Clare Cathcart, a regular on the London stage at venues including the National Theatre and Royal Court, has died aged 48.
The tragic news was confirmed by the Call The Midwife actor’s agent Amanda Howard Associates who made the following statement: “It is with huge sadness that we have to report the death of our beloved friend and client Clare Cathcart. Clare was brilliant, fearless and funny; a wonderful actor who we are immensely proud to have represented.”
Her credits are too vast to list in full but, to name a few, she’ll be remembered for her work at the Royal Court, the RSC, the National, the Tricycle and Chichester Festival Theatre as well as innumerable appearances on screen, most recently in New Tricks and Call The Midwife. Without her razor-sharp wit and glorious laugh the world will seem a darker place. We will miss her enormously.”
Cathcart was most recently seen on stage at Islington’s King’s Head Theatre in Alison: A Rock Opera. Her many previous credits included The Comedy Of Errors at the National Theatre, Our Private Life, Truth And Reconciliation and Loyal Women at the Royal Court Theatre and Translations at the Donmar Warehouse.
During her career Cathcart worked under the direction of many esteemed theatremakers including Rupert Goold, Sam Mendes, Josie Rourke and Lyndsey Turner.
Many of her former colleagues took to Twitter to pay tribute to the much-loved performer. Actor Adrian Lester described her as “a mischievous, restless talent,” a sentiment echoed in writer Jonathan Harvey’s tribute that called her his “lovely friend… the naughtiest funniest woman”.
Kate Fleetwood, who appeared in a production of Romeo And Juliet with Cathcart, said: “Our hearts are breaking. Rest well my darling friend Clare Cathcart. The most generous soul. Why aren’t the bells ringing? Miss u already.”
According to reports, a memorial service for Cathcart will be held in Brighton where the Fermanagh-born actor lived.