Great Directors at Work: Stanislavsky, Brecht, Kazan, Brook [Paperback]

David Richard Jones (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This scholarly and detailed work attempts to create an understanding of the process of directing by intensive study of four important productions. Jones shows how the notes Stanislavsky made on The Seagull before beginning rehearsal shaped his 1898 production into a seminal example of realism. He describes the detailed workbook Brecht prepared from three different stagings of Mother Courage and Her Children from 1948 to 1951. Elia Kazan's 1947 A Streetcar Named Desire is studied as a commercial production that retained artistic integrity. Peter Brook's Marat/Sade exemplifies experimental theater generated by workshops. Larger collections will find this a valuable addition to the literature on directing. Susan Thach Dean, Fine Arts Div., Chicago P.L.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Jones argues that no theater history can be complete without carefuyl analysis of directorial achievement. "Great Directors at Work is a study of four ground-breaking productions as created by four seminal theater figures."--"New York Times Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 380 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (October 23, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520061748
• ISBN-13: 978-0520061743
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #786,910 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Drama Study Packs Message Powerfully, May 17, 2001

By 

Roscoe Arbuckle (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Great Directors at Work: Stanislavsky, Brecht, Kazan, Brook (Paperback)

As an avid follower of the more satirical innovations in theatre, I was surprised to read a wonderful book that made use of a singular technique in conveying what might otherwise have been distinctly dry academic material. Choosing Stanislavsky, Bert Brecht, and Pete Brook is a stroke of inspiration given a critical technique that writes close to the bone with great sardonic wit! Jones' connection of Stanislavsky with the tradition of Russian "clown"(ing) is especially awakening, particularly vis-a-vis the chapter on pratfall, pedantry and logorrhea. Here David Jones plays the method actor's part to a "T." The chapter on Berthold Brecht and epic theatre is told in epic style, as Jones recounts--Homer-like--the daring theatrical exploits of this great proletariat warrior, swelling to epic proportions in descriptions of some of his finest work. What is somewhat confusing is the inclusion of Kazan with little reference to Kazan's ironic connection to Senator McCarthy's "UnAmerican" hearings,where Kazan "named names," in a highly misunderstood fashion. Much as Stanley in "Streetcar" names Stella with muscular, brute and feral but ambiguous elan. As a professor of 20th Century Aeolian Elaboration and a Narcissus Foundation for Literary Studies Fellow, I highly recommend this book! Kudos to David Richard Jones on his crowning achievement.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars No surprises, March 8, 2001

By 

E. Merino "lamoira" (Mexico City, D.F. Mexico) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Great Directors at Work: Stanislavsky, Brecht, Kazan, Brook (Paperback)

This book may be about great directors at work - but the stories themsleves are told in not sucha a great way. If you are familiar with their directing forms - you shall not find any surprises; however, if you are planning on starting up your "directors" studies, this might be a neat start, that is, if you are into anecdoctes with academic airs. I suggest reading the masters themselves without Mr. D.R. Jones' transposition to the mise en page.