Michael Hastings (1938-2011) was an award-winning playwright and librettist, whose diverse and critically acclaimed work was a main-stay of London theatre for many years.

Born and raised in Brixton, he served a three-year tailoring apprenticeship before joining George Devine’s English Stage Company at the Royal Court Theatre as an actor and writer.

Over an extensive career Michael had plays performed in London and New York, most famously Tom and Viv, and his translation of Ariel Dorfman’s Death and the Maiden. A number of his works have been adapted for cinema, most notably a prequel to The Turn of the Screw called The Nightcomers with Marlon Brando, and the Oscar-nominated adaptation of Tom and Viv, with Willem Dafoe and Miranda Richardson. He also wrote numerous radio plays for BBC Radios 3 and 4, two internationally praised librettos for Michael Nyman, and a number of novels and biographies.

Michael lived in London until his death in 2011.