Multi-award
winning actress and political activist Vanessa Redgrave CBE joined BBC
journalist Jenny Cuffe in conversation about her life at St Swithun’s School,
Winchester on Sunday.
The
evening was organised by SWVG (Southampton and Winchester Visitors Group) in
conjunction with the Theatre Royal Winchester. SWVG provide help and support to
refugees in the Southampton area. One of the organisation’s founders, Mrs
Shirley Firth, mother of actor Colin Firth, also attended the event.
The
event took place in front of an audience of over 200 in the school’s performing
arts centre, and Ms Redgrave discussed her many performances, interspersed with
clips from her career. These included a piece from King Lear, with Vanessa performing with her late father Sir Michael
Redgrave and The Call Out, directed
by her son Carlo Nero, who was also present and joined the discussion.
As
an actress who has combined her career with political activism Vanessa Redgrave
was keen to discuss her involvement in campaigns for many human rights issues
including the war against Iraq, the liberation of Palestine, and the plight of
young women as asylum seekers. She answered many questions from the audience:
one particular question asked if she ever switched off from her intense
campaigning and acting to which she replied by wondering if you ever switch off
from life.
For further information
please contact:
Mel Kinder
St Swithun’s School
01962 835782
kinderm@stswithuns.com