Equus and Amadeus writer dies at 90
AWARD-WINNING playwright and screenwriter Sir Peter Shaffer died at the age of 90 yesterday after a short illness.
The acclaimed British writer won a screenwriting Oscar for the film adaptation of Amadeus, and also wrote the play Equus.
He had fallen seriously ill last week, and his agent Robert Lord announced yesterday that he had died during a visit to Ireland, with his niece Cressida by his side.
The Liverpool-born writer worked on several productions with the National Theatre during his career, which saw him receive a CBE in 1987 and a knighthood in 2001.
His two most successful creations, Equus and Amadeus, enjoyed extensive runs in the West End and Broadway, having pre- miered at the National Theatre in the 1970s, and both won Tony awards. His other plays included Black Comedy, Lettice and Lovage, The Royal Hunt of the Sun and Five Finger Exercise.
Rufus Norris, the director of the National Theatre, paid tribute to the playwright last night, saying: ‘Peter Shaffer was one of the great writers of his generation and the National Theatre was enormously lucky to have had such a fruitful and creative relationship with him. The plays he leaves behind are an enduring legacy.’
The National Theatre said in a statement: ‘It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of Sir Peter Shaffer. He was an extraordinary writer, closely associated with the National Theatre.’ The film adaptation of Equus gave Shaffer an Oscar nomination, and in 2007 its run at the Gielgud Theatre starred Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe.
Amadeus, which won eight Oscars overall, will return to the National Theatre in October, having first been performed there in 1979. Yesterday the writer’s close family and friends said in a statement that they wanted to extend their thanks to the staff who cared for him at Marymount Hospice in Cork.
A private funeral will be held in London shortly and details of a memorial ceremony will be announced in due course.