OBITUARY: Sir Michael Hordern
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Adam Benedick's delightful obituary of Sir Michael Hordern [4 May] mentions his trembles before a difficult Stoppard speech, writes Professor David Nichols. There was another no less charming incident of pre- performance jitters when he was invited to accept an Honorary DLitt at Exeter University 10 years ago.
I was waiting with him for the procession to move to the platform, and he was clearly ill at ease. To my suggestion that he must, surely, be used to delivering speeches from the stage, he insisted that delivering his own words was quite different from performing somebody else's. In the event, having raised his floppy academic hat in all the wrong places and nearly measured his length as he walked on to the platform, he had the audience completely with him, and received a memorable ovation. But waiting to go on, he really seemed scared: ". . . and another thing is this ridiculous hat; you see, I'm far more used to wearing a crown."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments