Tribute by Michael Elwyn (B3 1956-61)

Michael and I were contemporaries and friends at Marlborough, where, between 1958 and 1961, we frequently shared the stage of the Memorial Hall, playing leading roles in several school plays. I say ‘shared’, but Michael was always ahead of me, both in ambition and in his teenage skill. He was astonishingly good at portraying older men: amongst several notable performances his aged de Stogumber in Saint Joan, Prospero in The Tempest, and Philoctetes in Sophocles’ play were all standout characterisations. I’m sure he arrived at Marlborough already knowing that acting was to be his chosen career (I remember seeing photos of a nine-year-old Michael giving solo performances in the family garden) and this clear intent had a big effect on me.

I don’t think it’s too big an exaggeration to say I might not have become an actor but for Michael. That we should persuade the Classical side to mount our production of Philoctetes was his idea – and then, in our final Summer term of ‘61, with both of us prefects and editors of the school magazine, Michael said we had the power to change the format of the traditional end of term concert (usually sketches, songs etc): that for the first half we could compel the entire school to watch the two of us as Ben and Gus in Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter. This would be just over a year after its first professional production. I was initially unsure, but Michael and his bold idea prevailed and together we bid a dramatic farewell to the school, sharing the Acting Prize along the way.

We never appeared on stage together again – but our paths crossed in assorted films and television, and we maintained the friendship throughout our lives. I saw many of his performances, including his sublime one-man Shakespeare show, and I remained full of admiration and huge respect for his high achievement as an actor.

Nearly four years ago he moved into Denville Hall, the actors’ care home, following a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s. The disease was still in its early stage on my first visit – and when I produced assorted Marlborough memorabilia and photos, his memories of all our school productions were crystal clear. As was his recall of career highlights.

But with each succeeding visit, the disease was taking its unrelenting course. Such a cruel irony that this most beautiful of verse speakers should be rendered almost speechless, but I would continue to talk to him about those two teenage boys and the plays they did, recounting anecdotes, hopefully jogging a specific memory – and every now and then Michael would break out of his silent listening with vocal sounds that seemed to indicate that, yes, he remembered that. At any rate, I hope so. And I got a lovely smile when I said goodbye for what turned out to be the last time.

He leaves in my and many others’ memory a hugely respected and successful body of work, a formidably full list of all the classic roles…. and I will always treasure the privilege of having been so closely involved with him at MC as the young Michael started out on his journey to become one of our finest actors.

Full obituaries for Michael Pennington can be found on most of the national papers’ websites.