Anxieties on and off the stage

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On the face of it the actress Anna Massey’s life would seem to have been a charmed one. The child of distinguished theatrical parents — Raymond Massey, the powerful Canadian actor, and Adrienne Allen, the original Sybil in Private Lives — Miss Massey was steeped in the world of the stage and made her first professional appearance in a West End starring role. Hers was the title part in The Reluctant Debutante, working with the greatest light comedienne of her time, Celia Johnson, and a fine supporting cast. Anna Massey more than held her own in their company.

Ever since, her career has been as interesting and varied as most players could wish: she did not stick with drawing-room comedy — a dying art form by the 1960s — but has appeared in all manner of genres, from classics at the National to Royal Court plays such as David Hare’s Slag.