Playwright and Writer
Born in Guyana in 1938, Michael John Abbensetts was one of the most distinguished writers of his generation. The dialogues he wrote were often irreverent, addressing the cultural differences emerging in a changing Britain. In the seventies and eighties, his name was well-known, although his recent death has not garnered attention.
Abbensetts was the son of Neville John, a prominent Guyanese doctor. His father cast a big shadow from which, in his early life, he could not escape. He cited this as the biggest reason he chose to migrate to Canada to study to become a writer in his late teens. Seeking anonymity, he wrote under his mother's maiden name, Abbensetts.
The first writings of Abbensetts’ were short stories. He then decided to become a playwright after seeing John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger in Montreal. The realist play changed British theatre, encouraging Abbensetts’ to move to London. There, Abbensetts would often frequent the Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square, where his first play Sweet Talk was performed. He went on to become one of the theatre’s resident writers.
Abbensetts’s writing dealt with complex themes in a very accessible way and transferred easily to the screen. His first television broadcast, The Museum Attendant, featured on BBC 2, and many successful stage and television productions followed throughout the 1970s.
His greatest success is often thought to be Empire Road, a successful series that broke the mould of British TV. The programme was the first series to be black written, directed and produced. Described as “the first serious attempt at a long-running drama on British television addressing Britain's growing multi-racial society,” it did not last. It is surprising that despite its relative success, the programme was decommissioned.
Abbensetts's work continued to be featured on TV and the West End stage. His plays were also performed across the country, resonating with a nation dealing with cultural change. Towards the end of his career, Abbensetts took to teaching. He taught at higher education establishments, including the University of North London.
In his last years, his health declined due to Alzheimer’s disease. He died on 24th November 2016 and was cremated at Kensal Green Cemetery in December 2016. In a year where many stars received glowing eulogies, Abbensetts was remembered by far too few.
Abbensetts was the son of Neville John, a prominent Guyanese doctor. His father cast a big shadow from which, in his early life, he could not escape. He cited this as the biggest reason he chose to migrate to Canada to study to become a writer in his late teens. Seeking anonymity, he wrote under his mother's maiden name, Abbensetts.
The first writings of Abbensetts’ were short stories. He then decided to become a playwright after seeing John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger in Montreal. The realist play changed British theatre, encouraging Abbensetts’ to move to London. There, Abbensetts would often frequent the Royal Court Theatre in Sloane Square, where his first play Sweet Talk was performed. He went on to become one of the theatre’s resident writers.
Abbensetts’s writing dealt with complex themes in a very accessible way and transferred easily to the screen. His first television broadcast, The Museum Attendant, featured on BBC 2, and many successful stage and television productions followed throughout the 1970s.
His greatest success is often thought to be Empire Road, a successful series that broke the mould of British TV. The programme was the first series to be black written, directed and produced. Described as “the first serious attempt at a long-running drama on British television addressing Britain's growing multi-racial society,” it did not last. It is surprising that despite its relative success, the programme was decommissioned.
Abbensetts's work continued to be featured on TV and the West End stage. His plays were also performed across the country, resonating with a nation dealing with cultural change. Towards the end of his career, Abbensetts took to teaching. He taught at higher education establishments, including the University of North London.
In his last years, his health declined due to Alzheimer’s disease. He died on 24th November 2016 and was cremated at Kensal Green Cemetery in December 2016. In a year where many stars received glowing eulogies, Abbensetts was remembered by far too few.
