Martin Lamb obituary

My colleague Martin Lamb, who has died aged 72, was a script editor and brilliant shaper of narratives whose work brought Shakespeare and operas alive for children. Many of the films won Emmys, Baftas and Oscar nominations.

Martin found his calling when, along with his partner and wife, Penelope Middelboe, he was commissioned by S4C to oversee six animated versions of classic operas, each condensed to 30 minutes in length. After the success of Operavox, more animated series were commissioned, starting with six Shakespeare plays. Condensing these, while still preserving their poetry and majesty, called on Martin’s considerable story editing skills, his wit and inventiveness – and his unflappability. These stylistically diverse animations quickly became a bedrock of Shakespeare teaching in schools, where they are still in use.

Born in Leeds, Martin was the son of Rene Lamb (nee Berry), who worked for the Post Office, Jim Lamb, who designed media facilities for prisons. Martin became head boy at Batley Grammar School but in 1968 rejected a place at Leeds University to read law in favour of a drama-with-teaching qualification at Dartington Hall. An unlikely teacher (he bribed one class to behave, issued Mao’s Little Red Book to another), in 1972 he jumped ship to a touring theatre company at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff. This led to a working life in Wales – throughout which he remained steadfastly loyal to Rugby League.

In the mid-1970s he moved from acting into TV, initially researching for a late-night show on HTV and then as presenter and sketch writer. But it was in partnership with Penelope (they later married in 1983) that he moved into script editing for S4C. I first experienced his command of narrative when commissioned to write the script for Daniel (1997), and we went on to work on many films together, including The Canterbury Tales (1999), nominated for an Oscar. Meanwhile he and Penelope travelled the world, working with artisan animators in Moscow, Beijing, Tel Aviv – anywhere talent was to be found.

Shakespeare – The Animated Tales was followed by Animated Epics, Testament – which won a Bafta nomination in 1997 – and ultimately two feature films, The Miracle Maker and The Mabinogi. All these projects called on his capacity to divine a writer’s precise intent and steer it with quiet gentleness. When he spoke, we all listened.

After the years of travelling – at one point marshalling a 39-country co-production – in 2002 Martin and Penelope moved to Ceredigion to work on their own scripts and to be with their family. But this also enabled his tendency to self-critical depression. Known for his kindness by all who worked with him, sadly he could not find the same for himself, and ended his life.

Martin is survived by Penelope and their children, Dom and Kate, by Ben, his son from his first marriage, to Caroline Satchell, which ended in divorce, and by his brother John.