S Poddar
Timothy West, a versatile and extremely ranged in terms of his acting abilities, left this world at the age of 90. He left behind a legacy that was very deep within British theatre, film, and television, that kind of talent the world will always cherish. He is known for bringing life to history, both in the stage and in cinema. West’s career is developed within the ethos of dedication, humility, and love in his craft. Yet, despite such huge contributions, West was famously modest, quoting once Richard Strauss’s words: “I may not be a first-rank composer but I think I may be a first-rate composer of the second rank.” It is with this humility West characterized his view of his career; so often he performed roles like King Lear, Falstaff, and Prospero but sometimes he seemed he belonged to the “second rank” because such a big number of his roles were in regional and touring theatre. Yet, however serious this self-assessment may have been, it was in stark variance with his life’s work, as West is a name etched upon the periphery of British theatre history and on the hearts of the audience and directors wherever British theatres are held dear.
He could play historical figures. He played the Russian president Mikhail Gorbachev and Britain’s much-reviled statesman Winston Churchill, the controversial Lord Reith, and even notorious John Bodkin Adams, among others. On stage, he played no less demanding roles: Josef Stalin, conductor Thomas Beecham, and literary titan Samuel Johnson are just a few examples. West’s entire appearance on stage-from the square jaw to the substantial frame-presented a quality the Oxford English Dictionary once defined as “bottom,” or, in plain speech, endurance, stability, and depth that gave his performances an unshakable foundation. It is the same qualities that not only made him different as an actor but also endeared him to audiences who sensed in him the perennial spirit of British theatre.
In his early years, West found a meaningful professional home with the Prospect Theatre Company, and their relationship led to some of his most memorable performances. One of these was a definitional season with Ian McKellen, in which West played Bolingbroke and Mortimer in Richard II and Edward II, respectively. Such a sensibility range as would allow himself to move in the role from the scheming, politicist Bolingbroke to the fierce, war-hardened Mortimer while provided an excellent counterpoint to McKellen’s lead roles;. With Prospect, West found himself catapulted into unforeseen leadership as the company developed into the Old Vic Company. His new job as company director did not come without its share of troubles. In 1980, West was at the centre of a storm of protest over comments he made about a production of Macbeth starring Peter O’Toole. He explained that he had wanted to emphasize the autonomy of Macbeth as a production, but the misinformation made him disappointed with the notion of operating a business.
Television was another medium for West, and he had since been involved in many roles that were world’s apart from his true self. He was famous for hard-headed capitalists, and gave life to Josiah Bounderby in a 1977 adaptation of Hard Times, marrying a much younger woman, the very epitome of Victorian ruthlessness. Yet arguably his most iconic television role was as the cunning, authoritarian mill-owner in Granada’s Brass (1983-1990). Perhaps best described as one of the most enjoyable roles he ever played, West’s portrayal of his character’s ruthless ambition became the hallmark of the series. Later, in what would be his most avuncular role, he appeared as lovable Sir Leicester Dedlock in Bleak House and, in 2019, revisited comedy, playing Private Godfrey in a revival of lost episodes of Dad’s Army.
One of the greatest pleasures of his career was performing with his family. That was especially so in his work with his son, Samuel. The same year, they played father and son on stage as Falstaff and Prince Hal in Shakespeare’s Henry IV parts one and two, their dynamic and personal connection speaking out to audiences across the screen. This emotional synergy between father and son reached a level of intensity when they would later appear together in Caryl Churchill’s A Number, a play dedicated to the intricate relationship between the father and his identical sons. Their bond translated into extraordinary, dramatic energy on stage, which left an unforgettable and deep impression on those who were able to watch.
West continued to act in various media into his old age. He was on both Coronation Street and EastEnders, television’s longest-running British soaps, and he found a new following over Great Canal Journeys, a successful Channel 4 series he and his wife, actress Prunella Scales, starred in together. The series showed their mutual love of the British waterways and gave an air of … well, it’s not to say above BOARD but certainly made them more accessible in public endearing them to television viewers beyond the theatre goer audience.
Even in the performances, Timothy West’s commitment extended to British theatre itself. He kept his commitment to theatre’s regional and touring circuit, supporting productions that would bring high-quality theatre to the broader audiences. What was also remarkable about his dependability was that he had sheer passion for his work, and these qualities created an enduring figure on the British performing arts.
