Last modified on Wed 17 Mar 2021 09.35 EDT
Tributes have been paid to actor Seun Shote, who has died unexpectedly at 47. Shote was nominated for an Offies award for his blistering performance as a Trinidadian police commissioner in Mustapha Matura’s Play Mas at Richmond’s Orange Tree theatre in 2015. He was also acclaimed for his work with the Jamie Lloyd Company, who said: “We are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of our incredibly talented collaborator.”
Lloyd, who directed Shote in major West End productions of Cyrano de Bergerac and The Seagull, said he “made a huge impact on us all” and “shared so much love, joy and positivity with the world. He showed us how to be with people – with kindness, generosity, humour and heart.” The Seagull, starring Emilia Clarke, opened for previews days before theatres were shut in March 2020 due to the pandemic; Shote played Shamrayev, which he rehearsed during the day while giving his final performances in Cyrano, starring James McAvoy, at night.