Peter Brook

The Quality of Mercy: Reflections on Shakespeare Peter Brook

"Exquisite . . . enthralling . . . The Quality of Mercy should be required reading at all universities and drama clubs."?The Guardian

"Contains within its scintillating reflections the essence of all that Peter Brook has learned over a lifetime. Whoever imagined that a book about Shakespeare could also be such fun?"?The Wall Street Journal

"If you want a gift for an actor, look no further than this educative, engrossing, entertaining book."?The Stage

In this sequence of essays?all but one published here for the first time?Peter Brook explores a series of debates, including who was the man that wrote William Shakespeare's plays, why Shakespeare is never out of date, and how actors should approach the Bard's verse. The esteemed director also revisits some his most notable productions, including King Lear with Paul Scofield and Titus Andronicus with Laurence Olivier.

Peter Brook's outstanding career includes his remarkable productions of The Marat/Sade (1964) and A Midsummer Night's Dream (1970), both for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Founder of the Centre International de Creations Theatrales at the Bouffes du Nord in Paris, he has produced a series of events which push at the boundaries of theater, such as The Conference of Birds (1976), The Ilk (1975), The Mahabharata (1985), and The Tragedy of Hamlet (2000). His films include Lord of the Flies (1963), King Lear (1970), and The Mahabharata (1989). His books, especially The Empty Space, have been hugely influential.