The film documents conversations between actresses Eileen Atkins, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith (all of whom are Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire) interspersed with scenes from their careers on film and stage.

Who are the 4 dames of British acting?

TEA WITH THE DAMES is a unique celebration of the lives and careers of four of our most iconic actresses; Dame Eileen Atkins, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Joan Plowright and Dame Maggie Smith. All four have gone from being fledgling actresses in the 1950s to acting royalty.

Who are the grand dames of British Theatre?

Who are the four dames on TV?

Dames Eileen Atkins, Judi Dench, Joan Plowright and Maggie Smith have let the cameras in on a friendship that goes back more than half a century. The four acting greats discuss their careers and reminisce about their humble beginnings in the theatre.

What are the ages of the four dames?

The four old friends are, in alphabetical order, Dame Eileen Atkins, 84; Dame Judi Dench, 83; Dame Joan Plowright, 88; and Dame Maggie Smith, 83.

Tea with the Dames Movie Clip - Who is the First Dame? (2018) | Movieclips Indie

Who is a famous Dame?

Dame Diana Rigg

Best known for her role as Emma Peel in the iconic 60s TV series “The Avengers”, her other performances led critics to proclaim her one of the greatest actresses on the British stage.

Which English actresses have been made dames?

What actresses are also dames?

Dame Judi Dench, 89, legend of stage and screen who has an Oscar, 10 Baftas and eight Olivier Awards. Dame Vanessa Redgrave, 87, also has an Oscar plus numerous Shakespeare credits. Dame Penelope Keith, 83, the star of sitcoms like The Good Life and To The Manor Born.

What British actress has the title Dame?

Dame Judith Olivia Dench CH OBE DBE FRSA (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Widely considered one of Britain's greatest actors, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her numerous roles on the stage.

Who appoints dames?

Honours are announced and awarded twice a year by His Majesty The King, with lists consisting of knights and dames, appointments to the Order of the British Empire, and gallantry and bravery awards.

Who are Camilla's dames in Shakespeare?

Camilla was greeted on her arrival at London's Grosvenor House Hotel by a host of actors who have played Hamlet including Brian Cox, Jeremy Irons and David Mitchell. She was then received by a dozen dames, including Dame Twiggy Lawson, Dame Vanessa Redgrave and Baroness Floella Benjamin.

Do dames get knighted?

In conclusion, women can be knighted in the UK Royal Honours system, and the title of “Dame” is considered to be of equal value to the title of “Sir.” While there are ongoing debates about the gendered nature of these titles, the tradition of knighthood remains an important part of British culture and history.

Why are some British actresses called Dame?

The British Dames are a group of women who have achieved greatness in a specific field. For example, actress Dame Judi Dench was awarded the title for her contributions to art and entertainment. Many Dames, however, are not well-known outside their field.

Is Helen Mirren knighted?

Dame Helen Mirren met the Queen before she became the Queen herself — on-screen in The Queen and onstage in The Audience — when she was awarded a damehood in 2003. However, due to some political disagreements, accepting the honor was a decision she briefly grappled with, before deciding to accept.

Who has the title of Dame?

Dame is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the British honours system and those of several other Commonwealth realms, such as Australia and New Zealand, with the masculine form of address being Sir.

Do husbands of dames have a title?

The husband of a dame is not accorded a courtesy title. A dame and her husband would jointly be addressed as: Dame Joan and Mr John Grant, or. Mr John and Dame Joan Grant.

Who has refused a damehood?

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders

The comedy duo refused OBEs in 2001, with Saunders saying: "If I felt I deserved a damehood I'd accept it. "At the time, we felt that we were being paid very well to have a lot of fun. It didn't seem right somehow. "We didn't deserve a pat on the back.

What actress turned down damehood?

Jennifer Saunders reportedly said of her OBE refusal; “If I felt I deserved a Damehood I'd accept it.” She went on to say that being paid so well to have fun meant that she and her costar Dawn French didn't deserve the recognition and that it felt fake to stand alongside people who had dedicated their lives to worthy ...

Who is the most famous actress in Britain?

1. Maggie Smith. One of the world's most famous and distinguished actresses, Dame Maggie Smith was born Margaret Natalie Smith in Essex.

Who was the most famous female actress on the British stage during the restoration period?

Born in 1650, Nell Gwynn (right) made her first appearance on the stage at about age 16 and became one of the most famous actresses of the Restoration. She was a favored mistress of Charles II and eventually had two children with him.

Do dames have to be British?

The rule is that you have to be a subject of Her Majesty to be able to actually use the title of Sir or Dame if you are awarded it. As she is Queen of 15 countries, of course the answer is yes. Aussies, Kiwis, Canucks… they can all be Dames.

Who is Judi Dench's best friend?

"They just crack each other up and have a lovely time," said writer Ol Parker.

Does Maggie Smith have Graves disease?

In January 1988, Smith was diagnosed with Graves' disease, for which she underwent radiotherapy and optical surgery. In 2007, The Sunday Telegraph disclosed that Smith had been diagnosed with breast cancer. In 2009, she was reported to have made a full recovery.

Who is the actor that looks like Maggie Smith?

Joan Cusack Totally Looks Like Maggie Smith.