Peter Brook's Battlefield at Teatro Storchi in Modena
Peter Brook's 'Battlefield' premiered at Teatro Storchi in Modena, continuing his exploration of the Mahabharata. The play, created with Jean-Claude Carrière and Marie Helène Estienne, is a meditation on war and human conflict, featuring a minimalist set with red and yellow drapes, wooden sticks, and percussionist Toshi Tsuchitori. Actors Carole Karemera, Jared McNeill, Ezry Nzaramba, and Sean O'Callaghan perform the story of the fratricidal war between the Pandava and Kaurava families. The production emphasizes visual suggestion and the power of words, with animals speaking through actors' bodies and irony. The final scene references Hiroji Kubota's photograph of Buddhist monks contemplating the Golden Rock. Brook's theatre is described as essential, subtractive, and meditative, using the Mahabharata to address contemporary questions.
Key facts
- Peter Brook created 'Battlefield' with Jean-Claude Carrière and Marie Helène Estienne.
- The play is based on the Mahabharata and follows Brook's 1985 nine-hour production.
- It premiered at Teatro Storchi in Modena.
- The set includes red and yellow drapes, wooden sticks, and a percussionist.
- Toshi Tsuchitori provides live percussion, dictating the rhythm.
- Actors include Carole Karemera, Jared McNeill, Ezry Nzaramba, and Sean O'Callaghan.
- The story focuses on the war between the Pandava and Kaurava families.
- The final scene references Hiroji Kubota's photograph of Buddhist monks.
Entities
Artists
- Peter Brook
- Jean-Claude Carrière
- Marie Helène Estienne
- Toshi Tsuchitori
- Carole Karemera
- Jared McNeill
- Ezry Nzaramba
- Sean O'Callaghan
- Hiroji Kubota
Institutions
- Teatro Storchi
- Artribune
Locations
- Modena
- Italy