Publishers Weekly
- Publisher's Weekly
Director of some of 20th-century England's most sensational Shakespearean productions, now head of the innovative International Centre for Theatre Creation in Paris, Brook is an enormously influential and important stage director and teacher. Unfortunately, this skimpy volume, composed in part of transcribed speeches about his philosophy of theater, offers nothing that will be new to readers of The Empty Space. Those unfamiliar with that previous and much superior book may enjoy Brook's ardent descriptions here of an ideal theater that blends form and content--``the meeting place between the great questions of humanity--life, death--and the craftlike dimension, which is very practical, as in pottery''--but even they may sense that the author is relying primarily on grandiose abstractions in a work that seems more a rehash of old ideas than an exploration of new frontiers. The final chapter, ``There Are No Secrets,'' at least has the virtue of being specific, as Brook discusses the evolution of his recent production of The Tempest . ( Oct. )
Library Journal
The author, a former director of the Royal Shakespeare Company and now head of the International Centre for Theatre Creation in Paris, shares his thoughts on the theater and its changing role in today's society. In order to make the theater more relevant to the public and to bring out the very best in the performers, Brook believes in breaking down barriers of time and space, like having performances in an empty area, surrounded by the audience. These three essays, along with Brook's earlier books about the theater (e.g., The Shifting Point , HarperCollins, 1987) will fascinate and challenge the reader. Directors, performers, and devotees will find this essential reading. Recommended for comprehensive drama collections.-- Howard E. Miller, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Missouri Lib., St. Louis
Edward Lighthart
What is theater? International film and stage director Peter Brook examines this question in a series of three essays. By drawing on his own professional experiences, Brook approaches theater not as a cultural event but, rather, as an event of culture. Although Western cultures often perceive theater as a divertissement, other cultures esteem theater on significantly more intimate terms. From the Japanese No to the Iranian Ta'azieh to his own production of Shakespeare's "Tempest", Brook offers insights into how, as a director, he meets the emotional needs of the audience.
