Hedda  Gabler
National Theatre production at the Cambridge Theatre, London
Premiered 29 June 1970
Role: George Tesman

Hedda Gabler, the classic play by Henrik Ibsen, was Swedish director Ingmar Bergman's first production outside Scandinavia. His Stockholm production toured to London in 1968, and two years later, he reprised it with actors from the National Theatre company.

In this latter production, Jeremy played the devoted George Tesman to Maggie Smith's aristocratic, cold Hedda Gabler. It was considered one of Jeremy's best performances.

The production also enabled Jeremy to share the stage with his old friend Robert Stephens (who at the time was married to Maggie Smith). Robert played Eilert Lövborg, an academic rival to Tesman.

An Ingmar Bergman site described the legendary director's reaction to his English cast:

In England, Bergman met actors with a different rehearsal routine than in Scandinavia: "Their professionalism and speed frightened me a little. […] They had learned their lines by the first rehearsal. As soon as they had the scenery, they started acting at a fast tempo. I asked to slow down a little and they loyally tried to, but it bewildered them."

Nevertheless, a New York Times critic praised Bergman's masterful job:

"The cast assembled by the National Theater seems superbly sensitive to Mr. Bergman's interpretation, and the actors follow him with precisely that teamlike dedication characteristic of his film actors."

In Bergman's conception of Hedda Gabler, Jeremy played George Tesman a new way -- not the usual bungling fool but a very presentable, handsome young man who just happened to be too dull, too scholarly and too conventional for his wife.

At this point in his career, Jeremy was happy with the role and with his life. He told a theater critic: "I feel I've woken up at last. I've never really given myself credit for being an actor until now. Suddenly, I've aged a bit, I believe that I'm not a pretender. I more determined, more experienced..."

Wikipedia page about the play

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