The lights aren’t burning as bright across theatres today with the news that top British playwright, Tom Stoppard, has died at the age of 88.
Best recognised for his Academy Award–winning work on 1998 screenplay Shakespeare in Love, the dramatist died peacefully at his Dorset home surrounded by loved ones.
United Agents confirmed the sad news in a statement.
“He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language,” it reads.
“It was an honour to work with Tom and to know him.”
Described as one of the best playwrights of his generation, tributes have already begun to flow in for the Czech-born creative, who was well respected in the industry.
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger was one of the first to bid a public farewell to one of his favourites.
“Tom Stoppard was my favourite playwright. He leaves us with a majestic body of intellectual and amusing work. I will always miss him,” he shared on X, along with a collection of photos in memoriam.
The National Theatre described Stoppard’s work as “simply immense.”
As well as his work on Shakespeare in Love, Stoppard was a four-time Tony Award winner for his work on plays Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,Travesties,The Real Thing and The Coast of Utopia.
He also gained much praise for radically rewriting the script for Indiana Jones and the Last Crucade under the pen name of Barry Watson. He was reportedly given a $1 million bonus as an uncredited writer.
The playwright was married three times. His marriages to Jose Ingle and TV doctor Miriam Stern ended in divorce before he moved on to marrying TV producer Sabrina Guinness.
He is survived by his four children and several grandchildren.
To honour his work, theatres across London’s West End will dim their lights on Tuesday at 7pm.
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