William Hutt takes final bow

Obituary: William Hutt, 87, soldier and actor

From the Globe and Mail

'He became effortless in his greatness'

It was his experiences under fire as a medic during the Second World War that imbued him with a spiritual appreciation of humanity, writes Sandra Martin. He would draw on it later as an actor. 'You see a lot of death and dying and the one thing you realize is that the cheapest commodity on the market is one human life.'

TORONTO — A man who could command a stage in any country and who chose to make his career in Canada, William Hutt was a formidable presence at The Stratford Festival since its founding in 1953, appearing in myriad roles from Prospero, Lear and Falstaff to Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest. For fans, he made Shakespeare accessible, speaking in his homegrown voice rather than adopting plummy tones from across the Atlantic. For actors, he was a mentor, a friend and an avuncular presence, showing them how to inhabit a stage without hogging the limelight. And he did it all with generosity and panache. The stage was his home, and no stages were more familiar to him than those at Stratford where he performed in 130 productions over 39 seasons.

“This is a historic moment in Canada arts,” Richard Monette, artistic director of the festival said in an interview. “It is a cause of mourning for this loss and also a cause of great celebration because of his legacy. He was a great classical actor and he essayed all the great roles. He was equally at home with crowds as well as kings, he had a great range, everybody in the audience could relate to him; whether they were society people or farmers, he could appeal to them. He became effortless in his greatness.”