Actresses Judi Dench and Sian Phillips are set to become the first two female members of the Garrick Club. The private members’ club, one of London’s oldest, has been increasingly criticised for being a male-only club.
According to the Guardian, the Garrick Club on Monday night named Judi Dench, 89, and Sian Phillips, 91, as “eminent members”.
The institution, founded in 1831 and located in the Covent Garden district of central London, counts among its members many judges and lawyers, journalists, senior civil servants and politicians.
Like other prestigious clubs, the Garrick was reserved for men under an ancient rule, regularly denounced as archaic and a symbol of male insularity in places of power and influence. According to a list revealed in March by The Guardian, King Charles III and actors Brian Cox (Succession) and Benedict Cumberbatch are among them.
The publication of the list increased pressure on the club to admit women. The head of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) Richard Moore and Downing Street Secretary Simon Case, the country’s most senior civil servant, announced they were leaving the Garrick Club. Then, in a vote in May, members voted in favour of opening the club to women.
Accelerated membership
Judi Dench, who first shone on stage, became known worldwide for her role as “M”, James Bond’s boss. She is the most decorated English actress with two Oscars, two Golden Globes, ten Baftas (British Academy Of Film And Television Arts) and multiple theatre awards.
Siân Phillips is a Welsh actress, best known for her stage roles. In film, she has played several times with Peter O’Toole, whom she was married to. She appeared in David Lynch’s 1984 film Dune.
They were granted fast-track membership at the annual members’ meeting. Several other women are expected to join the club, including former Home Secretary Amber Rudd and Channel 4 journalist Cathy Newman. But traditional membership can take between two and five years.
The Garrick Club did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment. In 2015, a vote on admitting women at the Garrick failed to garner a sufficient majority. In 2021, a petition was supported by Cherie Blair, a renowned lawyer and wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. She recounted how in 1976, she had to stay outside while her future husband had been allowed in.
This article was published automatically. Sources: ats / afp
