Peter Brook
Peter Brook was a renowned English theater and film director, born in London in 1925 to wealthy Russian-Jewish immigrants. He significantly influenced the evolution of avant-garde theater in the 20th century, particularly through his innovative interpretations of classic works, including many by Shakespeare, and his collaborations with contemporary playwrights. Brook's early experiences in theater began at a young age, and he later studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he directed his first productions. Over his career, he became known for his minimalist staging and the concept that any empty space could serve as a stage, exemplified in his groundbreaking productions such as "Marat/Sade" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
In addition to his theatrical work, he directed notable films and authored several influential books on theater. Brook's artistic contributions were recognized with multiple awards, including Tony Awards and honors from the Laurence Olivier Theatre Awards. His later work included ambitious productions like "The Mahabharata," showcasing his ability to blend grand spectacle with minimalist ideas. He continued to create until his death in Paris on July 2, 2022, leaving behind a lasting legacy as one of the greatest theater directors of his time.
Peter Brook
Director
- Born: March 21, 1925
- Place of Birth: London, England
- Died: July 2, 2022
- Place of Death: Paris, France
- Education: Magdalen College, Oxford
Significance: Peter Brook was primarily known for directing theatrical productions, and he was a major influence on the development of avant-garde theater during the twentieth century. Many of his acclaimed shows have been works by William Shakespeare, though he also worked with modern playwrights. He wrote screenplays for and directed several films.
Background
Peter Brook was born in London, England, in 1925. His parents were wealthy Russian-Jewish immigrants who had fled Latvia before World War I. He became interested in theater at a young age. When he was seven, he performed a full production of Shakespeare's Hamlet for his parents, playing all the roles himself. He attended Westminster School and Gresham's School. As a teen, he landed jobs on film lots, where he learned about the movie industry and even filled in for a screenwriter who was out sick.
He studied at Magdalen College, Oxford. As a student, he staged a production of Dr. Faustus in a pub. Brook was president of the Oxford University Film Society and made his first film, A Sentimental Journey, through the organization.
Following graduation, he directed plays in London's West End, where he learned a great deal from famed producer and theater manager Hugh "Binkie" Beaumont. He also directed Shakespeare plays at Stratford-on-Avon and worked in Paris and New York.
Early in his career, Brook came to describe theater at that time as "deadly." He thought London theater of the 1940s was comforting and predictable. He set out to shake up the artistic world by challenging its traditions and pushing people to examine new ideas. In many cases, this involved bringing the works of new playwrights to the stage or presenting familiar works in new ways.
Career
Brook had a significant impact on the theater world, not only through his directing but also through his books. He delivered four Granada Northern Lectures, which were compiled and published in 1968 as The Empty Space: A Book About the Theatre: Deadly, Holy, Rough, Immediate.The title is taken from his opening statement that any empty space can be a stage. He repeatedly demonstrated his skill in paring down a production to its essentials.
He began a decades-long collaboration with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) at Stratford-on-Avon in 1962. His productions with the company were revolutionary. Three of them—King Lear, Marat/Sade, and A Midsummer Night's Dream—are regarded among the RSC's most significant achievements. Brook's Marat/Sade, which is set in an insane asylum, is also credited as the inspiration for fringe and alternative theater in England. Brook had the cast study the poor treatment of the mentally ill before the nineteenth century. Actors on the stage were in various stages of catatonia and manic episodes. His Midsummer production espoused his minimalist ideas. Shakespeare's play takes place in a forest, and most productions feature backdrops of trees and foliage on the stage. Brook did away with all of that and placed his actors in a stark white box—a literal presentation of his empty space theory.
Brook also worked with many modern writers, further escaping the predictability he associated with London theater, when he moved to Paris. He renovated a nineteenth-century theater, Bouffes du Nord, in Paris in 1970. He embarked upon productions with international collaborators and established the International Centre for Theatre Research. His first performance in the venue was a new French version of Shakespeare's Timon of Athens in 1974. He also took his productions around the world. His trips included a tour of Africa, where the troupe of international actors created improvised performances.
Although he was known for minimalist staging, he proved he could produce a dazzling spectacle when he chose to. He explored new literary territory with his massive 1985 production, The Mahabharata. The work is based on an ancient Sanskrit epic, the world's longest narrative poem. It follows the Pandava and Kaurava families, cousins competing for power. Brook created a three-part, nine-hour production. It was first performed in a quarry near Avignon, France. The Mahabharata featured elaborate staging and enormous battle scenes. Brook revisited the literary work of The Mahabharata in 2015 with a new production, Battlefield. In keeping with his less-is-more philosophy, he pared back the seventy-minute sequel and created a contemplative piece. Battlefield follows a victor haunted by the horrors of war and by the realization that the enemy he killed in the bloodbath was his brother. In 2018, Brook wrote and directed the play The Prisoner and followed that up with another play, 2019’s 'Why?', which he also wrote and directed.
Brook has also worked in film, directing such movies as Lord of the Flies. He has also adapted some of his stage productions, including his groundbreaking Marat/Sade, which he directed for the screen in 1967. Among his many books were 2017's Tip of the Tongue: Reflections on Language and Meaning and 2019's Playing by Ear.
Throughout his career, he was recognized for his artistry and contributions to theater. He was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1965 and the Companion of Honour (CH) in 1998. In 1984, he received the Laurence Olivier Theatre Special Award for services to the theater. Ten years later, he received the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award for outstanding contributions to British theater. He received the London Critics Circle Theatre Award for best director in 1988 for The Mahabharata. Brook was honored with two Tony Awards for best director of a drama, first in 1966 for Marat/Sade and again in 1971 for A Midsummer Night's Dream. He died in Paris on July 2, 2022. He was ninety-seven.
Impact
Brook was described as the greatest living theater director. Throughout his career, he scaled back staging, in some cases putting actors on nearly empty stages. This consciousness of the space influenced many other theatrical directors to pare back sets.
Personal Life
Brook married Natasha Parry, an actress, on November 3, 1951. Parry died in 2015. They had two children, Simon and Irina. Irina worked primarily as an actress during the 1980s and 1990s. Simon Brook became a director and writer, with an emphasis on documentary filmmaking, including the 2012 backstage look at his father, Peter Brook: The Tightrope.
Bibliography
Auld, Tim. "The Valley of Astonishment, Young Vic: 'Fascinating.'" Telegraph, 29 June 2014, www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/10930231/The-Valley-of-Astonishment-Young-Vic-fascinating.html. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
Billington, Michael. "Still Centre Stage at 90: Peter Brook, Human Earthquake of Modern Theatre." Guardian, 19 Mar. 2015, www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/mar/19/peter-brook-theatre-director-at-90. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
Brook, Peter. The Empty Space: A Book about the Theatre: Deadly, Holy, Rough, Immediate. Atheneum, 1968.
Cavendish, Dominic. "Peter Brook: 'Will I Be Alive for the Opening Night?'" Telegraph, 4 Feb. 2016, www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/peter-brook-will-i-be-alive-for-the-opening-night/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
Coveney, Michael. "Marat/Sade: The Play That Began a Stage Revolution." Independent, 3 Oct. 2011, www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/maratsade-the-play-that-began-a-stage-revolution-2365086.html. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
McNulty, Charles. "Portrait of the Artist as an Ageless Man: At 92, Peter Brook Treads a Different Path Through 'The Mahabharata.'" Los Angeles Times, 19 May 2017, www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-ca-cm-peter-brook-20170521-htmlstory.html. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
Nightingale, Benadict. "Peter Brook, Celebrated Stage Director of Scale and Humanity, Dies at 97." New York Times, 5 July 2022, www.nytimes.com/2022/07/03/obituaries/peter-brook-dead.html. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
"Peter Brook." IMDb, 2024, www.imdb.com/name/nm0111656/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
"Peter Brook: Influential British Theatre and Film Director Who Worked with Sir Lawrence Olivier Dies at 97." Sky News, 4 July 2022, news.sky.com/story/peter-brook-influential-british-theatre-and-film-director-who-worked-with-sir-lawrence-olivier-dies-at-97-12644931. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
Wiegand, Chris. "Peter Brook: Timon of Athens Really Did Bring Down the House." Guardian, 16 May 2016, www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/may/16/peter-brook-timon-of-athens-the-applause-brought-down-the-ceiling. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024
Wright, Charles. "Peter Brook: A Biography." Theater Mania, 13 Apr. 2005, www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/news/04-2005/peter-brook-a-biography‗5898.html. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.