It is with great sadness that we learnt of our beloved friend and former colleague John Martlew passing away at his home in Sheffield on 7 February, aged 92.

John joined the Department of English and American Studies in the early 1990s and taught courses in British Studies and Practical Language there until his retirement. Having set up a tradition of staging the plays of William Shakespeare with students of English and Translation Studies early in his time with the Department, he proceeded to mount numerous accomplished productions, many of which occurred long after his retirement, with John travelling to Prague from England to direct them. He was an excellent teacher and a genuine mentor to dozens of students, and his work for the stage with first-time actors was truly memorable. As Mariana Machová, who performed in John’s very first Shakespearean production – A Midsummer Night’s Dream – succinctly put it, “John was an amazingly creative, patient and respectful director and a wonderful human being. And so much fun to be around.” Later graduates of the Department, Jakub Boguszak and David Grosser, fondly reminisce:

“Everyone who knew John will remember his extraordinary kindness, generosity, and wit. His exuberance was infectious, and he inspired generations of students with his mission to bring English theatre to Prague. We were fortunate to be part of four of his Shakespeare productions at Charles University, indeed we first met while rehearsing The Comedy of Errors, and we have many fond memories of those shows. John remained a dear friend long after our graduation, and we will always be grateful for all he taught us, for the wonderful community he built around his productions, and for the good times we had together.”

John Martlew will be greatly missed, and his memory will be cherished. May he rest in peace.

We are happy to share a few photos of John, kindly provided by one of his co-directors, Eva Bilská.