Sonia Fraser obituary
by Rachael Bickerton
theguardian.com, Wednesday 11 December 2013 09.56 EST
In addition to her career in theatre and broadcasting, Sonia Fraser became a psychotherapist in later years
My mum, Sonia Fraser, who has died aged 76, began her 60-year career in the theatre when she "ran away" from home to join the Bristol Old Vic theatre school. In her words: "I went off at 15 with a copy of Shakespeare and a pair of tights and thought, 'This is what I want to do.' "
She worked tirelessly and with great passion, as an actor and later as a director and writer. Her acting roles included Katherine to Albert Finney's Henry V at the Birmingham Rep in 1957; Elizabeth Vernon in the BBC TV production Elizabeth R (1971); and Arwen in the 1981 BBC Radio 4 dramatisation of JRR Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. Mum loved to talk of her days as a member of the BBC Radio Rep and seasons at the Royal Shakespeare Company.
But it was directing about which she was really passionate. She was particularly excited by working with new writers, and was awarded three Fringe Firsts at the Edinburgh festival, for Gertrude Stein and a Companion (1984), Bright Star in a Dark Sky: A life of Maria Malibran (1990) and Soup (1995). She also won the Green Room award in Sydney, Australia, for Gertrude Stein and a Companion. Dickens' Women (1989), which she co-wrote and directed with Miriam Margolyes, received an Olivier nomination in 1991.
Sonia was born in London, the younger of two children of Alec, a tailor, and Betsy Fraser.
She had done an audition, won a place and applied for a grant to go to the Bristol Old Vic school before telling her parents and, although they were horrified at the idea, they let her go, to "get it out of her system".
Mum taught at various drama schools, including Guildhall, Lamda and the Drama Studio London. She loved returning to teach and direct at Bristol Old Vic, where she was teaching until earlier this year.
Sonia also touched many people's lives in her later years in her work as a psychotherapist. She trained at the Centre for Counselling and Psychotherapy Education in London; and many of her clients were students from drama schools where she taught.
Sonia is survived by her brother, Cedric; children, Matthew, Tristan and me; and grandson, Tim.
R.I.P. Sonia Fraser
For discussions of subjects relating to literature and theater.
Return to “The Cam Dagg Memorial Theatre and Literature Forum”
Jump to
- Announcements
- ↳ General Announcements
- Introductions
- ↳ Let Me Introduce Myself...
- The Academy Awards
- ↳ The 10th Decade
- ↳ 97th Academy Awards
- ↳ 96th Academy Awards
- ↳ 95th Academy Awards
- ↳ 94th Academy Awards
- ↳ 93rd Academy Awards
- ↳ 92nd Academy Awards
- ↳ 91st Academy Awards
- ↳ The 9th Decade
- ↳ 90th Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 90th Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 89th Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 89th Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 88th Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 88th Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 87th Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 87th Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 86th Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 86th Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 85th Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 85th Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 84th Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 84th Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 83rd Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 83rd Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 82nd Nominations and Winners
- ↳ 82nd Predictions and Precursors
- ↳ 81st and Other 9th Decade Discussions
- ↳ The 8th Decade
- ↳ The Damien Bona Memorial Oscar History Thread
- ↳ Other Oscar Discussions
- General Film Discussions
- ↳ 2020s
- ↳ Coming Soon
- ↳ 2024
- ↳ 2023
- ↳ 2022
- ↳ 2021
- ↳ 2020
- ↳ 2010s
- ↳ 2019
- ↳ 2018
- ↳ 2017
- ↳ 2016
- ↳ 2015
- ↳ 2014
- ↳ 2013
- ↳ 2012
- ↳ 2011
- ↳ 2010
- ↳ 2000s
- ↳ 2009
- ↳ 2008
- ↳ 2000 - 2007
- ↳ The First Century
- ↳ Dream Projects
- ↳ The People
- ↳ Other Film Discussions
- Miscellaneous Discussions
- ↳ Help Forum
- ↳ DVD Discussions
- ↳ Current Events
- ↳ Broadcast Media
- ↳ The Cam Dagg Memorial Theatre and Literature Forum
- ↳ General Off-Topic