"I am very proud to be a patron of the Shakespeare Schools Festival"
Dame Judi Dench
Judi Dench is one of our most distinguished and versatile actresses. Born and educated in York, she trained for the stage at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She was married to the actor the late Michael Williams, and has one daughter, Finty, who is also an actress.
Her career began with several seasons with The Old Vic Company where, amongst other roles, she played Ophelia (HAMLET), Katherine (HENRY V), Cecily (THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST) and Juliet (ROMEO AND JULIET), and appeared with the company at two Edinburgh Festivals, Venice, and on tour to Paris, Belgium, Yugoslavia, the USA and Canada.
Her long association with The Royal Shakespeare Company began in 1961 when she played Anya in THE CHERRY ORCHARD at the Aldwych Theatre. Since then, she has played many of Shakespeare's heroines with the company, both in Stratford-upon-Avon and London, amongst which her Viola, Beatrice, Adriana, Imogen and Lady Macbeth were much admired. She also played a variety of non-Shakespearean roles in such plays as MAJOR BARBARA and TOO TRUE TO BE GOOD by George Bernard Shaw; Grace Harkaway in LONDON ASSURANCE by Dion Boucicault; the title role in THE DUCHESS OF MALFI by John Webster; Juno in JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK by Sean O'Casey and the title role in Brecht's MOTHER COURAGE.
Dame Judi has also played seasons at the Oxford Playhouse and Nottingham Playhouse, as well as appearing in many commercial productions in the West End, including THE WOLF, THE GAY LORD QUEX, MR. & MRS. NOBODY, PACK OF LIES (these two with her husband, Michael Williams), THE CHERRY ORCHARD, THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS, CABARET and THE GOOD COMPANIONS.
Work for The Royal National Theatre has included Lady Bracknell (THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST), Deborah in A KIND OF ALASKA by Harold Pinter, the title role in CLEOPATRA, Gertrude in HAMLET, Mrs. Rafi in Edward Bond's THE SEA, Arkadina in THE SEAGULL, Christine in ABSOLUTE HELL, Desireé in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, Esme in AMY'S VIEW in London and New York. 2000 she played FILUMENA and in 2001 THE ROYAL FAMILY for the Peter Hall Company. 2002 she appeared with Maggie Smith in David Hare’s THE BREATH OF LIFE. In 2003 she returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company to play the Countess in ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL in Stratford-upon-Avon and London.
Her television appearances include the hugely popular series A FINE ROMANCE, in which she starred with her husband, as well as the drama series BEHAVING BADLY, and numerous plays including ABSOLUTE HELL, CAN YOU HEAR ME THINKING?, GHOSTS, THE BROWNING VERSION and MR. & MRS. EDGEHILL, and the long-running television series AS TIME GOES BY.
Film appearances include HENRY V (for Renaissance Films), A HANDFUL OF DUST, A ROOM WITH A VIEW, 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD, WETHERBY, JACK AND SARAH, 1996: "M" in GOLDENEYE and 1998: TOMORROW NEVER DIES, MRS. BROWN, 1999: SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, TEA WITH MUSSOLINI, 2000: THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, THE LAST OF THE BLOND BOMBSHELLS, Narration for the film Into the Arms of Strangers (Kindertransport). 2001: CHOCOLAT. 2002: IRIS, THE SHIPPING NEWS and THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST, DIE ANOTHER DAY. 2004: LADIES IN LAVENDER with Dame Maggie Smith, and THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK with Vin Diesel. In 2004, Dame Judi worked on The Importance of Being Ernest and Mrs. Henderson Presents. In 2005, she completed filming on Notes on a Scandal with Cate Blanchett. Dame Judi is currently appearing in Hay Fever at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Dame Judi made her debut as a director with Kenneth Branagh's Renaissance Theatre Company, for whom she directed MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and LOOK BACK IN ANGER. She also directed a revival of THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE for the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, London.
Dame Judi has received many professional awards for her work in theatre, film and television, including: two Olivier Awards in 1996 for Best Actress for Absolute Hell and Best Actress In A Musical for A Little Night Music; the Rothermere Award (1997) for Lifetime Achievement; the BAFTA Scotland Award (1998) for Mrs. Brown; Critics Circle Drama Award (1998) for Amy's View; Critics Circle Film Award for Mrs. Brown (1998); Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts 1998; Chicago Actors Guild (Best Actress for Mrs. Brown) 1998; Golden Globe Award (Best Actress for Mrs. Brown) 1998; Academy Award Nomination for Mrs. Brown (1998), BAFTA Award for Best Actress (Mrs. Brown) 1998. American Screen Actors' Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress in Shakespeare in Love (1999), Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Supporting Actress in Shakespeare in Love (1999), BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in Shakespeare in Love (1999); the John Gielgud Award (“Golden Quill”) for Excellence in the Dramatic Arts from The Shakespeare Guild in Washington, D.C.. “Tony” Award 1999 for Best Actress in Amy’s View in New York; Leonardo da Vinci Award for Best Supporting Actress in Tea with Mussolini; Variety award for UK Entertainment Personality of the Year 1999; Waterford Crystal Award 1999; York Millennium Person Award 2000; the Walpole Medal for Excellence, New York 2000; the Benjamin Franklyn Medal 2000 from The Royal Society of Arts. In 2001, she won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Film (The Last of the Blond Bombshells), the Screen Actors’ Guild Award for Chocolat, and was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Chocolat. BAFTA award 2001 for Best Actress in The Last of the Blond Bombshells. 2002 Critics Circle Award for Best Actress in Iris; Variety Club Award for Best Actress in Iris. BAFTA Award 2002 for Best Actress in Iris. 2002 BAFTA Tribute for Lifetime Achievement. 2004 Olivier Award for Lifetime Achievement (from the Society of London Theatres (SOLT)). 2004 The William Shakespeare Award for her contribution to classic theatre from The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award at the Evening Standard Awards.
She has Honorary Doctorates from the Universities of York, Warwick, Birmingham, Loughborough, the Open University, London University, the Royal Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, Surrey University, Oxford University, Queen Margaret University College, Edinburgh, the University of East Anglia, Wales, Leeds and Hull University. In 2004 she received Honorary Doctorates from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, and from The Juilliard Academy in New York. She was made an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, Cambridge in July 2005. She was awarded the OBE in 1970, became a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 1988, and a Companion of Honour in the Queen’s Birthday Honours’ List in 2005.
