Lear-reading that influenced Brooke's production?!? (1 Viewer)

[study budd[Y]]

Hey!!
Can anyone send me the King Lear reading by Yan Cot(not 100% sure on spelling) that was the primary influence for the Peter Brooke Nihilistic 1970's film version?

OR, can someone reply with the key points OF the reading!?

The reason i ask, is that many pupils i have talked to have the Peter Brooke production as a secondary(or even primary) interpretation they would like to talk about. Because we are expected to mention readings that influence productions, or readings evident in productions, I WOULD REALLY LIKE to know the reading behind Peter brooke's production.
Thank you very much.

((P.S I have excellent LEar notes (on computer) if anyone wants to trade (trade for Lear notes or malouf/ww, or , frontline) ,its just that i am missing this one reading for brooke's production))

 

[Gregor Samsa]

The reading that heavily influenced Brook's adaption is Jan Kott's 'King Lear Or Endgame?", which proscribes a nihilistic interpretation of the text, one clearly reflected in the Brook production..

Unfortunately, I don't have the entire essay (It's published in 'Shakespeare Our Contemporary'), but here are some key quotes;


Regarded as a person, a character, Lear is ridiculous, naive and stupid. When he goes mad, he can only arouse compassion, never pity and terror

The theme of King Lear is the decay and fall of the world, a morality play in which everyone will be destroyed.

The fool knows that the only true madness is to recognise this world as rational. The feudal order is absurd and can be described only in terms of the absurd

King Lear makes a tragic mockery of all eschatologies; of the heaven promised on Earth and the heaven promised after death.. orders of established values disintegrate. All that remains at the end of this gigantic pantomine is the earth, empty and bleeding

This last quote is demonstrated in the ending of the Brook film, whereby Lear is depicted dying (Crucially, Edgar's final speech is uttered whilst Lear is alive, which is quite the depressing though, being abandoned in life before passing.), and then the shot lingers upon the sky for a few seconds before fading. Men must endure their going hence even as their coming hither, we all pass, but the world lives on, and so-on.

 

[SmokedSalmon]

I know I didn't post the thread but I was looking for info on Jan knott as well. You are a champ Gregor Samsa!!

 

[study budd[Y]]

*HURRAH*!!
Great stuff!!.......just what i needed!...Heres hoping for a band 5/6 Lear responce!

 

[ballerinabarbie]

also - Brook's version is similar to an aristotelian reading/interpretation... this is where the importance of nature is highlighted... you have the fool who comments on the actions around him etc...

 

[bec_powell]

hey, there is a heap of notes on Peter Brook and King Lear at this website (sorry to many pages to scan)
www.cornwallis.kent.sch.uk/intranet/subjects/english/kinglear/brook.htm

hope this helps u
any notes on lear and frontline u have send to me plz

 

[bec_powell]

if doesnt work just try www.cornwallis.kent.sch.uk and jsut search the site for king lear stuff

 

[mystyza]

i cant find that article... and been searching everywhere!!.... is anyone able to send it too me or something??please

 

[bec_powell]

ok try this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/bookcase/lear/director.shtml
hopefully that will work for u