Acting Dynasty Attends Rites : Redgrave Funeral: Poetry and Songs

Three generations of a British theatrical dynasty attended the funeral today of its patriarch, Sir Michael Redgrave, paying their last respects in poetry and song.

His wife, actress Rachel Kempson, and daughters Vanessa and Lynn were the principal mourners among the 150 family members and friends who gathered for the brief service at Mortlake crematory in west London.

Redgrave died Thursday of Parkinson’s disease at the age of 77.

There was no religious service and no priest. Actors paid tribute with readings from Shakespeare and Milton, and with songs.

Mourners from the world of the theater and the arts included Maggie Smith, Dorothy Tutin, Ian McKellen and violinist Yehudi Menuhin.

Portrayed in Shakespearean Costume

Three portraits of Redgrave in his foremost Shakespearean roles--Hamlet, King Lear and Marc Antony--rested by the flower-decked coffin.

Corin Redgrave, in a memorial address, recalled his father’s “awesome” voice in one of his finest roles as Hamlet. “It was like thunder. No recording machine then could take such a crescendo,” Redgrave said.

His father retained his interest in Shakespeare to the end, Redgrave said. One of his last outings was to see granddaughter Natasha Richardson, Vanessa’s child by director Tony Richardson, playing Ophelia in “Hamlet” at London’s Young Vic theater two weeks ago.

Natasha read a passage from “The Winter’s Tale” today.

Actor Ian Charleson sang “My Time of Day,” one of Sir Michael’s favorite songs, from “Guys and Dolls.”

Dame Peggy Ashcroft, a longtime stage partner of Redgrave who won an Oscar award Monday for best supporting actress in “A Passage to India,” had planned to read from Shakespeare at the service but was sick with the flu.