JMK Patrons Clare Menzies-Kitchin and Sir Ian McKellen at a JMK Trustee night
‘It’s with great sadness that I pass on the news that our former Trustee, patron and mother to James, Clare Menzies Kitchin MBE has died.
Clare’s support was a prerequisite when we set up the JMK Trust in 1996. She and her husband Graham lent their weight to the charity, initially at a distance, but we swiftly came to depend upon her fundraising acumen, enthusiasm and skill. At that time, together Clare and I would read every one of the 100+ JMK Award applications – a lengthy process involving hours of opinionated debate. The directors whose productions we all see populating our cinemas, streaming platforms and leading theatres were funded and chosen via her unstoppable drive and commitment.
It was this work that led to her receiving the MBE in 2012. Work that she continued after her husband Graham’s death two years later, right up until the present when in April she made the phone call to inform this year’s JMK recipient that they had won; our 25th JMK Award winner.
Whether discussing play choices, theatre, cookery or people Clare had a view. Unabashed, she was unafraid to share it; over a drink, at a fundraising event, at the side of a rehearsal room- you knew what she thought.
Clare Menzies-Kitchin (centre) with Trustee Cordellia O’ Neill (left) and daughter Pepi O’ Neill at a JMK Trustee night
Despite ill health, and Covid restrictions, Clare had continued to visit London from her home in Warwickshire and support the four JMK Award shows mounted at the Orange Tree Theatre during the pandemic. She was living at home until the day before she died. Our resolve, but crucially our ability to bounce back and ‘make lemonade’ in such challenging times is due in no small part to her example following James’ death.
All of us at the JMK trust will miss her greatly.’
Stephen Fewell
Chair
JMK Trust
‘When close friends and colleagues were working out how to honour the memory of the brilliant young director James Menzies-Kitchin, we all knew that James’ prodigious talent was very closely connected to his relationship with his Mum.
A fierce creative soul herself, she was his chief encourager and champion, his tireless supporter, his publicist, his muse and his soulmate. Grieving for him, she put all of that energy into the establishment of the JMK Trust and to the careers of the generations of directors who have benefited from it during its 27 years, not just the winners, but every finalist, every applicant received her care, her attention and her advocacy.
She knew and understood the fundamentals of creativity – that it is just as frightening as it is exhilarating and that the most precious gift you can give an artist is belief in their talent. She had that belief in her son, and when he died, hundreds of extraordinary theatre artist were the inheritors of it.’
Tom Morris
Patron and Founding Chair
JMK Trust
Press enquiries: katieMD@katemorleypr.com
Other enquiries: stephen@jmktrust.org
Clare’s family have requested that any donations in her memory be made to the JMK Trust. These will be used to support our August O’Neill runner-up awards.
