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The Herald Scotland

Tributes to Dundonian who became eminent director of the stars

Died: June 10, 2025 Alan Strachan, who has died aged 80, was a Dundonian who became an eminent theatre director and had success directing plays by the likes of Noel Coward, Terene Rattigan and Alan Ayckbourn. He also administered two theatres, the Mermaid in the City and the Greenwich Theatre, always choosing seasons that were attractive, imaginative and cast with stars that wanted to return to the live theatre after success elsewhere. His prestigious productions were often seen in Scotland and included a revival of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1994) with Patricia Hodge as the spinster Miss Brodie and Edith Macarthur as the headmistress. Another notable achievement was the 2007 production of Ayckbourn's How the Other Half Loves - of which The Herald critic wrote 'the evening features a superb central performance from Nicholas Le Prevost'. In 2009 Strachan also had a great success with Entertaining Angels by Richard Everett starring Penelope Keith. In 2021 Strachan directed A Splinter of Ice to reopen the King;s [[Theatre]], Edinburgh, after its refurbishment. The play dealt with Kim Philby, safe in Moscow, justifying his treachery. Alan Lochart Thomson Strachan was born in Dundee, the second son of Ellen (nee Graham), who worked in the city's jam factories, and Roualeyn Strachan, a seed and plants manager in D&W Croll. Strachan attended Morgan Academy then read English literature at St Andrews University and Merton College, Oxford. He was active in the various theatre groups at Oxford and in 1969 appeared in Twelfth Night directed by Jonathan Miller. At St Andrews he spent much of his spare time working backstage at the Byre Theatre. There he met Jennifer Piercey who was appearing on stage. They married in 1977. When he came down from Oxford, Strachan worked at the Mermaid Theatre then directed by Bernard Miles. He was appointed co-associate director and scored a hit with Cowardy Custard in 1972 which he co-devised and directed. Coward came to the first night and caused quite a stir. Patricia Routledge was one of the stars and said of that first night, 'Coward was really quite frail by then and he had to be helped in through a fire door. The audience gave him a huge welcome. It was a memorable night.' The show had long runs in the west end and on Broadway. It was seen at the Pitlochry Festival in 1984. Read more 'He never gave up': tributes to patriarch of Scottish undertakers | The Herald Tributes to 'Mr Stirling': journalist dedicated to his home town | The Herald Tributes to countess who modernised royal Scottish castle | The Herald One of Strachan's outstanding successes was to direct the (then) ignored plays of Terrence Rattigan. In 1988 he directed the first West End revival of The Deep Blue Sea, starring Penelope Keith. Strachan's subtle direction brought a fresh appraisal of the play and allowed Keith to display real dramatic skills away from TV's The Good Life. In 1971 Strachan directed at the Mermaid Theatre The Old Boys by William Trevor. He cast Michael Redgrave in the lead despite knowing the actor had serious memory and nerve problems. Rehearsals went well but as the first night approached, Redgrave was a bag of nerves. 'Lines which were ringing with assurance now were stumbled for or escaped him completely,' Strachan wrote. The previews were a nightmare and Strachan evolved an ingenious scheme. He climbed into a tiny cubbyhole off-stage and communicated with Redgrave on a walkie-talkie and cued the actor his lines. All went well except when the hearing aid fell from Redgrave's ear with a resounding crash and, worse, one night Redgrave fiddled with the volume and the audience heard an intercom with a London taxi. Penelope Keith (Image: Newsquest) Strachan had a keen insight into the plays of Coward. He keenly developed their subtle comedy and in 1981 directed a feisty production of Present Laughter with Donald Sinden playing the lead as a rascal. From 1978 Strachan directed the Greenwich Theatre for ten years where he staged a wonderful assortment of plays that established the theatre as progressive and forward-thinking. While running Greenwich he maintained a close interest in the west end and in particular with Alec Guinness. In 1975 Guinness played the lead and Strachan directed Julian Mitchell's adaptation of Ivy Compton-Burnett's novel, A Family and a Fortune, with Guinness and Rachel Kempson and then Yahoo an intense study of Jonathan Swift, the 17th-century Irish satirist. Strachan was also a noted biographer and in addition to writing biographies of Vivien Leigh, Michael Redgrave and Bernard Miles, he wrote the biography of his long-term collaborator, the West End producer Sir Michael Codron (Putting It On). In the past few years Strachan and his wife had lived in Invergowrie. She predeceased him and he is survived by his elder brother. ALASDAIR STEVEN At The Herald, we carry obituaries of notable people from the worlds of business, politics, arts and sport but sometimes we miss people who have led extraordinary lives. That's where you come in. If you know someone who deserves an obituary, please consider telling us about their lives. Contact