Remembering John J Johnston (1965-2025)
All of us in the extended Gentle Furies family were shocked and saddened to learn of the
death of John J Johnston in the morning of the 28 August 2025. John had been with us as a
trustee since 2019 and chair of that board since 2024.
John was a real larger-than-life character. As an Egyptologist, classicist, and cultural
historian, John was a prolific writer. His interests extended far beyond the ancient world – he
was a world expert on Doctor Who and possessed deep, wide-ranging knowledge of
twentieth-century British film and television, especially Hammer horror. His social media
pages attracted a suitably cult following for his posts about greater- and lesser-known stars
of the 50s, 60s and 70s, not least the array of British thesps who populated classic hits such
as I, Claudius. He made frequent documentary appearances and gave regular lectures.
John was known for his customary three-piece cream suits with accompanying pocket
watch, distinctive spectacles, acerbic wit, and sonorous laugh. We’ll miss that laugh
especially.
We first crossed paths with John when he invited our co-artistic director, David Bullen, to be
interviewed as part of his annual ‘Objects of Desire’ event at the Petrie Museum, UCL.
Guests would select objects from the Petrie’s vast Egyptian collection that resonated with
their interests or caught their eye, and John would interview them on stage about their
choices – a sort of queer, Egyptological, in-person Desert Island Discs. David recalls fondly
their chat about an adorable pink hippo statuette sacred to the god Set and about an image
of Emperor Hadrian’s beloved Antinous. John was a particular expert in both Set and
Antinous – it was at the wine reception after the event that he told David more about the
queer and ecological aspects of Egyptian myth, thus sowing some of the earliest seeds for
projects blossoming only now.
From the off, then, John began to have an influence on us. We were thrilled when he later
agreed to join us as a trustee, bringing substantial governance experience that helped
nurture our transition into a charitable incorporated organisation. As chair, he never stopped
pushing us to be our very best. He championed our vision and encouraged us to keep
expanding our horizons. We are heartbroken that he will not be able to see the work we had
been developing during his time as chair.
John was married to the wonderful John Cunningham – they had been together since they
met as undergraduates in Liverpool in the early 80s, and made headlines when, in 2016,
they became the first same-sex couple to marry in a church. They remained devoted to one
another – we are all thinking of John C, and their beloved dog Augustus, at present.
In his popular social media posts, John would mark the passing of a star from yesteryear
with a tribute ending in the Latin for ‘farewell’. So, as is only appropriate, here’s to a man
who was truly one of a kind and who will be deeply missed: vale!
Emma Cole is Senior Lecturer in Drama and ARC DECRA Senior Research Fellow at the University of Queensland. She is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and the Higher Education Academy. Emma is a classicist and a theatre historian and is an expert on Greek tragedy in contemporary theatre. Her prior publications include Punchdrunk on the Classics: Experiencing Immersion in The Burnt City and Beyond (2023), Postdramatic Tragedies (2019), and Adapting Translation for the Stage (co-edited with Geraldine Brodie, 2017).
David Haines is a retired consultant, working as a specialist in new technology products for some forty years, mostly in start-ups. In recent years he’s been concentrating on social enterprises in the adult social care sector, and I’m currently volunteering for a new Community Land Trust in Devon, where he’s lived since 1997. A lifelong interest in the Arts, especially Theatre, Dance, and Music, has led David to be a Trustee of the Theatre of the Gentle Furies. In his youth he ran and built adventure playgrounds, worked as a sculptor’s assistant, and helped to run a long running community festival in Oxford. He has described himself as a fan boy…
John J Johnston is a freelance Egyptologist, Classicist, and cultural historian. He brings substantial governance experience to the Theatre of the Gentle Furies as Ambassador for the International Society for the Study of Egyptomania, and former Vice-Chair of the Egypt Exploration Society. John’s research interests encompass mortuary archaeology, ancient sexualities, and modern receptions of the ancient world. He has lectured extensively at major cultural institutions throughout the UK. In addition to contributing numerous articles to both academic and general publications, he has co-edited three volumes, been shortlisted for a prestigious BSFA Award, and appeared on many television and Blu-ray documentaries.
Liz Schafer is Professor of Drama and Theatre Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London. Her publications include MsDirecting Shakespeare: Women Direct Shakespeare, performance histories of The Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night, and a biography of Lilian Baylis. She has edited Richard Brome’s The City Wit and The Northern Lass for Oxford University Press. Recent publications include Theatre & Christianity and Shakespeare and Eco-Performance History: ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’. She has dramaturged Margaret of Anjou, a ‘new’ play by Shakespeare, and Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam, Fair Queen of Jewry (1613). She is currently co-writing Shakespeare in the Theatre: Phyllida Lloyd with David Bullen.
Tzu-I Liao is a former Hellenist turned product manager specialising in research big data. With an academic background in ancient Greek political rhetoric and stylistics, she now focuses on advancing research integrity and innovation through technology. A lifelong enthusiast of classical Greek and theatre, her passion led her to become both a fan and, eventually, a trustee of the Theatre of the Gentle Furies.