Tom Stoppard, celebrated British playwright, dies aged 88

"Stoppard's writing, often philosophical or scientific but consistently funny, gave rise to the term Stoppardian. British playwright Tom Stoppard, a playful, probing dramatist who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998's Shakespeare In Love, has died. He was 88. In a statement on Saturday, United Agents said Stoppard died peacefully at his home in Dorset in southern England, surrounded by his family."

"When it comes to the world of comic invention and linguistic pyrotechnics, few dramatists of the 20th century could match Stoppard's scope and sustained success. From his earliest hit, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, in 1966, through to 1993's, Arcadia, and, Leopoldstadt, in 2020, Stoppard engaged and amused theatre-goers with a highly individual brand of intellect. His writing was often philosophical or scientific, but consistently funny, a distinctive style that gave rise to the term Stoppardian."

"It refers to the use of verbal gymnastics while addressing philosophical concepts. I want to demonstrate that I can make serious points by flinging a custard pie around the stage for a couple of hours, the Czech-born Stoppard said in a 1970s interview. Theatre is first and foremost a recreation. But it is not just a children's playground; it can be recreation for people who like to stretch their minds."

Tom Stoppard, born Tomas Straussler in 1937 in Czechoslovakia, fled Nazi persecution with his Jewish family and moved to Singapore as an infant. He became a leading British playwright known for blending philosophical and scientific themes with sharp comedy and linguistic dexterity. His major works include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1966), Arcadia (1993) and Leopoldstadt (2020). Stoppard won an Academy Award for Shakespeare in Love (1998) and coined the 'Stoppardian' style of verbal gymnastics applied to philosophical concepts. He died peacefully at age 88 at his Dorset home, surrounded by family, remembered for wit, humanity and love of the English language.

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