Sir Tom Stoppard, Oscar‑winning playwright and author of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead”, died on Sunday at age 88.
Redefined Contemporary Theatre
Stoppard was one of the most important playwrights of the 20th and 21st centuries. His plays blend intellect, emotion and humour, raising philosophical, political and social questions. He achieved worldwide acclaim with works such as “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead”, “The Real Thing” and “Travesties”, and the screenplay for the film “The Lover of Shakespeare”, which earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe alongside Mark Norman. His career spanned more than six decades and earned numerous Tony and Olivier awards. His agents said, “We will remember him for his works, wit, humanity, and deep love for the English language.”
Beyond the Theatre
Stoppard wrote for radio, television and cinema in addition to the stage. He adapted Tolstoy’s “Anna Karenina” into a 2012 film and created the series “Parade’s End” with Benedict Cumberbatch. His works regularly appeared on the West End and Broadway. In 2000 Queen Elizabeth II honored him with the Order of Merit, and in later years he met the former Prince of Wales, now King Charles III.
From Refugee to Legend
Born Tomas Straussler in Czechoslovakia, he fled the Nazi occupation to Britain, changed his name and started a new life. Initially a journalist and theatre critic in Bristol, his career accelerated after the 1966 Edinburgh Fringe Festival premiere of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern”. In 2020 he presented the semi‑autobiographical play “Leopoldstadt”, set in a Jewish Vienna neighbourhood, which won an Olivier and four Tony awards. He is remembered as one of the era’s most significant playwrights.