Richard Stirling Explained

Richard Stirling is an English writer and actor, who has appeared on film, television and the West End theatre and Off-Broadway stage. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). He has written arts features for newspapers and magazines. His 2009 play Seven Other Children was written as a response to Caryl Churchill's controversial play Seven Jewish Children.^[1]

He adapted the diaries of Cecil Beaton for performance, and played the title role. Following performances at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2022, to favourable reviews,^[2] Cecil Beaton's Diaries was selected to be part of the 2023 Brits Off Broadway season, playing at New York's 59E59 Theaters in May, before touring the UK.

Works

Books

• Julie Andrews: An Intimate Biography (Sunday Times Top Ten best seller, UK Piatkus/Little Brown 2007; US St Martin's Press 2008; reprinted UK Little Brown 2013)

Plays

• Seven Other Children
• Over My Shoulder: The Jessie Matthews Story (starring Anne Rogers)^{[3] [4]}
• Gay's the Word (revised version of the Ivor Novello/Alan Melville musical)
• Is She One of Us? in development^[5]
• A Princess Undone (starring Stephanie Beacham as Princess Margaret)^{[6] [7]}
• Cecil Beaton's Diaries

Selected roles

Film and television

• Eternal Return (Mervin Muffley) (2024)
• The Man Who Fell to Earth (Bird Man) (2022)
• Bridgerton (2022)
• The Crown (2020)
• (2020)
• Scoop (Tinsley's Fan) (2006)
• Great Expectations (1999)
• Our Mutual Friend (1998)
• Mrs Dalloway (1997)
• The Secret Agent (Stevie) (1992)
• Jeeves and Wooster (1990)
• War Requiem (Third Soldier; choreographer) (1989)
• Little Dorrit (John Chivery) (1987)

Notes and References

1. News: New play responds to Caryl Churchill's Seven Jewish Children. 30 April 2009. Francine Wolfisz. Haringey Independent.
2. Web site: Ceil Beaton's Diaries review. Paul. Vale. The Stage . 2022-08-09.
3. News: "Over My Shoulder" by Richard Stirling at Wyndham's from 27 Oct to 8 Nov 03 . 10 May 2019 . 9 October 2003.
4. News: Over My Shoulder, review . Jeremy. Kingston. 10 May 2003. The Times.
5. Web site: The 'lesbian' teacher scandal that shook society . The Scotsman . 2013-05-18 . 2018-05-01.
6. Web site: Stephanie Beacham: 'We need more difficult women like Princess Margaret'. Richard. Barber. 11 September 2016. The Daily Telegraph.
7. News: Cavendish . Dominic . Witty, bittersweet, tentative attempt to dramatise Princess Margaret's life, review . 26 February 2018. The Daily Telegraph.