'He will be remembered for his wit, irreverence and generosity of spirit'

As British theatre mourns one of its true greats, those who knew him best pay tribute to a writer whose legacy will stretch far beyond his dazzling plays.

- By Vanessa Thorpe

Anthony Smith shared a flat with Tom Stoppard in Bristol, when they were both young reporters in the 1960s. When he learned last night that his old friend - who became perhaps the greatest playwright of his age - had died aged 88, he said it was "as though a floor of my house has collapsed".

Famous for his delight in language, his love of big ideas and his sardonic sense of theatrical fun, Stoppard will be mourned internationally by lovers of the theatre, but also by those who value his commitment to protecting freedom of expression and his ability to use the stage to communicate clashing ideologies in an entertaining way.

Over a six-decade career, Stoppard redefined drama for a generation of admirers and earned Tony and Olivier awards, as well as a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for his co-written 1998 screenplay for Shakespeare In Love, which starred Gwyneth Paltrow and Dame Judi Dench. A statement from United Agents issued yesterday said the playwright had died “peacefully” at his home in Dorset “surrounded by his family”.

The statement added: “He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language.”

Over a six-decade career, Stoppard earned Tony and Olivier awards, as well as a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for his co-written 1998 screenplay for Shakespeare In Love, which starred Gwyneth Paltrow and Dame Judi Dench.

Among his most critically acclaimed and popular stage hits was Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead