From Latifah Taormina:
Richmond Shepard, R.I.P
He passed earlier today in NY. He was the world’s oldest living mime.
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-worlds-oldest-mime
Henrietta Music said he brought more people into Subud than almost any she
knew. He gave work to many of us in his theater endeavors. God bless,
dear brother, may you have a happy and rewarding journey home.
Hear an interview he gave at the Subud National Congress in Indianapolis in 2016, here:
http://subudgreaterseattle.com/interview-with-richmond-shepard/
May God bless our brother Richmond Shepard. I just listened to all three parts of Paul Nelson’s wonderful interview with Richmond, and it was inspiring and very refreshing. Thank you, Richmond, and thank you Paul.
What a lovely interesting man he was & so inspiringly creative. Just a joy to watch when he mimed/entertained. May you be carried home on angels wings Richmond.
He was one of a kind. Funny, kind, and lots of fun. God’s blessings for dear Richmond.
As teen/early 20’s, Richmond was both beloved helper–protecting me from those wanting to restrict my latihan at Hope Street Hall–and my mime instructor at his studio. He’d start class by asking his many (non-Subud) students to get quiet first, then say–in front of everyone–“Stefen, don’t go into latihan!” Then, decades later meeting him & other close ones at his intimate NYC studio latihan. My deep prayer for Richmond, now journeying into Light.
Richmond was an amazing and unique man. He marched to his own drum and some of us got a chance to be part of his parade. I’m sure he’s putting on a show with the angels as we speak. My sympathies to his family and friends. God Bless!
Richmond came to Albuquerque in 1973 just after he wrote his landmark book, Mime the Technique of Silence, which was the first book sharing many of the techniques from Etienne Decroux who was the father of Modern Mime in Paris. Richmond studied with Decrous as did Marcel Marceau. Richmond mentioned Subud again and again and a number of our Mime Troupe joined Subud in the next months. I also
joined and have spent a wonderful life active in Subud since June, 1973. Our company of mimes was called “The Mime Experiment Theater” and we did both mimo-dramas and commedia del’arte in the parks through New Mexico. Our technique jumped to a new high after work with Richmond. I did a short performance at the Subud USA Congress last week in honor of my mentor which I mostly improvised and calling it “The Life of a Mime: birth to death”. I will always a special place in my heart for dear Richmond. Marston Gregory
Thank you so much, Marston. It was always wonderful to see Richmond at Subud Congresses, and I saw him perform a few times. Your own performance in Albuquerque was beautifully done: so skilled, artful and poignant.
Thank you, Latifah, for posting this, and thank you to the Subud community for these lovely comments. I’ll share with my sisters. We have all felt these past eleven days that he’s still watching over us.
Much love and prayers to the family..
Richmond was such a great man, and entertainer, and was such fun to be around! Will never forget his workshops!!!
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