Composer Howard Goodall has paid tribute to his friend, the award-winning lyricist, librettist and playwright Stephen Clark, who died at the weekend at the age of 55.
Clark who was inspired to work in musical theatre after studying with Stephen Sondheim at Oxford University, wrote the book and lyrics for Goodall’s Love Story which was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Musical in 2011.
In a poignant Twitter post on Saturday, Goodall wrote: “My dear friend of 25 years, co-writer of Love Story, kind, gentle, brave, funny, clever Stephen Clark, died early this morning in hospital.”
The Brighton-based writer’s first musical Eyam was produced at Oxford’s Old Fire Station and London’s Bridewell Theatre (1998). He went on to receive an Olivier Award for his lyrics for Cameron Mackintosh’s re-worked Martin Guerre (he received four Olivier nominations in all).
He adapted the libretto of La Traviata for the English National Opera in 2006 and the music theatre adaptation of The Mahabharata which opened at Sadler’s Wells Theatre a year later.
His work as a playwright includes the award-winning Stripped, Takeaway and Making Waves.
Clark wrote the The Far Pavilions (Shaftesbury Theatre, 2005) and also penned book and lyrics for the musical Zorro (2008). He recently co-wrote Carmen La Cubabna, a version of Carmen Jones that opened in Paris earlier this year.
According to Clark’s website, at the time of his passing he was writing the book and lyrics for Mu-lan which is due to open in Singapore next year and on a musical about pioneering pilot Charles Kingsford Smith.
McFly and McBusted’s Tom Fletcher also paid tribute to the writer on Twitter. The singer and writer posted: “Very sad to hear that Stephen Clark has died. I have lots of memories of working on Eyam at the Bridewell. Thoughts with his friends and family.”
Angela Thomas
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