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Spotlight on: Felicity Kendal Felicity Kendal has been a defining presence in British theatre and television for more than five decades. Born in the West Midlands, she grew up touring with her family’s repertory company in India before returning to the UK in her teens. Instead of formal drama school, Kendal’s training was shaped by the stage itself; she learned her craft through constant performance, observation, and the discipline of repertory theatre. Her long-standing professional relationship with playwright Tom Stoppard became a defining thread in her career. The two worked together repeatedly from the early 1980s onwards, and Kendal originated roles in several of Stoppard’s major plays, establishing one of modern theatre’s most significant actor-writer collaborations. Along the way, she earned multiple honours, including a BAFTA nomination, the Clarence Derwent Award, and the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress. In 1995 she received a CBE for her services to Drama. Where have you seen her before? Kendal’s stage career flourished through the 1980s and 1990s, particularly through her close association with Tom Stoppard. She starred in the first productions of On the Razzle , The Real Thing , Hapgood , and Arcadia , roles that showcased her precision, timing, and intellectual lightness. She also became one of director Peter Hall ’s most frequent collaborators, appearing in ten of his productions.