{"id":3926,"date":"2022-07-05T09:40:52","date_gmt":"2022-07-05T07:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/?p=3926"},"modified":"2026-09-02T04:31:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T02:31:16","slug":"peter-brook-1925-2022","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/?p=3926","title":{"rendered":"Peter Brook"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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On 2 July 2022, Peter Brook, one of the most eminent contemporary theatre artists, died at the age of 97 in Paris. In 2005, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Adam Mickiewicz University in Pozna\u0144.<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Brook is…<\/em><\/summary>\n
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\u201cGrotowski was\u2026 This is a sentence that cannot be completed\u201d \u2013 this is how Peter Brook began the commemorative letter he wrote following the death of his close friend in 1999. I would like to begin my brief tribute to an artist who was dear to me by paraphrasing those words: \u201cBrook was\u2026 This is a sentence that cannot be completed\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But not because (or perhaps not solely because) Brook cannot be pinned down or captured in a single formula, for as I wrote in the introduction to my monograph on his work over 20 years ago: \u201cThe list of his incarnations is as long as the list of metaphors used in an attempt to capture the phenomenon of his personality and the essence of his creative activity. Theatre and opera director, screenwriter and filmmaker, ballet critic and set designer, author of books on theatre and artistic manifestos, composer, teacher and experimenter\u2026 But also an accomplished traveller and spiritual guide. A master.\u201d Or, as the proposer of his honorary doctorate at Adam Mickiewicz University, the invaluable Professor Dobrochna Ratajczakowa, put it more succinctly (and more aptly) in her laudation: \u201cHe is entirely in motion and entirely of motion\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I cannot bring myself to finish that sentence, primarily because the past tense, when applied to Peter Brook, simply won\u2019t pass my lips. Brook is. He is the present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As I write these words, fragments of his beautiful and wise productions emerge from the recesses of my memory; flashes from my numerous encounters with him \u2013 both public and private \u2013 appear, here and now, during which he would develop his thoughts in an unrivalled manner through a lively dialogue with his interlocutor. His simple yet profound words still ring in my ears, such as those he spoke shortly after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre in 2001: \u201cWe must portray [in the theatre] horror in a way that makes us strong, courageous and life-affirming\u201d, or those he shared with our university community during the laudation in the Small Auditorium at Adam Mickiewicz University on 6 March 2005: \u201cThe only reason we gather together in the theatre is that we do not want to eat the rubbish they feed us all day long, but we want to recognise what new, good, wholesome nourishment we need most today\u201d (translated by Professor Ewa Guderian-Czapli\u0144ska, who \u2013 sadly \u2013 is no longer with us, just like the two reviewers of Brook\u2019s honorary doctorate, the eminent scholars Professors Zbigniew Osi\u0144ski and J\u00f3zef Tomasz Pokrzywniak, and the then Dean of the Faculty of Polish and Classical Philology at Adam Mickiewicz University, Professor Antoni Smuszkiewicz).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I still recall Brook\u2019s unconventional reactions, such as the time he ordered the simplest pizza at one of the most expensive restaurants in Wroc\u0142aw, where we found ourselves at the invitation of the city\u2019s mayor, who was hosting his performance at the time. And also the human kindness he showed when, during the prolonged wait for a late interpreter before a meeting with \u2013 no less than! \u2013 a thousand audience members at the Polish Theatre in Wroc\u0142aw, and, sensing the tension building up in me as a co-organiser, he set me an interesting mathematical puzzle to solve, in order to distract me from this awkward situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Above all, however, what remains vividly with me is his intense presence, the attention he was able to bestow on each interlocutor individually, and the penetrating gaze of his seemingly bottomless eyes. The quality of his presence had something of the energy of a martial arts master \u2013 he was able to cloak his \u2018iron fist\u2019 of almost unparalleled firmness, consistency and patience in the \u2018silk\u2019 of gentleness and human warmth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His words, his theatre, his presence lead towards a silence enlivened by awareness, towards a silence enlivened by consciousness. He himself \u2013 is present. Here and now. He is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grzegorz Zi\u00f3\u0142kowski<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4 June 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The text appeared on the Adam Mickiewicz University homepage.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n
2 lipca 2022 roku w wieku 97 lat zmar\u0142 w Pary\u017cu Peter Brook, jeden z najwybitniejszych artyst\u00f3w wsp\u00f3\u0142czesnego teatru, doktor honoris causa Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu (2005).<\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Brook jest…<\/em><\/summary>\n
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\u201eGrotowski by\u0142\u2026 Tego zdania doko\u0144czy\u0107 nie spos\u00f3b\u201d \u2013 tak otworzy\u0142 Peter Brook wspomnieniowy list, jaki napisa\u0142 po \u015bmierci swego bliskiego przyjaciela w 1999 roku. Chcia\u0142bym rozpocz\u0105\u0107 swoje kr\u00f3tkie wspomnienie bliskiego mi tw\u00f3rcy od parafrazy tych s\u0142\u00f3w: \u201eBrook by\u0142\u2026 Tego zdania nie spos\u00f3b doko\u0144czy\u0107\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ale nie dlatego (czy mo\u017ce nie tylko dlatego), \u017ce Brooka nie da si\u0119 przyszpili\u0107, uchwyci\u0107 w jednej formule, gdy\u017c jak pisa\u0142em na wst\u0119pie monografii jego tw\u00f3rczo\u015bci ponad dwadzie\u015bcia lat temu: \u201eLista jego wciele\u0144 jest r\u00f3wnie d\u0142uga jak lista metafor, za kt\u00f3rych pomoc\u0105 pr\u00f3bowano uchwyci\u0107 fenomen jego osobowo\u015bci i istot\u0119 tw\u00f3rczej aktywno\u015bci. Re\u017cyser teatralny i operowy, autor scenariuszy i filmowiec, krytyk baletowy i scenograf, autor ksi\u0105\u017cek o teatrze i artystycznych manifest\u00f3w, kompozytor, pedagog i eksperymentator\u2026 Ale tak\u017ce zawo\u0142any podr\u00f3\u017cnik i duchowy przewodnik. Mistrz\u201d. Czy jak kr\u00f3cej (i celniej) uj\u0119\u0142a to promotorka jego doktoratu honorowego na UAM, nieoceniona profesor Dobrochna Ratajczakowa w laudacji: \u201eJest on ca\u0142y w ruchu i ca\u0142y z ruchu\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nie potrafi\u0119 doko\u0144czy\u0107 wspomnianego zdania przede wszystkim dlatego, \u017ce forma czasu przesz\u0142ego w odniesieniu do Petera Brooka nie przechodzi mi przez gard\u0142o. Brook jest. Jest tera\u017aniejszo\u015bci\u0105.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
W chwili gdy pisz\u0119 te s\u0142owa, wy\u0142aniaj\u0105 si\u0119 z zakamark\u00f3w mojej pami\u0119ci fragmenty jego pi\u0119knych i m\u0105drych spektakli, pojawiaj\u0105 si\u0119 \u2013 tu i teraz \u2013 przeb\u0142yski z licznych spotka\u0144 z nim, i tych publicznych, i tych prywatnych, podczas kt\u00f3rych w niezr\u00f3wnany spos\u00f3b rozwija\u0142 swoj\u0105 my\u015bl w \u017cywym dialogu z rozm\u00f3wc\u0105. D\u017awi\u0119cz\u0105 mi w uszach jego proste, a jak\u017ce g\u0142\u0119bokie s\u0142owa, na przyk\u0142ad te, kt\u00f3re wypowiedzia\u0142 nied\u0142ugo po ataku terrorystycznym na World Trade Center w 2001 roku: \u201eTrzeba pokazywa\u0107 [w teatrze] horror w spos\u00f3b, kt\u00f3ry uczyni nas silnymi, odwa\u017cnymi i afirmuj\u0105cymi \u017cycie\u201d, czy te\u017c te, kt\u00f3rymi dzieli\u0142 si\u0119 ze spo\u0142eczno\u015bci\u0105 naszego uniwersytetu podczas laudacji w Ma\u0142ej Auli UAM 6 marca 2005 roku: \u201ejedynym powodem, dla kt\u00f3rego zbieramy si\u0119 razem w teatrze, jest to, \u017ce nie chcemy je\u015b\u0107 \u015bmieci, kt\u00f3rymi karmi\u0105 nas ca\u0142ymi dniami, ale chcemy rozpozna\u0107, jakiego nowego, dobrego zdrowego po\u017cywienia najbardziej dzi\u015b potrzebujemy\u201d (w przek\u0142adzie profesor Ewy Guderian-Czapli\u0144skiej, kt\u00f3rej te\u017c \u2013 niestety \u2013 nie ma ju\u017c z nami, podobnie jak dw\u00f3jki recenzent\u00f3w honorowego doktoratu Brooka, wybitnych ludzi nauki, profesor\u00f3w Zbigniewa Osi\u0144skiego i J\u00f3zefa Tomasza Pokrzywniaka, oraz \u00f3wczesnego dziekana Wydzia\u0142u Filologii Polskiej i Klasycznej UAM, prof. Antoniego Smuszkiewicza).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pozostaj\u0105 w mojej pami\u0119ci nieszablonowe reakcje Brooka, takie jak ta gdy zam\u00f3wi\u0142 najprostsz\u0105 pizz\u0119 w jednej z najdro\u017cszych restauracji we Wroc\u0142awiu, w kt\u00f3rej znale\u017ali\u015bmy si\u0119 na zaproszenie prezydenta miasta, goszcz\u0105cego w\u00f3wczas jego przedstawienie. A tak\u017ce ludzka troskliwo\u015b\u0107, jak\u0105 objawi\u0142, gdy podczas przed\u0142u\u017caj\u0105cego si\u0119 oczekiwania na sp\u00f3\u017aniaj\u0105cego si\u0119 t\u0142umacza przed spotkaniem z \u2013 bagatela! \u2013 tysi\u0105cem widz\u00f3w w Teatrze Polskim we Wroc\u0142awiu, wyczuwaj\u0105c narastaj\u0105ce we mnie jako wsp\u00f3\u0142organizatorze napi\u0119cie, zada\u0142 mi do rozwik\u0142ania ciekaw\u0105 \u0142amig\u0142\u00f3wk\u0119 matematyczn\u0105, aby odwr\u00f3ci\u0107 moj\u0105 uwag\u0119 od tej k\u0142opotliwej sytuacji.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nade wszystko jednak namacalna jest dla mnie jego intensywna obecno\u015b\u0107, uwaga, jak\u0105 potrafi\u0142 obdarzy\u0107 ka\u017cdego rozm\u00f3wc\u0119 z osobna, przenikliwo\u015b\u0107 spojrzenia jego wydawa\u0142oby si\u0119 bezdennych oczu. Jako\u015b\u0107 jego obecno\u015bci mia\u0142a co\u015b z energii mistrza sztuk walki \u2013 \u201e\u017celazn\u0105 pi\u0119\u015b\u0107\u201d niebywa\u0142ej wr\u0119cz stanowczo\u015bci, konsekwencji i cierpliwo\u015bci potrafi\u0142 spowi\u0107 \u201ejedwabiem\u201d \u0142agodno\u015bci i ludzkiego ciep\u0142a.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jego s\u0142owa, teatr, obecno\u015b\u0107 prowadz\u0105 ku ciszy o\u017cywionej \u015bwiadomo\u015bci\u0105, ku ciszy o\u017cywionej \u015bwiadomo\u015bci. On sam \u2013 jest obecny. Tu i teraz. Jest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grzegorz Zi\u00f3\u0142kowski<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4 czerwca 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tekst ukaza\u0142 si\u0119 na stronie g\u0142\u00f3wnej UAM.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n
\"Peter
Photo Maciej Zakrzewski<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3926","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-2022"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3926","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3926"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3926\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5089,"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3926\/revisions\/5089"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3926"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3926"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grzeg.web.amu.edu.pl\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3926"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}