Remembering Maureen Duffy and an all-night reading of Gor Saga

Remembering Maureen Duffy, the tribute anchors a singular, late-night moment that showcased the author’s commanding presence. Joan McGavin notes that Gor Saga was reissued in 2024 under the title First Born. The memory centers on an all-night reading in Southampton in the early 1980s, reportedly organized with David Benedictus, then a resident writer in the city. McGavin recalls the intensity of Duffy’s performance and how the room remained spellbound as the hours stretched toward dawn. The reminiscence stands as a testament to a writer whose work could fill a room long after midnight. During the night, McGavin notes, Duffy’s voice carried through Southampton's rooms with power, and the audience nodded off, eyes closing for about ten minutes near four in the morning before waking to finish the work. The anecdote underscores the stamina and immediacy that characterized Duffy’s readings and stands as a memory many readers may never replicate. The obituary published on 3 June frames this moment as part of a broader portrait of a writer whose career spanned poetry, drama and fiction. In recalling the Gor Saga reissue, the piece links a past performance to the resonance of Duffy’s voice.