THE OLD VIC THEATRE LONDON SE1 ‘STILL LOITERING’ A CELEBRATION FOR THE OF LIFE & WORK PETER SEAMUS O’TOOLE 1932 – 2013 SUNDAY 18TH MAY STARTING SOMETIME AFTER 12 NOON & FINISHING A LITTLE LATER ... Master of Ceremonies BARRY CRYER in the company of a group of people who loved and were inspired by PETER O’TOOLE

The celebration may well include some of the following items, and roughly in this order: ADDRESS extract from PETER’S Memoir “Loitering with Intent: The Child” read by BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH Uachtarán na hÉireann MICHAEL D. HIGGINS

All STAND and SING the True to Deedle Song A Valedection Forbidding Mourning read by SINÉAD CUSACK Faith of our fathers, living still, In spite of dungeon, fire and sword; O how our hearts beat high with joy Whene’er we hear that glorious word! As virtuous men pass mildly away, And whisper to their souls to go, Whilst some of their sad friends do say, Chorus Faith of our fathers, holy faith! “The breath goes now,” and some say, “No,” We will be true to thee till death. So let us melt, and make no noise, Faith of our fathers, we will strive No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move; To win all nations unto Thee; ‘Twere profanation of our joys And through the truth that comes from God, To tell the laity our love. We all shall then be truly free. Moving of the earth brings harms and fears, Men reckon what it did and meant; Chorus Faith of our fathers, holy faith! But trepidation of the spheres, We will be true to thee till death. Though greater far, is innocent.

Faith of our fathers, we will love Dull sublunary lovers’ love Both friend and foe in all our strife; (Whose soul is sense) cannot admit And preach Thee, too, as love knows how Absence, because it doth remove By kindly words and virtuous life. Those things which elemented it. But we, by a love so much refined Chorus Faith of our fathers, holy faith! That our selves know not what it is, We will be true to thee till death. Inter-assured of the mind, Care less, eyes, lips, and hands to miss. Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death. Our two souls therefore, which are one, Though I must go, endure not yet (Frederick William Faber) A breach, but an expansion. Like gold to airy thinness beat.

All SIT (cont.)

(cont.)

If they be two, they are two so Extract from Cymbeline Act IV sc.2 As stiff twin compasses are two: by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Thy soul, the fixed foot, makes no show read by KEVIN SPACEY To move, but doth, if the other do;

And though it in the center sit, Yet when the other far doth roam, It leans, and hearkens after it, Fear no more the heat o’ the sun, And grows erect, as that comes home. Nor the furious winter’s rages; Thou thy wordly task hast done, Such wilt thou be to me, who must, Home art gone, and ta’en thy wages; Like the other foot, obliquely run; Golden lads and girls all must, Thy firmness makes my circle just, As chimney-sweepers, come to dust And makes me end where I begun. Fear no more the frown o’ the great, Thou art past the tyrant’s stroke; (John Donne, 1572 - 1631) Care no more to clothe and eat: To thee the reed is as the oak: The sceptre, learning, physic, must All follow this, and come to dust

Fear no more the lightning flash, Nor the all-dreaded thunder-stone; The Oldie Of The Year Fear not slander, censure rash; Acceptance Speech Thou hast finish’d joy and moan: written by PETER O’TOOLE, 2000 All lovers young, all lovers must Consign to thee, and come to dust. read by ALBERT FINNEY No exorciser harm thee! Nor no witchcraft charm thee! Ghost unlaid forbear thee! Nothing ill come near thee! The Ashokan Farewell Quiet consummation have; And renownèd be thy grave! by JAY UNGAR performed by SHARON SHANNON The Sporting Life Sonnet 30 by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE read by TREVOR EVE Sword Fight! by students of the BRISTOL OLD VIC When to the sessions of sweet silent thought THEATRE SCHOOL I summon up remembrance of things past, I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought, And with old woes new wail my dear time’s waste: The Peter O’Toole Prize Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow, announced by STEPHEN FRY For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night, And weep afresh love’s long since cancelled woe, And moan the expense of many a vanished sight: Then can I grieve at grievances foregone, extract from PETER’S Memoir And heavily from woe to woe tell o’er “Loitering with Intent: Volume 1” The sad account of fore-bemoanèd moan, read by STEPHEN FRY Which I new pay as if not paid before. But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, All losses are restored and sorrows end. “I Went To A Marvellous Party” by NOËL COWARD the choir sings Amazing Grace performed by JOHN STANDING trad. / arr. ALWYN HUMPHREYS

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound That sav’d a wretch like me!

Eulogy I once was lost, but now am found, KATE O’TOOLE Was blind, but now I see. When we’ve been here ten thousand years Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Galway Girl Than when we first begun. performed by SHARON SHANNON Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; and MUNDY ’Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home. (cont.)

Slightly Rhyming Verses I looked over Jordan, and what did I see, by ELIZABETH SMART Comin’ for to carry me home, from “Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell” A band of angels comin’ after me, by KEITH WATERHOUSE Comin’ for to carry me home, performed by ANNABEL LEVENTON If you get there before I do, Comin’ for to carry me home, Tell all my friends I’m comin’ too, Comin’ for to carry me home. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot AMERICAN SPIRITUAL Swing low, sweet chariot, THE CHOIR, joined by Comin’ for to carry me home; KINDRED SPIRITS Swing low, sweet chariot, Comin’ for to carry me home. RODGER ARNEIL (Scotland, Lions) PETER BELL (England) (Wales, Lions) BOB HILLER (England, Lions) TONY HORTON (England, Lions) KEN KENNEDY (Ireland, Lions) Irish Blessing (Scotland, Lions) SISTER AGNES CURLEY FERGUS SLATTERY (Ireland, Lions)

the RUGBY PLAYERS and CHOIR will STAND and SING: May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face. Swing low, sweet chariot, And may the rain fall soft upon your fields. Comin’ for to carry me home; And until we meet again, Swing low, sweet chariot, May God hold you in the palm of his hand. Comin’ for to carry me home.

(cont.) please remain SEATED while the CHOIR SINGS The Parting Glass TRADITIONAL

Of all the money that e’er I had, I spent it in good company, And all the harm I’ve ever done Alas, it was to none but me.

And all I’ve done for want of wit To mem’ry now I can’t recall, So fill to me the parting glass Good night and joy be with you all.

So fill to me the parting glass And drink a health whate’er we fall Then gently rise and softly call, Good night and joy be with you all.

Of all the comrades that e’er I had, They’re sorry for my going away. And all the sweethearts that e’er I had, they’d wish me one more day to stay.

But since it fell unto my lot, that I should rise and you should not. I’ll gently rise and softly call, Good night and joy be with you all.

So fill to me the parting glass And drink a health where’er we fall Then gently rise and softly call, Good night and joy be with you all. Good night and joy be with you all!

Thank you for coming. “To good living.” TRIBUTES TRIBUTES FROM ABSENT FRIENDS FROM ABSENT FRIENDS

In his teenage years, Peter O’Toole wrote, “I will Peter, I could talk to you forever. not be a common man, I will stir the smooth -Christopher Walken sands of monotony.” Well, the Nefud desert was anything but monotonous with Peter O’Toole When I worked with Peter I was quite young - crossing it in Lawrence Of Arabia, nor was and unaware of the admonition never to meet any film in which he subsequently appeared. He one’s heroes. His company was enthralling beyond occupied many grand landscapes, but his flaming expectation: urbane, outrageous, bewitching in eyes always pulled him into closeup. His vocal front of camera and (although usually carefully range stood up the hairs on our arms in The veiled) endlessly kind. I was left convinced Lion In Winter and Becket and set us off that meeting your hero was entirely to be laughing hysterically when he played Alan Swann recommended. It’s taken a very long time to learn in My Favorite Year. When young actors ask that in this, as in everything, Peter was probably me what films they should watch, I include anything unique. The film we made is entirely forgotten, but with Peter O’Toole in it. O’Toole was an icon, my memory of working with him is vivid, uplifting whether he was playing a King, a Pope, a stuntman, - and one of my most cherished. - Colin Firth or a farceur. The idea of moving forward without Peter O’Toole in film is as sad as the death of celluloid itself. - Steven Spielberg Peter should have won an Academy Award for his work in Venus. He was simply exceptional on every count.What I remember is the time he At the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. put in with me while we waited before our main King’s visit to Paris to speak to the citizens of scene in this film. He chose to spend time, and I Europe on the plight of our racial and economic mean real time, talking with me about his family, struggles in America was an important part of our about this and that; not confidences, but thoughts strategy. The success of that adventure was greatly and carings primarily. He knew that our scenes enhanced by Peter O’Toole who came to Paris to together depended on an intimacy based on my lend his support to our efforts. Dr. King and I were knowing, or at least comprehending something grateful for his contribution. His celebrity helped of the man my character had loved. What I have validate our mission. On that occasion, he en- just said might appear as nothing very much or tered my heart and was given a long lease in that nothing at all to those who have no idea where space. - Harry Belafonte acting comes from. Peter provided a thermos and a cup of tea or soup. So welcome on a cold day on location. We didn’t talk about our characters, My greatest regret is that I never worked with or the scenes, or run through our words in those Peter. He was very helpful and kind to my late scenes as I recall. When we came to film our main husband Michael Williams when he was preparing scene we were totally in synch, the point being for his role in Bernard Shaw’s “Too True to be thanks to Peter’s warmth, actor’s wisdom and his Good”. For that, and for his amazing talent, I had humanity as an artist and as a man. great admiration for him. - Judi Dench -Vanessa Redgrave TRIBUTES MUSICIANS FROM ABSENT FRIENDS Pianist – Neil Brand In the department of dreams come true, imagine Organist – John Eady having the best actor in the world play my leading Conductor – Andrew Witham role. Peter’s work defines the outer limits of the Directors of Music – art of acting. - Richard Rush Bumble Standen & Woodstock Taylor Trumpet – John Sampson Fiddler – Alison Jones Although I cannot be there, I am in the spirit. Bagpipes – Dafae Brooks -Ellen de Generes Percussion - Andre Camacho

CHOIR I remember my time with Peter fondly. He made me blush a lot. He was a hoot and a great, great Robin Bailey talent. What a blessing he was and how wonderful Sarah Calcutt to be celebrating his life at the Old Vic! Sending Annie Chesters all of my best regards for this joyous occasion for Marian Dutton such an extraordinary man. -Jodie Foster Pauline Field David Field Peter was of course an inspiration to me. This Charlotte Fillmore handsome, charismatic, voluble and dashing Kenneth Fox Hamlet, he played the part with such élan and Sandra Garraway enthusiasm that we were breathless around him. Max Grodecki When, as Laertes, I practically stabbed Peter Mike Kingham on the Old Vic stage I assure you it was not Tom Kelly intentional. The swordfight we had at the end of Annie Oulton Hamlet was always interesting and on occasion Effie Sparkhill quite surprising! It was a very happy time for me Bumble Standen at the National and I think for so many who had Henry Synge the opportunity to work with Peter. We miss him, Greg Tassell but I expect that in the “Green Room” in the sky, Woodstock Taylor O’Toole is entertaining all he meets. Jonathan Watts With great affection, -Derek Jacobi Tom Wood Dingle Yandell

With special thanks to all the staff, management and friends at the BRISTOL and LONDON OLD VIC theatres.