That is how Patrick would have wanted to die: in the arms of his beloved Sunny Ozell. Quite a beautiful, peaceful way to die. Other than his wife, Patrick loved the theater more than anything.
I could easily envision Patrick’s final moments on planet Earth occurring while acting in a play, dying on stage in the middle of a performance. There have been precedents. The great French playwright Molière died in front of an audience during the middle of a scene from his play, “The Imaginary Invalid.” He died doing what he loved: acting in a play.
Everyone in the audience was laughing and applauding, thinking Molière’s intense coughing fit was comedic gold, until their laughter turned to horror. The audience was left reeling, but I suspect Molière went out thinking it was one of the best performances he’d ever given. For a final performance for dear Patrick, as opposed to the beautiful and peaceful death he apparently had, I suggest it might have occurred in “A Christmas Carol,” near the beginning of his meeting the Ghost of Christmas Present.
On the other hand, dying onstage as a wronged Shylock in “The Merchant of Venice” would certainly have been unforgettable. His portrayal of Shylock was perhaps my favorite onstage performance of his I ever saw. Why do I even suggest such a thing?
Because it would have allowed me to see him for a final time. Many of us would have loved to have seen him once more. Even though I knew he was very sick, somewhere in my mind, I hoped I would see him again.
So imagining two magnificent dramatic death scenes helps me visualize him doing what he so loved. One thing is for certain: Patrick’s reach across the continents was massive. After word of his death surfaced, the internet, not surprisingly, was filled with thousands of tributes of admiration and overflowing love for the Yorkshire man.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
