Claire van Kampen, the renowned British theatre director and composer, has passed away at the age of 71. Her death was confirmed by her husband, actor Sir Mark Rylance, after she succumbed to cancer on Saturday. Van Kampen, who served as the first female musical director at both the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, has been hailed as one of the funniest and most inspiring women within the sector. Her impressive career spanned over three decades.
Van Kampen leaves behind a great legacy within the theatre world. Her vast credits include writing ‘Farinelli And The King’, which was nominated for several Olivier Awards with her husband starring. She also worked on several other Shakespearean performances, with her contributions including the original scores for Broadway productions such as ‘True West’, ‘Boeing-Boeing’, and ‘La Bête’. Van Kampen’s work on adaptations of ‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘Richard III’, as well as being an integral part of the artistic process at Shakespeare’s Globe theatre, were further testaments to her talent.
After joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1986 and the Royal National Theatre the following year, van Kampen continued working as an artistic associate to Sir Mark at the Globe, along with being a Tudor music advisor and arranger for the BBC’s ‘Wolf Hall’. She also worked as a creative associate at the Old Vic Theatre in London and was Globe associate and senior research fellow for early modern music at the Globe until her death.
Van Kampen married Sir Mark in 1989, the same year that she composed the music for the Royal Shakespeare Company production of ‘Hamlet’, which he starred in. The statement released on behalf of Sir Mark and van Kampen’s daughter Juliet praised her humour, wisdom, magic, music, laughter, and love. Her legacy and impact on the theatre industry will undoubtedly remain for generations to come
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