Contemporary Directors

Question 1

Peter Brook

Answer 1

*British, 1940s-present; most influential living director
*fought against the inhibiting realism movement
*RSC director in 1962:
-created the Theatre of Cruelty season in 1963
*1964: “The Persecution and Assassination of Jean-Paul Sarat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton Under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade”
-directed by Brook;French revolution story told by people
in an insane asylum, mirroring the 1960’s youth revolution
*1970: International Centre of Theatre Research (Paris)
-multiculturalism and international perspectives
*1970: Brook’s revolutionary interpretation of “Midsummer”
-white box set, circus techniques, simple costumes
*true champion of text and verbiage
*1985: “Mahatbarata” 9 hour play epic based on Indian text
*1988: adaption of “The Cherry Orchard”

Question 2

“The Empty Space”

Answer 2

*Peter Brook’s most famous work, 1968

1. deadly theatre: spectacle, Broadway
2. rough theatre: primitive, natural
3. holy theatre: transcend mere spectacle
4. immediate theatre: not museum theatre

Question 3

Ariane Mnouchkine

Answer 3

• French, 1960s: Theatre du Soleil
• highly collaborative, environmental staging
• “Tartuffe” set in Algeria with religious extremism
• “Theatre best tells us of the enemy in ourselves”

Question 4

Anne Bogart

Answer 4

• American, 1970s-present
• Saratoga International Theatre Institute (SITI)
• anti-Stanislavski approach
• creator of Viewpoints, which emerged from modern dance

Question 5

Tadashi Suzuki

Answer 5

• American, 1970s-present
• combined classical with the avant grade at SITI with his Suzuki style/energy method
• highly physical approach to theatre

Question 6

Mike Nichols

Answer 6

• American, 1960s-2014)
• began as a stand-up comedian; highly intellectual
• directed the original productions of The Odd Couple, The Real Thing, and Spamalot
• has won 5 Tony Awards for best director (has EGOT)
• Film: “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”, “The Graduate”, “Closer”, “The Birdcage”, HBO’s “Angels in America”

Question 7

Julie Taymor

Answer 7

• American, 1980s-present
• bold, avant garde director; highly visual
• Lion King musical (director)- puppetry and imagery
• directed Across the Universe (film) in 2007
• Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark ($12 million flop)