Peter Shaffer and his twin brother Anthony were born on
15 May 1926 in Liverpool, England. He moved with his family to London in 1936 aged nine where he attended Hall School and St Paul’s School, winning a scholarship to read history at Trinity College, Cambridge.  Before he went to Cambridge Shaffer was conscripted as a “Bevin Boy” (Earnest Bevin’s law that conscripted young boys to work in essential services as part of the war effort) to work in the Chislet coal mines from 1944 -1947.  Peter and his brother then attended Cambridge, editing the student magazine “Grantha” together.  Peter graduated in 1950 gaining a BA in history.

In 1951 Shaffer moved to New York where he stayed until 1954.  During this period he had a number of jobs including, working at Doubleday’s Book shop, Lord and Taylor’s department Store and the New York library.

“I made, over the years in Cambridge, several very good American friends, and America appeared to me, a land of promise in every sense of that word, a land of freedom from the inhibitions and restrictions that I felt in England.”

During 1951 – 1955 under the pseudonym of Peter Anthony, Shaffer co-authored with Anthony three detective novels “The Woman in the Wardrobe” 1951, “How Doth the Little Crocodile” 1952 and “Withered Murder” 1955.

Shaffer left New York to return to London where he took a job with the music publishers Boosey and Hawkes in the publicity department promoting symphonic music.  In 1954 he wrote his first television play “The Salt Land”

His first theatrical success came in 1958 when he wrote the play Five Finger Exercise which opened in London, directed by Sir John Gielgud and won the Evening Standard Drama Award.  In 1959 the play transferred to New York where it was awarded the Drama Critics Award.

In 1964 Shaffer wrote The Royal Hunt of the Sun – which depicts Spain’s conquest of Peru.  The play, directed by John Dexter, opened at Chichester and subsequently the Old Vic London.  The Royal Hunt of the Sun is the first piece in which Shaffer abandoned conventional realism for unrestricted theatricality.  It was Shaffer’s second theatrical success and one that he enjoyed writing “I do not think that I ever enjoyed doing anything so much…”

Black Comedy followed in 1965, a humorous portrayal of a group of characters who feel their way round a pitch black room, despite the stage being flooded with light.

In 1973 Shaffer wrote Equus which won both the Tony Award for Best Play and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play looks at the mind of a 17 year old stable boy who has thrust a spike into the eyes of 6 horses.  Directed by John Dexter it initially ran for over 1,000 performances in London.

Shaffer wrote Amadeus in 1979 winning the Evening Standard Drama Award and Theatre Critics Award for its London Production, directed by Peter Hall.  The production ran for over 1,000 performances.  Amadeus was turned into a film in 1984 winning 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture.

In 1985 Shaffer wrote Yanodab based on a story from the Old Testament book of Samuel and Dan Jacobson‘s novel The Rape of Tomar.  Directed by Peter hall Yanodab opened at the national theatre.

Saffer wrote Lettice and Lovage for Maggie Smith.  Directed by Michael Blakemore Lettice and Lovage opened at the Globe Theatre in 1987 and ran for 3 years.

In Gift of Gorgon, Shaffer investigates the quest for identity, creativity and boundary between justice and revenge through Greek Mythology; it was his first new play for 5 years.  Directed by Sir Peter Hall for the Royal Shakespeare Company Gift of the Gorgon opened at the Barbican’s Pit Theatre in 1992.

Shaffer has received a number of awards in recognition of his achievement as a playwright:

In 1987 he was awarded a CBE.
In 1992 Shaffer was awarded the William Inge Award for Distinguished Achievement in American Theatre.
In 1996 he was appointed Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Oxford University.

Chronology of plays by Sir Peter Shaffer:
                          
1954  The Salt Land
1957   Balance of Terror
1957   The Prodigal Father
1958   Five Finger Exercise
1962   The Private Ear
1962   The Public Eye
1963   The Establishment
1963   The Merry Roosters Panto
1964   The Royal Hunt of the Sun
1967   Black Comedy/White Lies
1970   The Battle of Shrivings
1973   Equus
1979   Amadeus
1983   Black Mischief
1985   Yonadab
1987   Lettice and Lovage
1987   The Savage Parade
1990   Whom Do I Have the Honour of Addressing?
1992   The Gift of the Gorgon

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