Top theatre director 76, is ‘ousted’ over lewd comments to his colleague, 29
He blames ‘loss of inhibitions’ on stroke
AN eminent theatre director was allegedly ousted from his own company after he told a colleague that if he were younger he would have approached her ‘like a rat up a drainpipe’.
Max Stafford-Clark, 76, left London’s Out of Joint theatre company last month after he reportedly made inappropriate and sexualised comments towards three women.
The members of staff said they were left feeling ‘objectified’ and in shock at his behaviour.
Gina Abolins, 29, a production assistant, told the theatre company’s board in July that the director, who uses a wheelchair, said to her: ‘Back in the day, I’d have been up you like a rat up a drainpipe.’
She claimed Mr Stafford-Clark asked her to try on a bikini and encouraged her to have casual sex so she could tell him about it.
Miss Abolins told The Guardian she felt ‘bullied and objectified’ by the director’s lewd comments and claimed he exerted ‘his power in a crude manner’.
Mr Stafford-Clark married his third wife Stella in 2010 and has a daughter, Kitty, from his second marriage. He has used a wheelchair and walking stick since 2006 when he suffered a stroke.
He explained to Miss Abolins that he could not do what he wanted with her because of his disability.
She claimed he added: ‘Now I’m a reformed character. My disability means I’m practically a virgin again.’
Miss Abolins made a formal complaint to the company in July. She was given leave and the director was suspended during an investigation. When he announced his retirement Mr Stafford-Clark claimed he was leaving to focus on his ‘freelance career’.
At the time, the theatre company praised him for ‘his fantastic commissions and bold revivals’ on social media, while others hailed his achievements as one of Britain’s most eminent directors.
Miss Abolins, who joined Out of Joint in 2016, said she was left feeling ‘upset, frustrated and a little angry’ when his behaviour was not mentioned in the announcement that he was leaving.
Two other women described their experiences with Mr Stafford-Clark. Steffi Holtz, 25, who was an assistant for the director, said she was left ‘in absolute shock’ at an alleged lewd comment. She also said he touched her on the bottom, commenting on her ‘nice a***’.
Playwright Rachel De-Lahay told The Guardian that Mr Stafford-Clark asked her about losing her virginity. She said she was angry with herself for answering the inappropriate question.
In a statement, Mr StaffordClark’s spokesman apologised on behalf of the director and said his ‘disinhibited’ behaviour was a result of his stroke.
He said: ‘Mr Stafford-Clark’s occasional loss of the ability to inhibit urges results in him displaying disinhibited and compulsive behaviour and his usual (at times provocative) behaviour being magnified, often causing inappropriate social behaviour.
‘Whilst this is an explanation it isn’t an attempt to dismiss his behaviour and he apologises for any offence caused.’
A spokesman for Out of Joint said: ‘Out of Joint is a responsible employer taking our duty of care, and that of maintaining confidence, extremely seriously.
‘In any environment, providing a forum for calling out inappropriate conduct is key, or it risks going undetected.
‘We admire, support and act swiftly, and effectively, to protect those who bravely use their voice to report wrongdoing concerns.’ The director, who was the longestserving artistic director of London’s Royal Court theatre, cofounded Out of Joint, a small touring company, with producer Sonia Friedman in 1993.
He started his career at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh and also co-founded the Joint Stock Theatre Company in 1974.
Under Mr Stafford-Clark’s leadership, Out of Joint has championed playwrights such as Caryl Churchill, April De Angelis and Richard Bean, and enjoyed soldout runs at the National Theatre.
‘Upset and a little angry’