Other meanings of Peter Shaffer
Theatre & Drama
Sir Peter Shaffer (1926–2016) was a British playwright whose psychologically intense dramas, including Equus and Amadeus, earned him international acclaim and multiple Tony Awards. His work often explores the conflict between rationality and passion, and the destructive power of obsession.
Peter Levin Shaffer was born in Liverpool to Jewish parents, Reka and Jack Shaffer, and grew up in London.1 He was educated at St Paul's School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he read history, graduating in 1950. After a brief stint in New York working at a bookstore and as a literary critic, he returned to England and began writing plays. His first stage success came with Five Finger Exercise (1958), a domestic drama that won the Evening Standard Drama Award and transferred to Broadway.1 Throughout the 1960s, he wrote lighter comedies, including The Private Ear and The Public Eye, often in collaboration with his twin brother, the playwright Anthony Shaffer.
Shaffer's breakthrough came with Equus (1973), which tells the story of a psychiatrist treating a young man who has blinded six horses.2 The play examines the clash between clinical rationality and primal religious fervor, and its Broadway production, directed by John Dexter, won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1975.2 Amadeus (1979) fictionalizes the rivalry between Mozart and Salieri, exploring mediocrity's resentment of genius.3 It won the Tony for Best Play in 1981, and Shaffer adapted it for the 1984 film, which earned him an Academy Award nomination.3 His other notable works include The Royal Hunt of the Sun (1964), a historical epic about the Spanish conquest of Peru, and Lettice and Lovage (1987), a comedy starring Maggie Smith.1
Shaffer's plays are characterized by their theatricality, often employing a play-within-a-play structure or a narrator who addresses the audience directly. He was influenced by the epic theatre of Bertolt Brecht and the ritualistic drama of ancient Greek theatre, blending these with psychological realism. His work frequently pits the Apollonian against the Dionysian, a theme that resonated with audiences and critics alike. Shaffer's influence can be seen in later playwrights who explore similar themes of obsession and the irrational, such as Sarah Kane and Martin McDonagh.4 Despite his commercial success, some critics have dismissed his work as melodramatic, but his plays remain staples of the international repertoire.4
Shaffer's twin brother, Anthony, was also a successful playwright, best known for Sleuth (1970), and the two had a famously competitive relationship. Peter Shaffer was openly gay, though he kept his private life largely out of the public eye. He wrote the libretto for the opera Amadeus? No, but he did write the screenplay for the film adaptation of Equus (1977), which starred Richard Burton.2 Shaffer was also a talented pianist, and his love of music deeply informed Amadeus.3 In his later years, he suffered from dementia and died in 2016 at the age of 90.1
This article is about the British playwright Peter Shaffer. For other uses, see Peter Shaffer (disambiguation).
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