In a deeply personal and revealing tribute, acclaimed director and playwright Patrick Marber has shared his memories of working alongside, and befriending, the late theatrical colossus Sir Tom Stoppard. Their professional collaboration on two major revivals blossomed from a decades-long mutual admiration, offering a unique window into the complex man behind modern classics like Travesties and Leopoldstadt.
From Fan to Friend: A Playwright's Encouragement
Marber's fascination with Stoppard began as a 15-year-old schoolboy in 1979, spellbound by a school production of Travesties. He describes the work as "glamorous, sensual and completely incomprehensible", sparking a lifelong interest. Years later, as a young playwright following the success of his debut Dealer's Choice at the National Theatre in the mid-1990s, Marber received the ultimate endorsement. At a drinks reception, Stoppard approached him, gave him a hug, and told him he was "a proper young playwright".
This began a twenty-year friendship of correspondence, lunches, and shared commiserations. Stoppard offered pivotal advice on Marber's play Howard Katz, suggesting, "I don't think you should kill him off at the end. Condemn him to life. Much better." Their relationship was one of profound mutual respect, with Marber cherishing Stoppard's unique blend of "polite English gent and Jewish mensch".
Collaboration and Creative Fire: Directing 'Travesties'
The dynamic shifted in 2015 when Stoppard called Marber to discuss a revival of Travesties at the Menier Chocolate Factory. After initially suggesting Sam West as director, Stoppard offered the job to Marber two weeks later. Re-reading the play after 36 years, Marber found it still largely incomprehensible, but he accepted the challenge.
Their working relationship became intense. Marber resumed smoking to keep pace with Stoppard's dawn-to-bedtime habit during long, smoky meetings. Stoppard, a serial re-writer, attended rehearsals almost daily, tinkering with the now-classic text. Marber recalls idyllic visits to Stoppard's Dorset home with his wife Debra, hosted by Tom and his wife Sabrina, including a late-night viewing of Jaws, which Stoppard knew shot-for-shot.
However, the rehearsal room revealed another side. Marber was warned by other directors about Stoppard's temper, and witnessed it firsthand when he would suddenly shout, "I hate this, I hate it!" The room would fall silent. Yet, these outbursts were born of a fierce passion for the work. Once trust was established, their collaboration became "angelic". Marber valued this "tough love", feeling it made him a true collaborator. The successful production transferred to the West End and Broadway.
'Leopoldstadt': Confronting the Shadow
In spring 2018, during Travesties previews on Broadway, Stoppard quietly mentioned he was "jabbing in the dark" with a new play. That play, Leopoldstadt, arrived in April 2019, and Marber was overwhelmed upon reading it. He was elated to be asked to direct Stoppard's late, great exploration of his Jewish heritage and family history.
The first read-through in Dorset was jovial, with Stoppard playing the lead role of Hermann. However, Marber broke down in tears during the final scene. While the women comforted him, Stoppard was impatient for the flow to continue, immediately taking over the reading. This moment underscored the steel within the famously charming man. Marber reflects that Stoppard's life, often called "charmed", was double-edged, haunted by the history he confronted in Leopoldstadt.
"There was rage and pain and iron in Tom," Marber writes. He connects this to Stoppard's early life as Tomáš Sträussler, a fatherless Jewish Czech refugee who faced antisemitism in England. The key line in Leopoldstadt, for Stoppard, was an accusatory: "No one is born eight years old … But you live as if without history, as if you throw no shadow behind you."
Final Acts and Last Smokes
During Leopoldstadt's journey, which was interrupted by lockdown before triumphant runs in London and New York, Stoppard aged. By 2023, he was 85 and stairs were a menace. He spoke regularly of his own death and had nightmares, yet still discussed ideas for a next play.
About a year before his death, during a visit to Stoppard's London flat, Marber witnessed a poignant moment. Stoppard, who had stopped smoking, asked for a cigarette from Marber's packet. They smoked four each, back to back, with Stoppard chuckling like a "guilty schoolboy". Afterward, Marber helped him to bed, tucked him in, and they exchanged "I love yous". It was the last time Marber saw him alone.
Patrick Marber concludes that directing Stoppard's Travesties and Leopoldstadt was the greatest honour of his life. He sees the two plays, both set in single rooms in middle European cities, as timeless explorations of love, war, and the inescapable shadow of history. A shadow that the genius playwright finally turned to face in his final, brave masterpiece. "Rest in peace, Tom," Marber writes, closing a moving testament to a complex friendship and a theatrical giant.
