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Peter Brook

Directing

Born March 21, 1925 · London, England, UK

Died July 2, 2022

Biography

Peter Stephen Paul Brook CH CBE (March 21, 1925 – July 2, 2022) was an English theatre and film director. He worked first in England, from 1945 at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, from 1947 at the Royal Opera House, and from 1962 for the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC). With them, he directed the first English-language production in 1964 of Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss, which was transferred to Broadway in 1965 and won the Tony Award for Best Play, and Brook was named Best Director. He also directed films such as an iconic version of Lord of the Flies in 1963. He was based in France from the early 1970s, where he founded an international theatre company, playing in developing countries, in an approach of great simplicity. He was often referred to as "our greatest living theatre director". He won multiple Emmy Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, the Japanese Praemium Imperiale, the Prix Italia and the Europe Theatre Prize. In 2021, he was awarded India's Padma Shri.

Awards & recognition

  • Padma Shri in arts · 2021
  • Princess of Asturias Awardthe Arts · 2019
  • President's Medal · 2011
  • World Award of Humanism · 2011
  • honorary doctor of the Sorbonne Nouvelle University · 2010
Show all 25 awards →
  • Critics' Circle AwardDistinguished Service to the Arts · 2008
  • International Ibsen Award · 2008
  • Dan David Prize · 2005
  • Companion of Honour · 1998
  • Praemium Imperiale · 1997
  • Kyoto Prize in Arts and Philosophy · 1991
  • Europe Theatre Prize · 1989
  • Tony AwardBest Direction of a Play · 1971
  • Tony AwardBest Direction of a Play · 1966
  • Commander of the Order of the British Empire · 1965
  • Commander of the Legion of Honour
  • Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
  • Golden MedalMerit to Culture
  • Grand Officer of the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword
  • Medal of the City of Paris
  • Golden Bear · 1979 · nominated
  • Golden Lion · 1968 · nominated
  • Palme d'Or · 1963 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Direction of a Musical · 1961 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Director · 1959 · nominated

Filmography10 titles