Ian McKellen recalls the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking at the Paralympics, London 2012
STEPHEN HAWKING 1942- 2018
"One advantage of being a public
figure, is being asked to do special things," was Stephen Hawking’s reaction
to the invitation to be centre-stage at the Opening Ceremony (or show) for
the London Paralympic Games in 2012. "It will be an honour."
The huge stadium went totally
black; not a single selfie spoiling the effect. A cluster of brilliant
spotlights suddenly aimed down, onto the familiar, complicated wheelchair.
Its occupant, half-slumped, spoke through his computer to the athletes, whom
his condition symbolised. 50,000 of us gasped out loud and cheered.
In the wings, I was one of the
many fully-abled performers, waiting to present a tale of travel, the
future, the possible. I was a Prospero wizard in a robe of gold, leading his
daughter Miranda toward the unknown. Beneath the robe, temporarily easing my
prostate, I was wearing a catheter. So perhaps I wasn’t a total cheat, in
the company of the sportsfolk, achieving against the physical odds, whose
privates were maybe similarly encumbered.
It was the totality of Hawking’s
condition which was so moving: the mental vigour that was so exciting, even
when he was joking, which he seemed to have been often. Eddie Redmayne
captured the humour so well in his impersonation.
Backstage (even SH had to
rehearse all day) I was introduced by his nurse/carer and told that the
computer wasn’t working and that, while the IT lad fiddled below his chair,
he could only communicate through his eyes. "Ask him a yes/no question. If
he means "yes" he’ll blink the right eye: if "no", the left".
So: "Are you enjoying yourself?"
SH blinked "yes" and then blinked with the other eye, "no". And he ever so
slightly smiled.
Conversation being tricky, I
retired to learn my words. When I came back into the holding area, his
computer was working again, so now with his eye, he could write words on the
screen lodged in front of him. An impressively buxom young women leant over
him, full frontal, solicitous. He was clearly alert inside.
On the screen was his most recent message: "Are you
married?"