, Noah (1967)
• Emma Hornett, Sailor, Beware! (1966)
• Tituba, The Crucible (1966)
• Director, Someone Waiting (1966)
• Elizabeth, Gaslight (1965)
• Maria Helliwell, When We Are Married (1965)
• Director, The Miracle Worker (1964)

Notes

The following tribute was written in 2002 by David Biddle:

The recent death of Jean Stephenson is a reminder of a generation of powerful Loft actors who managed to enrich any production in which they played.

She would surely understand if I said she was a big lady in every sense of the word, her physical presence never more in evidence than when she played one of the fearful matriarchs in When We Are Married (1965 and 1977). But she also had a huge talent that allowed her to demonstrate real versatility as both actress and director in Loft productions through the 1960s and 1970s.

Large too was her generosity to her fellow actors, particularly younger members of a cast, whom she would support with kindness and advice. Every performance she gave was memorable for its attention to detail and truth, though never once succumbing to overstatement.

I remember how magnificent she was as the monstrous mother in The Anniversary and how sensitive and moving was her black slave Tituba in The Crucible, directed by Eric Taylor.

Like Eric and another of her soul mates, the late Tony Matthews, Jean was expert in all the technical skills acting requires, but their talent generally was innate, God-given: it was not easy to define, but in practice it brought great marvels on stage and real joy to all who saw their work.

A lovely lady and a fine actress! Thank you, Jean!

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