Sara Kestelman (born 12 May 1944) is an English actress, who is known for her roles as Lady Frances Brandon in the 1986 film Lady Jane, Fräulein Schneider in the 1993 London revival of the musical Cabaret (for which she won an Olivier award), as well as for providing the voice of Kreia in Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (2004).

Life and career Sara Kestelman was born on 12 May 1944 in London, the daughter of Dorothy Mary (née Creagh), a dress designer, and Morris Kestelman, an artist. Her father was Jewish, from a family from Russia.

During the 1970s Ms. Kestelman appeared in Granada Television's daytime drama series Crown Court, in which she played the part of Barrister Ann Merritt Q.C.

In 1994, she won a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for "Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical" for her performance as Fräulein Schneider in Cabaret in the London revival of the show. She has performed with the Royal National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Kestelman joined the latter in 1968 but left in 1973 when she had her first film role in Zardoz. In 1982, she played Lady Macbeth.

Kestelman wrote a book of poetry, A Two Hander, with Susan Penhaligon. It was published by The Do-Not Press in 1996.

She voiced the character Kreia in the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1974 Zardoz May1975 Lisztomania Princess Carolyn1976Break of Day Alice1986Lady JaneFrances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk1997 Love Story: Berlin 1942 Narrator2006Ex Memoria (short) Eva

TV Year Series Episode Role Notes1955Dixon of Dock Green"The Executioners" (No. 13.4) 22 October 1966Sonia Watts1971The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes"The Mystery of the Amber Beads" (No. 2.13) 16 April 1973Hagar1975BBC2 Playhouse"Mrs Ackland's Ghosts"Mrs Ackland1975Jack Flea's Birthday CelebrationRuth1975Under Western Eyes1976The New Avengers"Sleeper" (No. 1.10) 19 December 1976Tina1976-1984Crown Courteight episodesAnn Merritt1978KeanElena, Countess de Koefeld1981Nationwide (No. 13.129) 16 July 19811981Bergerac"See You in Moscow" (No. 1.5) 15 November 1981 Margaret Semplecredited as Sarah Kestelman1985Lady Windermere's FanDuchess of Berwick1989Somewhere to RunMagistrate1991The War That Never EndsPresenter (voice)1991The Last RomanticsQueenie Leavis1991Van der Valk"Doctor Hoffmann's Children" (No. 4.1) 16 January 1991Monika Hendricks1993Cabaret Fräulein Schneider1996Brazen HussiesMadame Zarene1997Kavanagh QC"Ancient History" (No. 3.3) 17 March 1997Halina Birnbaum1997The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling Mrs. Wilkinsminiseries1998Invasion: Earth Group Capt. Susan Prestonminiseries1998The Going WrongTessa Mandeville2000Relic Hunter"Memories of Montmartre" (No. 1.22) 22 May 2000Simone DeGuerre2000Anna KareninaCountess Vronskayaminiseries2001Mind Games Dr. Davina Ward2001Hindenburg Disaster: Probable CauseNarrator2003Ultimate ForceSeries 2, episode 2 'Mad Dogs'Lady Lee2003Trial & Retribution VII Judge Emily Hilliard2004Casualty"Finding Faith" (No. 18.29) 13 March 2004Mary Wynne2005Midsomer Murders "Hidden Depths" (No. 9.1)Bernie2011Holby City"Old Habits" (No. 13.42) 8 February 2011Clarice Parker2020Inside No 9"Thinking Out Loud" (No. 5.5) 2 March 2020Therapist2022This Is Going to HurtEpisode 2 Episode 3Magda Winnicka2025Down Cemetery RoadEpisode 2-5Janice

Documentaries Reputations – Wiesenthal and Lord Kitchener Horizon – Beyond a Joke

Theatre The Importance of Being Earnest ~ (Library Theatre, Manchester, England) The Crucible ~ (Library Theatre, Manchester, England) The Physicists ~ (Library Theatre, Manchester, England) A Midsummer Night's Dream ~ 1970 – Titania (Royal Shakespeare Theatre) Enemies ~ 1971 – (Aldwych Theatre, London, England) Macbeth ~ 1972 – Lady Macbeth (Birmingham Rep. England) Marquise of Keith ~ 1974 – Mona/Anna (Aldwych Theatre, London, England) Bedroom Farce ~ 1977 – (National Theatre, Lyttelton Theatre, London, England) State of Revolution ~ 1977 – Kollontai (Repertory Theatre, Birmingham/The Lyttelton Theatre, London, England) Twelve Repertoire Leaflets ~ 1978 – (National Theatre, London, England) The Double Dealer ~ 1978/9 – (Olivier Theatre, London, England) As You Like It ~ 1979 – Rosalind (National Theatre, London, England) Undiscovered Country ~ 1979 – (Olivier Theatre, London, England) The Fruits of Enlightenment ~ 1979 – Lady with the Monocle (Royal National Theatre, London, England) Eleven Repertoire Leaflets ~ 1979 – Nine Repertoire Leaflets ~ 1980 – (National Theatre, London, England) Childe Byron ~ 1981 – (Young Vic, London, England) Macbeth ~ 1982 – (Royal Shakespeare Company, England) Love for Love ~ 1985 – (Lyttelton Theatre, London, England) Repertoire Leaflet ~ 1985/6 – (National Theatre, London, England) The Threepenny Opera ~ 1986 – (Olivier Theater, London, England) Four Repertoire Leaflets ~ 1986 – (Royal National Theatre, London, England) The American Clock ~ 1986 – (Royal National Theatre, London, England) Dalliance ~ 1986 – (Lyttelton Theatre, London, England) Lettice and Lovage ~ 1988 – (West End, London, England) Point Valaine ~ 1991 – Linda Valaine (Minerva Studio, Chichester, UK) (see Actor Connections – Theatre) Cabaret ~ 1993 – Fraulein Schneider (Donmar Warehouse, London, England) Fiddler on the Roof ~ 1994 – (London Palladium, London, England) Three Tall Women ~ 1995 – (Wyndham's Theatre, London, England) Nine ~ 1996 – (Donmar Warehouse, London, England) Copenhagen ~ 1998 – Margrethe Bohr (The Duchess Theatre; West End, London, England) Maria Marten or Murder in the Red Barn and Victorian Music Hall ~ 1999 – Dame Marten (Britten Theatre, London, England) All About Me ~ 2001 – one woman show (Royal National Theatre, the Firebird Cafe in New York, the Royal Academy of Art) Hamlet ~ 2001 – Queen Gertrude (Wilbur Theatre, Boston, MA, US) Bitter Fruits of Palestine ~ 2002 – (Barons Court Theatre, London, England) The Shape of Metal ~ 2003 – Nell Jeffrey (Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Ireland) Girl with a Pearl Earring ~ 2008 (Cambridge Arts Theatre; West End, London, England) Torch Song Trilogy ~ 2012 – Mrs Backoff (Menier Chocolate Factory, London) The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures – 2016 – Clio – (Hampstead Theatre) The Lady in the Van - 2017 - Margaret Fairchild/Miss Shepherd - (Theatre Royal, Bath)

Audio books King Lear ~ 2002 – Regan Mill on the Floss Proto Zoe Quarantine The Siege When I Lived in Modern Times Full House

Radio Full House (read and adapted) Baldi

Video games Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords ~ 2004 – voice of Kreia Shattered Union ~ 2005 – Narrator (voice)

Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult 1977 Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Break of Day 1994 Clarence Derwent Award Best female in a supporting roleCabaret Laurence Olivier Awards Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical 2004 The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards Best Actress The Shape of Metal

References

External links

Ex Memoria