In contact with the gods? : directors talk theatre /

Whether it be damned by the playwright as a monstrous absurdity foisted on the theater or praised by the craft as a channel to the gods, the role of the director has never seen more scrutiny. International in scope, this text reveals through interview and commentary the tremendous influence and impact of the director in the postmodern theater. Seventeen directors--from the inimitable Brook to Mnouchkine, Minagawa, Strehler, Stein, and Wilson--reveal their sensibilities, insights, and approaches to the work of the director. The title of the book, with a question mark, seeks to make its own statement before the reader begins. The pronouncements of the various directors are vivid, contrasting, illuminating, accusatory, and, at times, self-aggrandizing. The reader will be thrilled or appalled, but will not be neutral. Additional material includes short biographies, brief critical annotations, a listing of major productions, and citations of significant bibliographical material. A must for anyone interested in the art of the theater and the craft of the director. For use in undergraduate and graduate collections. R. F. Falk; Lycoming College

This is a fascinating look at the theater world and what goes on before the audience sees the finished production. In 1994, the Arts Council of Great Britain brought together in Manchester some of the theatrical world's most famous and innovative directors to discuss what they do and why. Eighteen outstanding directors of the last 20 years‘including Peter Brook, Jonathan Miller, Maria Irene Fornes, Peter Sellars, Arane Mnouchkine, and Robert Wilson‘were asked questions by the audience, and the text supplied is in a Q&A format. The range of material is extensive, with the directors giving full, detailed answers that are informative and, at times, quite thought-provoking. The epilog is a transcription of a conversation among Peter Brook, Jonathan Miller, and Oliver Sacks. After reading this book, one will never view a performance the same way; this valuable text belongs in all theater collections in academic and large public libraries.‘Susan L. Peters, Emory Univ. Lib., Atlanta (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.