Peter Brook was a British theater and film director known for his innovative work.
- Died: July 2, 2022 (Who else died on July 2?)
- Details of death: Died in Paris at the age of 97.
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Directorial career
Brook began his stage life in London in the 1940s, building his reputation with productions at theaters including the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre and the Royal Opera House. His 1964 production of “Marat/Sade” traveled from London to Broadway, where it won Brook a Tony Award for Best Director. Other notable shows on the British stage included a 1970 staging of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” with Frances de la Tour, Ben Kingsley, and Patrick Stewart. It too went to Broadway, earning Brook another Tony Award for Best Director. His interpretations of classic plays were often innovative and influential. Later based in France, Brook collaborated on creating a nine-hour adaptation of the Sanskrit epic “The Mahabharata,” which came to be considered among his masterworks. In addition to his work for the stage, Brook also directed a number of films, including adaptations of “Lord of the Flies,” “Marat/Sade,” and “King Lear.” Brook continued working into his 90s, most recently writing and directing the 2019 play “Why?”
Notable quote
“Every form of theatre has something in common with a visit to the doctor. On the way out, one should always feel better than on the way in.” —from Brook’s 2017 memoir “Threads of Time”
Tributes to Peter Brook
Full obituary: The New York Times
