PeterBrookandTraditional

Thought
byBasarabNicolescu
TranslatedbyDavidWilliams
Traditionitself,intimesofdogmatismanddogmatic
revolution,isarevolutionaryforcewhichmustbe
safeguarded.
PeterBrook
~~

TheatreandTradition
Thecontinuousinvestigationofthemeaningoftheatre,which
underpinsallofPeterBrookswork,hasinevitablyledhimtoan
investigationofTradition.Iftheatrespringsfromlife,thenlife
itselfmustbequestioned.Understandingtheatricalrealityalso
entailsunderstandingtheagentsofthatreality,theparticipants
inanytheatricalevent:actors,director,spectators.Foraman
whorejectsalldogmaandclosedsystemsofthought,Tradition
offerstheidealcharacteristicofunityincontradiction.Although
itassertsitsimmutablenature,neverthelessitappearsinforms
ofanimmenseheterogeneity:whiledevotingitselftothe
understandingofunity,itdoessobyfocusingitsconcernson
theinfinitediversityofreality.Finally,Traditionconceivesof
understandingasbeingsomethingoriginallyengenderedby
experience,beyondallexplanationandtheoretical

generalisation.Isntthetheatricaleventitselfexperience,
aboveallelse?
Evenonthemostsuperficialoflevels,Brooksinterestin
Traditionisselfevident:onethinksofhistheatreadaptationof
oneofthejewelsofSufiart,AttarsConferenceoftheBirds,of
hisfilmtakenfromGurdjieffsbookMeetingswithRemarkable
Men,andofthesubsequentworkonTheMahabharata.Clearly
aninvestigationofthepointsofconvergencebetweenBrooks
theatreworkandtraditionalthoughtisnotdevoidofpurpose.
Animportantpointneedstobemadeattheveryoutset:the
wordtradition(fromtheLatintradere,meaningtorestore,
totransmit)carrieswithinitacontradictionchargedwith
repercussions.Initsprimaryfamiliarusage,thewordtradition
signifiesawayofthinkingoractinginheritedfromthepast1:it
isthereforelinkedwiththewordscustomandhabit.Inthis
sense,onemightrefertoacademictradition,toaComdie
FranaisetraditionortoShakespeareantradition.Intheatre,
traditionrepresentsanattemptatmummification,the
preservationofexternalformsatallcostsinevitably
concealingacorpsewithin,foranyvitalcorrespondencewith
thepresentmomentisentirelyabsent.Therefore,accordingto
thisfirstuseoftradition,Brookstheatreworkseemstobe
antitraditional,or,tobemoreprecise,atraditional.Brook
himselfhassaid:
Evenifitsancient,byitsverynaturetheatreisalwaysanartof
modernity.Aphoenixthathastobeconstantlybroughtbackto
life.Becausetheimagethatcommunicatesintheworldinwhich
welive,therighteffectwhichcreatesadirectlinkbetween
performanceandaudience,diesveryquickly.Infiveyearsa
productionisoutofdate.Sowemustentirelyabandonany
notionoftheatricaltradition2
Asecond,lessfamiliarmeaningofTraditionandonethat

willbeusedthroughoutthisessayisasetofdoctrinesand
religiousormoralpractices,transmittedfromcenturytocentury,
originallybywordofmouthorbyexampleorabodyofmore
orlesslegendaryinformation,relatedtothepast,primarily
transmittedorallyfromgenerationtogeneration.3Accordingto
thisdefinition,Traditionencapsulatesdifferenttraditions
Christian,Jewish,Islamic,Buddhist,Sufietc.(Toavoidany
confusionbetweenthesetwoacceptedusesofthesameword,a
capitalletterwillbeemployedthroughoutwhenreferringtothis
latteruse).
SoinessenceTraditionisconcernedwiththetransmissionofa
bodyofknowledgeonthespiritualevolutionofman,his
positionindifferentworlds,hisrelationshipwithdifferent
cosmoses.Thisbodyofknowledgeisthereforeunvarying,
stable,permanent,despitethemultiplicityofformsassumedin
itstransmission,anddespitethosedistortionsbroughtaboutby
historyandthepassageoftime.Althoughitstransmissionis
usuallyoral,Traditioncanalsobeconveyedbymeansofthe
scienceofsymbols,byvariouswritingsandworksofart,aswell
asbymythsandrituals.
Traditionalknowledgewasestablishedinancienttimes,butit
wouldbefutiletolookforasourceofTradition.Asfarasits
deepestrootsareconcerned,Traditioncouldbeconceivedtobe
outsidebothspace(geographical)andtime(historical).Itis
eternallypresent,hereandnow,ineveryhumanbeing,a
constantandvitalwellspring.ThesourceofTraditioncanonly
bemetaphysical.Byaddressingitselftowhatisessentialin
mankind,Traditionremainsverymuchaliveinourtimes.The
workofRenGunonorMirceaEliadehaveshowntheextent
towhichtraditionalthoughtcanbeofburninginterestforour
ownera.Inaddition,increasinglydetailedstudiesdemonstrate
thepointsofconvergenceinstructuraltermsbetween
contemporaryscienceandTradition.

OnecanfindaprecisepointofcontactbetweenTraditionand
theatreinTraditionsqualityofvitalimmediacyaquality
reflectedinitsoraltransmission,initsconstantreferencetothe
presentmomentandtoexperienceinthepresentmoment.Brook
himselfreferstojustthis,moreorlessdirectly,whenhewrites:
Theatreexistsinthehereandnow.Itiswhathappensatthat
precisemomentwhenyouperform,thatmomentatwhichthe
worldoftheactorsandtheworldoftheaudiencemeet.A
societyinminiature,amicrocosmbroughttogetherevery
eveningwithinaspace.Theatresroleistogivethismicrocosm
aburningandfleetingtasteofanotherworld,andthereby
interestit,transformit,integrateit.4
Evidently,accordingtoBrooksvision,althoughthetheatreis
ontheonehandbyitsverynatureatraditional,itcouldbe
conceivedtobeafieldofstudyinwhichtoconfrontandexplore
Tradition.ThereasonsforBrooksinterestinthethoughtof
Gurdjieffarealsoapparent:asweknow,Brookdevotedseveral
yearsofworktorealisingafilmversionofoneofhisbooks.We
believethatsignificantcorrespondencesexistbetweenBrooks
workintheatreandtheteachingsofGurdjieff:andforthat
reasonGurdjieffsnamewillrecurthroughoutthisessay.
WhileresolutelyremainingamanofTradition,Gurdjieff
(18771949)managedtoexpresshisteachingsincontemporary
language.Healsosucceededinlocatingandformulating,ina
scientificmanner,lawscommontoalllevelsofreality.These
lawsassureaunityindiversity,5aunitybeyondtheinfinite
varietyofformsassociatedwiththedifferentlevels.Theselaws
explainwhymankindneednotbeafragmentedstateina
thousandrealities,butinonemultifacetedrealityonly.
Aestheticreality,spiritualreality,scientificreality:dontthey
allconvergeononeandthesamecentre,whileremainingutterly
distinctanddifferentinthemselves?Hasntcontemporary

scientificthoughtitself(bothquantumandsubquantum)
uncoveredparadoxicalandsurprisingaspectsinnature,formerly
entirelyunsuspectedaspectswhichbringitsignificantlycloser
toTradition?6
Theatrework,traditionalthought,scientificthought:sucha
meetingisperhapsunusual,butcertainlynotfortuitous.By
PeterBrooksownadmission,whatattractedhimtotheatrical
formaswellastothestudyofTraditionwaspreciselythis
apparentcontradictionbetweenartandscience.Soitisnotatall
surprisingthatabooksuchasMatilaGhykasLeNombredOr
(adiscussionoftherelationshipbetweennumbers,proportions
andemotions)shouldhavemadesuchastrongimpressionon
him.
ThepossibledialoguesbetweenscienceandTradition,artand
Tradition,scienceandart,arerichandfruitful,potentially
offeringameansofunderstandingaworldbornedownbyand
submergedbeneathincreasinglyalienatingcomplexities.

TheTheatreasFieldofStudyofEnergy,
MovementandInterrelations
WebelievethatBrookstheatreresearchisstructuredaround
threepolarelements:energy,movementandinterrelations.We
knowthattheworldofappearance,writesBrook,isacrust
underthecrustistheboilingmatterweseeifwepeerintoa
volcano.Howcanwetapthisenergy?7Theatricalrealitywill
bedeterminedbythemovementofenergy,amovementitself
onlyperceivablebymeansofcertainrelationships:the
interrelationsofactors,andthatbetweentext,actorsand
audience.Movementcannotbetheresultofanactorsaction:
theactordoesnotdoamovement,itmovesthroughhim/her.
BrooktakesMerceCunninghamasanexample:hehastrained
hisbodytoobey,histechniqueishisservant,sothatinsteadof
beingwrappedupinthemakingofamovement,hecanletthe

movementunfoldinintimatecompanywiththeunfoldingofthe
music.8
Thesimultaneouspresenceofenergy,movementandcertain
interrelationsbringsthetheatricaleventtolife.Withreference
toOrghast,Brookspokeofthefireoftheevent,whichisthat
marvelousthingofperformanceinthetheatre.Throughit,all
thethingsthatwedbeenworkingonsuddenlyfellintoplace.9
Thisfallingintoplaceindicatesthesuddendiscoveryofa
structurehiddenbeneaththemultiplicityofforms,apparently
extendinginalldirections.ThatiswhyBrookbelievesthe
essenceoftheatreworktobeinfreeingthedynamicprocess.10
Itisaquestionoffreeingandnotoffixingorcapturingthis
processwhichexplainsthesuddennessoftheevent.Alinear
unfoldingwouldsignifyamechanisticdeterminism,whereas
heretheeventislinkedtoastructurewhichisclearlynotlinear
atallbutratheroneoflateralinterrelationshipsand
interconnections.
Eventisanotherkeyword,frequentlyrecurringinBrooks
work.Surelyitisnotsimplycoincidencethatthesameword
coversacentralnotioninmodernscientifictheory,since
EinsteinandMinkowski?Beyondtheinfinitemultiplicityof
appearances,isntrealityperhapsbasedononesingle
foundation?
In1900,MaxPlanckintroducedtheconceptoftheelementary
quantumofaction,atheoryinphysicsbasedonthenotionof
continuity:energyhasadiscreet,discontinuousstructure.In
1905,Einsteinformulatedhisspecialtheoryofrelativity,
revealinganewrelationshipbetweenspaceandtime:itwould
contributetoaradicalreevaluationoftheobject/energy
hierarchy.Gradually,thenotionofanobjectwouldbereplaced
bythatofanevent,arelationshipandaninterconnection
realmovementbeingthatofenergy.Quantummechanicsasa
theorywaselaboratedmuchlater,around1930:itshatteredthe

conceptofidentityinaclassicalparticle.Forthefirsttime,the
possibilityofaspace/timediscontinuumwasrecognisedas
logicallyvalid.Andfinallythetheoryofelementaryparticles
acontinuationofbothquantummechanicsandthetheoryof
relativity,aswellasanattempttogobeyondbothofthese
physicaltheoriesisstillintheprocessofelaborationtoday.
LikebothcontemporaryscientistsandGurdjieff,Brookis
convincedofthematerialityofenergy.Describingthe
characteristicsofroughtheatre,hewrites:
TheHolyTheatrehasoneenergy,theRoughhasothers.
Lightheartednessandgaietyfeedit,butsodoesthesameenergy
thatproducesrebellionandopposition.Thisisamilitantenergy:
itistheenergyofanger,sometimestheenergyofhate.11
WasntitGurdjieffhimselfwhosaidthat:Everythinginthe
universeismaterial,andforthatveryreasonUltimate
Understandingismorematerialistthanmaterialism?12Of
coursehedistinguishesmatter,whichisalwaysthesame:but
materialityisdifferent.Andthedifferentdegreesofmateriality
directlydependonthequalitiesandpropertiesoftheenergy
manifestedatagivenpoint.13Soobjectswouldbelocalised
configurationsofenergy.
Butwheredoesthisenergycomefrom?Whatarethelaws
governingthetransformationofnondifferentiatedenergyintoa
specificformofenergy?Isthisnondifferentiatedenergythe
fundamentalsubstratumofallforms?Towhatextentcanactors
andaudienceatatheatricalperformancebecomeimplicatedand
integratedwiththeformidablestruggleofenergiesthattakes
placeateverymomentinnature?
Inthefirstplace,webelievethatitisimportanttorecognise
that,inPeterBrookstheatreresearch,thegroupingtextactor
audiencereflectsthecharacteristicsofanaturalsystem:whena
truetheatricaleventtakesplace,itisgreaterthanthesumofits

parts.Theinteractionsbetweentextandactors,textand
audienceandactorsandaudienceconstitutethenew,irreducible
element.Atthesametime,text,actorsandaudiencearetrue
subsystems,openingthemselvesuptoeachother.Inthissense,
onecantalkofthelifeofatext.AsBrookhassaidmanytimes,
aplaydoesnothaveaformwhichisfixedforever.Itevolves(or
involves)becauseofactorsandaudiences.Thedeathofatextis
connectedtoaprocessofclosure,toanabsenceofexchange.In
TheEmptySpace,wereadthat:Adoctorcantellatonce
betweenthetraceoflifeandtheuselessbagofbonesthatlife
hasleft.Butwearelesspractisedinobservinghowanidea,an
attitudeoraformcanpassfromthelivelytothemoribund.14
Mightonenotfurthersuggestthatthetextactoraudience
systempossessesanotheroftheimportantcharacteristicsof
naturalsystems,thatofbeingmodulesofcoordinationinthe
hierarchyofnature?15Certainly,inthatinstancewhenthe
spectatoremergesfromatheatreeventenrichedwithnew
informationinthesphereofenergy:Ihavealsolookedfor
movementandenergy.Bodilyenergyasmuchasthatof
emotions,insuchawaythattheenergyreleasedonstagecan
unleashwithinthespectatorafeelingofvitalitythathewould
notfindineverydaylife.16Asthebearerofthisfeelingof
vitality,thespectatorcouldparticipateinotheropeningsand
otherexchanges,inlife.
Butwhatisessentialiselsewhereintherecognition,onits
ownlevel,oftheactionofthoselawscommontoalllevels.One
canconceiveoftheuniverse(asinGurdjieffscosmology,or
scientificsystemstheory)asagreatWhole,avastcosmicmatrix
withinwhichallisinperpetualmotioninacontinuous
restructuringofenergies.Suchaunityisnotstatic,itimplies
differentiationanddiversityintheexistencenotofasubstance,
butofacommonorganisation:thedetermininglawsofthe
Whole.Theselawsareonlyfullyoperationalwhensystemsare
mutuallyopentoeachother,inanincessantanduniversal

exchangeofenergy.
ItispreciselythisexchangethatconfirmswhatGurdjieffcalled
thegeneralharmonicmovementofsystems,ortheharmony
ofreciprocalmaintenanceinallcosmicconcentrations.17The
openingofasystempreventsitsdegeneration,andultimate
death.Inseparabilityisthesafeguardoflife.Itiswellknown
thatallclosedphysicalsystemsaresubjectedtoClausius
Carnotsprinciple,whichimpliesaninevitabledegenerationof
energy,agrowingdisorder.Fortheretobeorderandstability,
theremustbeopeningandexchange.Suchanexchangecantake
placebetweensynthesesononesinglelevel,orbetweensystems
belongingtodifferentlevels.
Almostalloftheactorsexercisesandimprovisationsin
BrooksCentreseemtoaimatengenderingopeningand
exchange.Firsthandtestimoniestothiseffectarenumerous:
onethinksofthosepublishedaccountsofthepreparatory
processesforConferenceoftheBirds,OrghastandCarmen.18
Brookhasexplicitlysaidhimselfthat,bymeansofthese
exercisesandimprovisations,theactorsaretryingtogetto
whatsessential:inotherwordstothatpointatwhichthe
impulsesofoneconjoinwiththeimpulsesofanothertoresonate
together.19MichelRostaindescribeshow,duringthe
preparationforCarmen,onesingerwouldturnhis/herbackon
another,inordertotrytorecreatethegestureaccompanyingthe
otherpersonssingingwithouteverhavingseenit.Actorssitting
inacircleattemptedtotransmitgesturesorwords:andinthe
endtheforceandclarityofinternalimagesenabledthemtobe
madevisible.Thisisgenuinelypreciseandrigorousresearch
work.
InoneexerciseduringthepreparationforOrghast,eachactor
representedapartofasinglepersonincluding,forexample,
thevoiceofthesubconscious.20Inanother,actorstookpartin
therecitationofamonologuefromaShakespeareantext,

deliveringitasaroundforthreevoices:suddenlytheactor
burstsabarrierandexperienceshowmuchfreedomtherecanbe
withinthetightestdiscipline.21Andthatiswhatitisessentially
aboutthediscoveryoffreedombysubmittingoneselftolaws
whichpermitanopeningtowardstheunknown,towardsa
relationship.Tobemeanstoberelatedwasthestartling
formulaofthefounderofGeneralSemantics,Alfred
Korzybski.22Exercisesandimprovisationsofferthepossibility
ofinterrelatingthemostordinaryandthemosthiddenlevelsof
experience,23ofdiscoveringpotentiallypowerfulequivalences
betweengestures,wordsandsounds.Inthisway,words,the
usualvehicleofsignification,canbereplacedbygesturesor
sounds.Goingintotheunknownisalwaysfrightening.Each
letteristhecauseoftheletterthatfollows.Hoursofworkcan
comeoutoftenletters,inasearchtofreetheword,thesound.
Wearenottryingtocreateamethod,wewanttomake
discoveries.24
Soexercisesandimprovisationshavelittleparticularvaluein
themselves,buttheyfacilitateatuningofthetheatrical
instrumentthatistheactorsbeing,andacirculationofliving
dramaticflow25intheactorsasagroup.Thetheatrical
miracleisproducedafterwards,intheactivepresenceofthe
audience,whenanopeningtowardstheunknowncanbe
mobilisedmorefully.Butwhatisthenatureofthisunknown?
Isitanothernamefortheunityofindefinitelinksinsystemsof
systems,asStephaneLupascowouldsay,26inaparadoxical
coexistenceofdeterminateandindeterminate,ofdisciplineand
spontaneity,ofhomogeneityandheterogeneity?Howcanwe
bestunderstandthewordsofAttarwhenhewroteinthe
InvocationtoConferenceoftheBirds:
Toeachatomthereisadifferentdoor,andforeachatomthereis
adifferentwaywhichleadstothemysteriousBeingofwhomI
speakInthisvastoceans,theworldisanatomandtheatoma
world?27

TraditionalthoughthasalwaysaffirmedthatRealityisnot
linkedtospacetime:itsimplyis.WhenGurdjiefftalkedofthe
trogoautoegocraticprocesswhichassuresthereciprocal
nutritionofeverythingthatexists,hewasproposingitasour
infalliblesaviourfromtheaction,inconformitywiththelaws,
ofmercilessHeropass28Onceoneknowsthatforhim
HeropassmeantTime,onecanunderstandthesenseofhis
statement:theunityofindefinitelinksbetweensystemsevades
theactionoftimeitis,outsidespacetime.Time,thatunique
ideallysubjectivephenomenon,doesnotexistperse.Sothe
spacetimecontinuum,whenitisconsideredinisolation,isa
sortofapproximation,asubjectivephenomenon,linkedtoa
subsystem.Eachsubsystem,correspondingtoacertaindegree
ofmateriality,possessesitsownspacetime.
Finally,incertainrecentscientifictheories,29descriptionsof
physicalrealityhavenecessitatedtheintroductionofdimensions
otherthanthoseofspacetime.Thephysicaleventtakesplace
inalldimensionsatthesametime.Consequently,onecanno
longertalkatthatleveloflinear,continuoustime.Thereisalaw
ofcausality,buttheeventoccursinasuddenway.Thereis
neitherbeforenorafterintheusualsenseoftheterms:there
issomethinglikeadiscontinuityinthenotionoftimeitself.
Woulditbepossibletodiscussatheatreeventwithout
immersingoneselfinanexperienceoftime?Onemightargue
thattheessenceofaPeterBrooktheatreeventisinits
suddenness,initsunforeseeablenature(inthesenseofthe
impossibilityofprecisereproductionatwill).Brooksaysthat:
Thespecialmomentsnolongerhappenbyluck.Yettheycant
berepeated.Itswhyspontaneouseventsaresoterrifyingand
marvelous.Theycanonlyberediscovered.30Meaningnever
belongstothepast31:itappearsinthemysteryofthepresent
moment,theinstantofopeningtowardsarelationship.This
meaningisinfinitelyricherthanthattowhichclassical
rationalthoughthasaccess,basedasitis(perhapswithoutit

everbeingaware)onlinearcausality,onmechanistic
determinism.Atfleetingmoments,greatactorstouchuponthis
newkindofmeaning.InPaulScofield,forexample,
instrumentandplayerareoneaninstrumentoffleshand
bloodthatopensitselftotheunknownItwasasthoughtheact
ofspeakingawordsentthroughhimvibrationsthatechoedback
meaningsfarmorecomplexthanhisrationalthinkingcould
find.32
Thereissomethingprimitive,directandimmediateintheidea
ofpresentmomentasortofabsolutelibertyinrelationto
performance,arevivifyingsentientspontaneity.Theideaof
presentmoment,writesPierce,withinwhich,whetheritexists
ornot,onenaturallythinksofapointintimewhennothought
cantakeplace,whennodetailcanbedifferentiated,isanideaof
Primacy33Primacybeingthemodeofbeingofwhatever
issuchasitis,inapositiveway,withnoreferencetoanything
elseatall.34
ThemiracleofPeterBrookstheatreworkseemstometo
resideinpreciselythissenseofthemoment,intheliberationof
energiescirculatinginharmonicflux,incorporatingthe
spectatorasactiveparticipantinthetheatricalevent.
Paradoxicallywefindallofthepointsofconvergencethat
havebeendiscussedthroughoutthisstudyembodiednotso
muchinhisfilmMeetingswithRemarkableMen,butratherina
playlikeTheCherryOrchard.Aresultperhapsofthedifference
betweencinemaandtheatre,whichBrookhasunderlined:
Thereisonlyoneinterestingdifferencebetweenthecinema
andthetheatre.Thecinemaflashesontoascreenimagesfrom
thepast.Asthisiswhattheminddoestoitselfallthroughlife,
thecinemaseemsintimatelyreal.Ofcourse,itisnothingofthe
sortitisasatisfyingandenjoyableextensionoftheunreality
ofeverydayperception.Thetheatre,ontheotherhand,always
assertsitselfinthepresent.Thisiswhatcanmakeitmorereal

thanthenormalstreamofconsciousness.Thisisalsowhatcan
makeitsodisturbing.35TextsbyChekhov,thedramatistof
lifesmovement,36orbyShakespeare,enableeverydimension
ofBrookstheatreworktoberevealed.InTheCherryOrchard,
therearespecificmomentswhenapparentlybanalwordsand
gesturesfallapart,suddenlyopenedtoanotherrealitythatone
somehowfeelstobetheonlyonethatcounts.Aflowofanew
qualityofenergystartstocirculate,andthespectatoriscarried
offtonewheights,inasuddenconfrontationwithhim/herself.
Themarksetchedintoourmemoriesinthiswaylastaverylong
time:althoughtheatreisaselfdestructiveart,37itis
nonethelesscapableofattainingacertainpermanence.

TheTernaryStructureofBrooksTheatreSpace
AnotherremarkablemeetingpointbetweenPeterBrooks
theatrework,traditionalthoughtandquantumtheory,isintheir
sharedrecognitionofcontradictionasthemotorofevery
processinreality.
Theroleofcontradictionisapparentinthechangesofdirection
Brookhimselfhaschosenthroughouthiscareer,through
Shakespeare,commercialcomedy,television,cinemaandopera:
Ivereallyspentallmyworkinglifeinlookingforopposites,
BrooksuggestedinaninterviewwithTheTimes.Thisisa
dialecticalprincipleoffindingarealitythroughopposites.38He
emphasisestheroleofcontradictionasameansofawakening
understanding,takingElizabethandramaasanexample:
Elizabethandramawasexposure,itwasconfrontation,itwas
contradictionanditledtoanalysis,involvement,recognition
and,eventually,toanawakeningofunderstanding.39
Contradictionisnotdestructive,butabalancingforce.Ithasits
roletoplayinthegenesisofallprocesses.Theabsenceof
contradictionwouldleadtogeneralhomogenisation,a
dwindlingofenergyandeventualdeath.Whatevercontains
contradictioncontainstheworld,claimsLupasco,whose

conclusionsarebasedonquantumphysics.40Brookpointsout
theconstructiveroleofnegationinthetheatreofBeckett:
Beckettdoesnotsaynowithsatisfaction:heforgeshis
mercilessnooutofalongingforyes,andsohisdespairis
thenegativefromwhichthecontourofitsoppositecanbe
drawn.41
Contradictionalsoplaysacentralroleintheworksof
Shakespearewhichpassthroughmanystagesof
consciousness:Whatenabledhimtechnicallytodoso,the
essence,infact,ofhisstyle,isaroughnessoftextureanda
consciousminglingofopposites42Shakespeareremainsthe
greatideal,thesummit,anindeliblepointofreferencefora
possibleevolutionintheatre:
ItisthroughtheunreconciledoppositionofRoughandHoly,
throughanatonalscreechofabsolutelyunsympathetickeysthat
wegetthedisturbingandtheunforgettableimpressionsofhis
plays.Itisbecausethecontradictionsaresostrongthatthey
burnonussodeeply.43
BrookseesKingLearasavast,complex,coherentpoem
attainingcosmicdimensionsinitsrevelationofthepowerand
theemptinessofnothingthepositiveandnegativeaspects
latentinthezero.44
Contradictionisthesinequanonofsuccessfultheatrical
performance.Zeami(13631444),oneofthefirstgreatmasters
oftheNohhistreatiseisknownasthesecrettraditionofthe
Nohobservedfivecenturiesago:
Letitbeknownthatineverything,itisatthecriticalpointof
harmonicbalancebetweenyinandyangthatperfectionis
locatedifonewastointerpretyanginayangway,oryinina
yinway,therecouldbenoharmonisingbalance,andperfection
wouldbeimpossible.Withoutperfection,howcouldoneeverbe

interesting?45
ForcertaintraditionalthinkerslikeZeami,JakobBhmeor
Gurdjieff,aswellasforcertainphilosopherswhosethinkingis
basedonscientificknowledge,likePierceandLupasco,
contradictionisquitesimplythedynamicinterrelationshipof
threeindependentforces,simultaneouslypresentinevery
processinrealityanaffirmativeforce,anegativeforceanda
conciliatoryforce.Thereforerealityhasaternarydynamic
structure,atrialecticalstructure.
Forexample,Zeamielaboratedalawcalledjohakyu,towhich
PeterBrookoftenrefers.Jomeansbeginningoropening:
hameansmiddleordevelopment(aswellastobreak,
crumble,spreadout):kyumeansendorfinale(aswell
asspeed,climax,paroxysm).AccordingtoZeamiitisnot
onlytheatreperformanceitselfwhichcanbebrokendowninto
jo,haandkyu,butalsoeveryvocalorinstrumentalphrase,
everymovement,everystep,everyword.46
Zeamiscommentsarestillvitallyrelevanttoustoday.Onecan
easilyimagine,forexample,theboredomprovokedbythe
performanceofatragicplay,whichbeginsinclimactic
paroxysm,thendevelopsthroughinterminableexpositionsof
thecausesofthedrama.Atthesametimeitwouldbepossible
toundertakeadetailedanalysisoftheuniqueatmosphere
createdintheplaysstagedbyPeterBrook,astheresultof
conformitywiththelawofjohakyuinthestructural
progressionoftheseplaysaswellasintheactors
performances.ButthemostpersonalaspectofBrookstheatre
workseemstolieinhiselaborationandpresentationofanew
ternarystructuring.
Brookstheatrespacecouldberepresentedbyatriangle,with
thebaselinefortheaudiencesconsciousness,andthetwoother
sidesfortheinnerlifeoftheactorsandtheirrelationswiththeir

partners.Thisternaryconfigurationisconstantlypresentinboth
Brookspracticeandhiswritings.Ineverydaylife,ourcontacts
areoftenlimitedtoaconfrontationbetweenourinnerlifeand
ourrelationshipswithourpartners:thetriangleismutilated,for
itsbaseisabsent.Inthetheatre,actorsareobligedtoconfront
theirultimateandabsoluteresponsibility,therelationshipwith
anaudience,whichiswhatineffectgivestheatreits
fundamentalmeaning.47Wewillreturntothecentralroleof
theaudienceinBrookstheatrespaceinthenextsection.
Anotherternarystructurewhichisactiveintheatrespacecanbe
locatedifoneacceptsthenotionofcentresproposedby
Gurdjieff.Hebelievedthatwhatdistinguishesmankindfrom
otherorganicentitiesinnatureisthefactofbeingtricentricor
tricerebralabeingwiththreecentresorbrains.Indeeda
humanbeingcouldberepresentedbyatrianglethebase
representingtheemotionalcentre(locusofReconciliation),the
twoothersidestheintellectualcentre(locusofAffirmation)and
theinstinctivemotorcentre(locusofNegation).Harmonystems
fromastateofbalancebetweenthesethreecentres.
Itisveryclearthattheconditionsofmodernlifeonlyfavourthe
functioningoftheintellectualcentre,particularlyofthe
automatedpartofthatcentre,whatonecouldcallcerebral
activity.Thisideationalelement,whichisofcourseapowerful
meansinmansadaptationtohisenvironment,haschanged
fromameansintoanend,adoptingtheroleofomnipotent
tyrant.Thereforethetrianglerepresentingmankindthreatensto
breakapart,onaccountofthedisproportionatelengtheningof
oneofitssides.Theatricalspace,inturn,cannotfailtofeelthe
consequencesofthisprocess.
JohnHeilpern,whohasdescribedtheC.I.R.T.actors
expeditiontoAfrica,recalledhisastonishmentwhenheheard
PeterBrooktalkingabouttheroleofcerebralactivity:He
pointedtotheimbalancewithinuswherethegoldencalfofthe

intellectisworshippedatthecostoftruefeelingsand
experience.LikeJung,hebelievesthattheintellectualthe
intellectaloneprotectsusfromtruefeeling,stiflesand
camouflagesthespiritinablindcollectionoffactsand
concepts.YetasBrooktalkedtomeofthisIwasstruckforcibly
bythefactthathe,asupremeintellectualfigure,shouldexpress
himselfthisway.48Assomeonewhohadbranded20thCentury
manasemotionallyconstipated,49Brookshedsnotearsforthe
deadlytheatre,whichheconsiderstobetheperfectexpression
ofthecerebralelementinitsattempttoappropriaterealfeelings
andexperiences:
Tomakemattersworse,thereisalwaysadeadlyspectator,who
forspecialreasonsenjoysalackofintensityandevenalackof
entertainment,suchasthescholarwhoemergesfromroutine
performancesoftheclassicssmilingbecausenothinghas
distractedhimfromtryingoverandconfirminghispettheories
tohimself,whistrecitinghisfavouritelinesunderhisbreath.In
hishearthesincerelywantsatheatrethatisnoblerthanlife,and
heconfusesasortofintellectualsatisfactionwiththetrue
experienceforwhichhecraves.50
Harmonybetweenthecentresfacilitatesthedevelopmentofa
newqualityofperception,adirectandimmediateperception
whichdoesnotpassthroughthedeformingfilterofcerebral
activity.Soanewintelligencecanappear:alongwithemotion,
thereisalwaysaroleforaspecialintelligencethatisnotthereat
thestart,butwhichhastobedevelopedasaselecting
instrument.51
AlotoftheexerciseselaboratedbyPeterBrookhaveastheir
preciseaimthedevelopmentofthisstateofunitybetween
thought,bodyandfeelingsbyliberatingtheactorfromanover
cerebralapproach.Inthisway,theactorcanbeorganically
linkedwithhim/herselfandactasaunifiedwholebeing,
ratherthanasafragmentedone.Throughsuchresearchwork,

onegraduallydiscoversanimportantaspectofthefunctioning
ofthecentresthegreatdifferenceintheirspeeds.According
toGurdjieff,52theintellectualcentreistheslowest,whereasthe
emotionalcentreisthequickestitsimpressionsare
immediatelymadeapparenttous.
Soitisclearinwhatwaythedemandsofanexercisecanenable
adiscoveryofthecommonrulebymobilisingtheintervention
ofthequickercentres.DuringtheCarmenrehearsals,actors
wereaskedtowalkwhileatthesametimeemittingasound,
thentopassfrompianotofortissimowithoutalteringthe
dynamicandbearingofthewalk.53Thedifficultyofthis
exerciserevealedthedisharmonybetweencentres,ablockingof
thequickercentresbytheintellectualone.Comparethiswith
anotherexercisewhereactorswouldberequiredtomarkout
rhythmsinfour/fourtimewiththeirfeet,whiletheirhandskept
three/threetime.Certainexercisesallowsomethingakintoa
photographofthefunctioningofthecentresatagivenmoment
tobetaken.Fixedinacertainattitude,theactorcandiscoverthe
contradictoryfunctioningofthesedifferentcentres,andthereby
find,throughexperiment,thewaytowardsamoreintegrated,
harmoniousfunctioning.
Onemightwanttoestablishrevelatorypointsofcorrespondence
betweenthetwotrianglesthatofBrookstheatrespaceand
thatofGurdjieffscentres.Inparticular,thisisomorphism
betweenthetwotrianglescouldwellenlightenusastotherole
oftheaudience,initscapacityascatalystfortheemotional
centresimpressions.Butthatwouldleadusfarfromour
immediateconcernshere:andanywaynotheoreticalanalysis
couldeversubstitutefortherichnessofafirsthandexperience
ofimmersioninBrookstheatrespace.
Themostspectacularillustrationofthecrucial,primaryroleof
experienceinBrooksworkisperhapsinthepreparationfor
ConferenceoftheBirds.Insteadofplunginghisactorsintoa

studyofAttarspoem,orcommittingthemtoanerudite
analysisofSufitexts,Brookledthemoffonanextraordinary
expeditiontoAfrica.Confrontedwiththedifficultiesinherentin
acrossingoftheSaharadesert,obligedtoimproviseinfrontof
theinhabitantsofAfricanvillages,theactorswentinexorably
towardsameetingwiththemselves:Everythingwedoonthis
journeyisanexerciseinheighteningperceptiononevery
conceivablelevel.Youmightcalltheperformanceofashow
thegrandexercise.Buteverythingfeedsthework,and
everythingsurroundingitispartofabiggertestofawareness.
Callitthesupergrandexercise.54Indeedselfconfrontation
afteralongandarduousprocessofselfinitiationisthevery
keystonetoAttarspoem.Thiskindofexperimental,organic
approachtoatexthasaninfinitelygreatervaluethanany
theoretical,methodicalorsystematicstudy.Itsvaluebecomes
apparentinthestimulationofaveryparticularquality:it
constitutesthemosttangiblecharacteristicofBrookswork.
HiscommentsonOrghastareassignificantandvalidfor
ConferenceoftheBirds,asindeedforalloftheother
performances:Theresultthatweareworkingtowardsisnota
form,notanimage,butasetofconditionsinwhichacertain
qualityofperformancecanarise.55Thisqualityisdirectly
connectedtothefreecirculationofenergies,throughpreciseand
detailed(onecouldevencallitscientific)workonperception.
Disciplineisinextricablyassociatedwithspontaneity,precision
withfreedom.

Theatre,DeterminismandSpontaneity
Howcandisciplineandspontaneitybemadetocoexistand
interact?Wheredoesspontaneitycomefrom?Howcanone
distinguishtruespontaneityfromasimpleautomaticresponse,
associatedwithasetofpreexisting(ifunconscious)clichs?In
otherwords,howcanonedifferentiatebetweenanassociation
perhapsunexpected,butnonethelessmechanicalwithits

sourceinwhathasbeenseenalready,andtheemergenceof
somethingreallynew?
Spontaneityintroducesanindeterminateelementintoan
evolutionaryprocess.Heisenbergscelebrateduncertainty
relation,oruncertaintyprincipleindicatesthatspontaneityis
effectivelyactiveinnature.Thisprincipletellsusthatthe
productofanincreaseinquantityofaquantumevents
momentumthroughitsspatialextension,ortheproductofan
increaseinenergythroughitstemporalextensionmustbe
superiortoacertainconstantrepresentingtheelementary
quantumofaction.Soifoneweretoask,forexample,fora
preciselypinpointedspatiallocalizationofthequantumevent,
theresultwouldbeaninfiniteincreaseonthelevelof
uncertaintyofmomentum:justasifoneweretoaskfora
preciselypinpointedtemporallocalisation,theresultwouldbe
aninfiniteincreaseinthelevelofenergy.Thereisnoneedfora
highdegreeofsophisticationinmathematicsorphysicsto
understandthatthissignifiestheimpossibilityofaprecise
localisationinspacetimeofanyquantumevent.Theconceptof
identityinaclassicalparticle(identitydefinedinrelationtothe
particleitself,asapartseparatefromtheWhole)istherefore
necessarilysmashedapart.
Thequantumeventisnotmadeupofwaveorparticle,itis
simultaneouslywaveandparticle.Theimpossibilityofprecisely
locatingaquantumeventinspacetimecanbeunderstoodasa
consequenceoftheinseparabilityofevents.Theiraleatoryor
probabilistcharacterdoesnotreflecttheactionofchance.
Thealeatoryquantumisconstructive,ithasadirectionthatof
theselforganizationofnaturalsystems.Atthesametime,the
observerceasestobeanobservers/hebecomes,asWheeler
hassaid,aparticipant.Quantumtheoryhasitsplaceinthe
ValleyofAstonishment(oneofthesevenvalleysin
ConferenceoftheBirds)wherecontradictionandindeterminacy
lieinwaitforthetraveller.

Onecouldpostulatetheexistenceofageneralprincipleof
uncertainty,activeinanyprocessinreality.Itisalsonecessarily
activeintheatricalspace,aboveallintherelationshipbetween
audienceandplay.Intheformulafortheatresuggestedby
Brook(Theatre=Rra:Rptition,reprsentation,
assistance),thepresenceassistanceofanaudienceplays
anessentialrole:
Theonlythingthatallformsoftheatrehaveincommonisthe
needforanaudience.Thisismorethanatruism:inthetheatre
theaudiencecompletesthestepsofcreation.56
Theaudienceispartofamuchgreaterunity,subjecttothe
principleofuncertainty:Itishardtounderstandthetrue
functionofspectator,thereandnotthere,ignoredandyet
needed.Theactorsworkisneverforanaudience,yetitalways
isforone.57Theaudiencemakesitselfopentotheactors,inits
desiretoseemoreclearlyintoitself,58andsotheperformance
beginstoactmorefullyontheaudience.Byopeningitselfup,
theaudienceinturnbeginstoinfluencetheactors,ifthequality
oftheirperceptionallowsinteraction.Thatexplainswhythe
globalvisionofadirectorcanbedissolvedbyanaudiences
presence:theaudienceexposesthenonconformityofthisvision
withthestructureofthetheatricalevent.Thetheatricaleventis
indeterminate,instantaneous,unpredictable,evenifit
necessitatesthereunionofasetofclearlydetermined
conditions.Thedirectorsroleconsistsofworkingatgreat
lengthandindetailtopreparetheactors,thusenablingthe
emergenceofthetheatricalevent.Allattemptstoanticipateor
predeterminethetheatricaleventaredoomedtofailure:the
directorcannotsubstitutehim/herselffortheaudience.The
trianglecomprisinginnerlifeoftheactorstheirrelationswith
theirpartnerstheaudiencesconsciousnesscanonlybe
engenderedattheactualmomentofperformance.Thecollective
entitythatistheaudiencemakestheconciliatoryelement
indispensabletothebirthofthetheatricalevent:(An

audiences)trueactivitycanbeinvisible,butalsoindivisible.59
Howeverinvisibleitis,thisactiveparticipationbytheaudience
isnonethelessmaterialandpotent:WhentheRoyal
ShakespeareCompanysproductionofKingLeartoured
throughEurope,theproductionwassteadilyimprovingThe
qualityofattentionthatthisaudiencebroughtexpresseditselfin
silenceandconcentration:afeelinginthehousethataffectedthe
actorsasthoughabrilliantlightwereturnedontheirwork.60
SoitisevidentwhyBrooksresearchworktendstowardsa
necessarytheatre,oneinwhichthereisonlyapractical
differencebetweenactorandaudience,notafundamental
one.61Thespaceinwhichtheinteractionbetweenaudienceand
actorstakesplaceisinfinitelymoresubtlethanthatofideas,
concepts,prejudicesorpreconditioning.Thequalityofthe
attentionofbothaudienceandactorsenablestheeventtooccur
asafullmanifestationofspontaneity.Ideallythisinteractioncan
transcendlinguisticandculturalbarriers.TheC.I.R.T.actors
cancommunicatejustaswellwithAfricanvillagers,Australian
aboriginesortheinhabitantsofBrooklyn;Theatreisntabout
narrative.Narrativeisntnecessary.Eventswillmakethe
whole.62
Manyoftheconfusionsconcerningtheproblemofspontaneity
appeartohavetheirsourceinalinear,monodimensional
conceptionofthetheatricalevent.Onecaneasilybelieveinthe
existenceoflawssuchasZeamisjohakyu,67butthatis
insufficientinunderstandinghowatheatricaleventcantake
placethroughthetransitionbetweenthedifferentelementsof
johakyu.Ifonelimitsoneselftoastrictlyhorizontalviewofthe
actionofjohakyu(jo,thebeginning:ha,thedevelopment:kyu,
theending),itisimpossibletounderstandhowonemightarrive,
forexample,attheultimaterefinementofthehapartofha,orto
aparoxysticpeakinthekyupartofkyu.Whatcanproducethe
dynamicshocksnecessaryforthemovementnottostop,notto
becomeblocked?Howcanthenecessarycontinuityofa

theatricalperformancebereconciledwiththediscontinuity
inherentinitsdifferentcomponents?Howcanoneharmonise
theprogressionoftheplay,theactorsworkandtheperception
liberatedintheaudience?
Inotherwords,horizontalmovementismeaninglessbyitself.It
remainsonthesamelevelforever,noinformationis
forthcoming.Thismovementonlyacquiresasignificanceifitis
combinedwithanevolutionarydynamic.Itisasifeach
phenomenoninrealityweresubject,ateverymoment,totwo
contradictorymovements,intwoopposingdirections:one
ascending,theotherdescending.Asifthereweretwoparallel
rivers,flowingwithconsiderableforceintwoopposing
directions:inordertopassfromonerivertotheother,an
externalinterventionashockisabsolutelyessential.Thisis
wherethefullrichnessofthesignificanceofthenotionof
discontinuityisrevealed.
Butinorderforthisshocktobeeffective,acertain
concordanceoroverlapmustexistbetweentheshock(which
initselfissubjecttothelawofjohakyu)andthesystemupon
whichitisacting.Thereforeitbecomesclearwhyeachelement
ofjohakyumustbecomposedinturnofthethreeotherelements
inotherwords,whytherehastobeajohakyusequence
withinthejo,thehaandthekyu.Thesedifferentcomponents
enableinteractionbetweenthedifferentsystemstotakeplace.
Therefore,inorderforaharmoniousmovementtoappear,anew
dimensionmustbepresent:johakyuisnotonlyactive
horizontally,butalsovertically.Ifeachelement(jo,haandkyu)
iscomposedinturnofthreeotherelements,thereforeweobtain
nineelements,twoofwhichrepresentasortofinterval.One
oftheseisfilledbytheshockenablingthehorizontaltransition
totakeplace,theotherbytheshockenablingthevertical
transitiontotakeplace.Inthisway,oneendsupwithavisionof
theactionofZeamisjohakyuwhichisveryclosetotheprecise

mathematicalformulationGurdjieffelaboratedforhislawof
Sevenoroctavelaw.63
Whenoneconsidersthistwodimensionalvisionoftheactionof
johakyu,PeterBrooksinsistenceontheaudiencescentralrole
inatheatricaleventbecomesclearer.Theaudiencecanfollow
thesuggestionsproposedtoitbytheplaytext,theactorsandthe
director.Thefirstintervalbetweenjoandhacanbe
traversedbymeansofamoreorlessautomaticexchange,the
playcancontinueitshorizontalmovement.Buttheaudience
alsohasitsownirreduciblepresence:itsculture,itssensitivity,
itsexperienceoflife,itsqualityofattention,theintensityofits
perception.Aresonancebetweentheactorsworkandthe
audiencesinnerlifecanoccur.Thereforethetheatricalevent
canappearfullyspontaneous,bymeansofverticalexchange
whichimpliesacertaindegreeofwillandofawareness
therebyleadingtosomethingtrulynew,notpreexistentin
theatricalperformance.Theascentoftheactionofjohakyu
towardstheplayssummitthekyuofkyucanthereforetake
place.Thesecondintervalisfilledbyatrueshock,allowing
theparadoxicalcoexistenceofcontinuityanddiscontinuity.
Wehavedescribedwhatcouldbeconsideredtobeafirstlevel
ofperceptioninatheatreevent.Thisanalysiscouldbefurther
refinedbytakingintoaccountthetreelikestructure(itisnever
ending)ofjohakyu.Differentlevelsofperception,structured
hierarchicallyinaqualitativeladder,couldbediscoveredin
thisway.Therearedegreesofspontaneity,justasthereare
degreesofperception.Thequalityofatheatricalperformance
isdeterminedbytheeffectivepresenceofthesedegrees.
Wehavealsoreferredtoaverticaldimensionintheactionof
johakyu.Thisdimensionisassociatedwithtwopossible
impulses:oneascending(evolution),theotherdescending
(entropicinvolution).Theascendingcurvecorrespondstoa
densificationofenergy,reflectingthetendencytowardsunityin

diversityandanaugmentationofawareness.Itisinthissense
thatwehavedescribedtheactionofjohakyuuntilthispoint.
Butonemightwellconceiveofajohakyuinreverse,suchas
appears,forexample,inthesubjectofPeterBrooksfilmLord
oftheFlies,whereonewitnessedtheprogressivedegradationof
aparadisetowardsahell.Anideal,innocentspaceexists
nowhere.Lefttothemselves,withouttheinterventionof
conscienceandawareness,thelawsofcreationlead
inexorablytowardsfragmentation,mechanicity,and,inthefinal
instance,toviolenceanddestruction.Inthiswayspontaneityis
metamorphosedintomechanicity.
Itshouldbenotedthatspontaneityandsincerityareclosely
linked.Theusualmoralconnotationofsinceritysignifiesits
reductiontoanautomaticfunctioningbasedonasetofideas
andbeliefsimplantedintothecollectivepsycheinanaccidental
waythroughthepassageoftime.Inthissense,sinceritycomes
closetoalie,inrelationtoitself.Byriddingourselvesofthe
ballastofwhatdoesnotbelongtous,wecaneventuallybecome
sincere:recognisinglaws,seeingoneself,openingoneselfto
relationshipswithothers.Suchaprocessdemandswork,a
significantdegreeofeffort:sinceritymustbelearnt.64In
relationtoourusualconceptionofit,thiskindofsincerity
resemblesinsincerity:withitsmoralovertones,theword
(sincerity)causesgreatconfusion.Inaway,themostpowerful
featureoftheBrechtactorsisthedegreeoftheirinsincerity.Itis
onlythroughdetachmentthatanactorwillseehisown
cliches.65Theactorinhabitsadoublespaceoffalseandtrue
sincerity,themostfruitfulmovementbeinganoscillation
betweenthetwo:Theactoriscalledupontobecompletely
involvedwhiledistanceddetachedwithoutdetachment.He
mustbesincere,hemustbeinsincere:hemustpracticehowto
beinsincerewithsincerityandhowtolietruthfully.Thisis
almostimpossible,butitisessential66

TheactorspredicamentisreminiscentofArjunasperplexity
whenconfrontedwiththeadvicethatKrishnagiveshim,inthe
BhagavadGita,toreconcileactionandnonaction:
paradoxically,actionundertakenwithunderstandingbecomes
intertwinedwithinaction.
Ateverymoment,theactorisconfrontedwithachoicebetween
actingandnotacting,betweenanactionvisibletotheaudience
andaninvisibleaction,linkedtohis/herinnerlife.Zeamidrew
ourattentiontotheimportanceofintervalsofnoninterpretation
ornonaction,separatingapairofgestures,actionsor
movements:
Itisaspiritualconcentrationwhichwillallowyoutoremainon
yourguard,retainingallofyourattention,atthatmomentwhen
youstopdancingorchanting,orinanyothercircumstances
duringanintervalinthetextorinthemimicart.Theemotion
createdbythisinnerspiritualconcentrationwhichmanifests
itselfexternallyiswhatproducesinterestandenjoymentIt
isinrelationtothedegreeofnonconsciousnessand
selflessness,throughamentalattitudeinwhichonesspiritual
realityishiddenevenfromoneself,thatonemustforgethelink
betweenwhatprecedesandwhatfollowstheintervalsofnon
action.Thisiswhatconstitutestheinnerstrengthwhichcan
servetoreunitealltenthousandmeansofexpressioninthe
onenessofthespirit.67
Itisonlybymasteringtheattitudesandassociationsproducedin
thiswaythattheactorcantrulyplayparts,puttinghim/herself
inothersplaces.Ateverymoment,wroteGurdjieff,
associationschangeautomatically,oneevokinganother,andso
on.IfIamintheprocessofplayingapart,Imustbeincontrol
allthetime.Itisimpossibletostartagainwiththegiven
impulse.68Inasenseafreemanisonewhocantrulyplay
parts.

Inthelightofallthathasbeensaidsofarinthisessay,wouldit
notnowbepossibletostatethatthereisaverystrong
relationshipbetweentheatricalandspiritualwork?Whetherone
agreesornot,aclearandimportantdistinctionbetweentheatre
researchandtraditionalresearchmustbemadeinordertoavoid
thesourceofanindefinitechainofharmfulconfusions,whichin
anycasehavealreadycolouredcertainendeavoursinthe
moderntheatre.
Traditionalresearchaddressesitselftomanasawhole,calling
intoplayawiderangeofaspects,infinitelyricherthanthatof
theatreresearch:afterall,thelattersendisaesthetic.
Traditionalresearchiscloselylinkedwithanoralteaching,
untranslatableintoordinarylanguage.Isntitsignificantthatno
traditionalwritingseverdescribetheprocessofselfinitiation?
InhisThirdSeries,facedwiththeimpossibilityofthetask,
Gurdjieffpreferredtodestroyhismanuscriptwhatwas
eventuallypublishedasLifeisrealonlythen,whenIamis
onlyacollectionoffragmentsfromthatmanuscript.Onseveral
occasions,SaintJohnoftheCrossannouncedatreatiseonthe
mysticalunion,butnotracehaseverbeenfoundofsucha
work.Finally,Attardevotedthemajorpartofhispoem
ConferenceoftheBirdstothestoryofthediscussionsbetween
thebirdsandadescriptionofthepreparationfortheirjourney:
thejourneyitselfandthemeetingwiththeSimorghonlytakeup
afewlines.
Theatreresearchclearlyhasanotherendinmind:art,theatre.
PeterBrookhimselfhasstronglyemphasisedtheneedforsucha
distinction:theatreworkisnotasubstituteforaspiritual
search.69Initselfthetheatricalexperienceisinsufficientto
transformthelifeofanactor.Nevertheless,likeasavant,for
example,orindeedanyhumanbeing,theactorcanexperience
fleetinglywhatcouldbeahigherlevelofevolution.Theatreis
animitationoflife,butanimitationbaseduponthe
concentrationofenergiesreleasedinthecreationofatheatre

event.Soonecanbecomeaware,onanexperientiallevel,ofthe
fullrichnessofthepresentmoment.Iftheatreisnotreallythe
decisivemeetingwithoneselfandwithothers,itnonetheless
allowsforacertaindegreeofexplorationtotakeplace.
ThisfundamentalambiguityrecursinGrotowskisapproach,at
leastsuchasitisdescribedbyBrook:Thetheatre,hebelieves,
cannotbeanendinitself:likedancingormusicincertain
dervishorders,thetheatreisavehicle,ameansforselfstudy,
selfexploration70AccordingtoBrooksconceptionofthe
theatre,itcannotlayclaimtounity,intermsofitsend.Of
courseonecanarriveatcertainprivilegedmoments;Atcertain
moments,thisfragmentedworldcomestogether,andfora
certaintimeitcanrediscoverthemarveloforganiclife.The
marvelofbeingone.71Buttheatreworkisephemeral,subject
totheinfluences(bothevolutedandinvoluted)ofthe
environment.Thisimpermanencepreventsitfromleadingto
pointsofdynamicconcentration.Inanswertoaquestionabout
Orghast,Brookrepliedthattheatreworkis:
selfdestructivewithinwavesYougothroughlinesand
points.ThelinethathasgonethroughOrghastshouldcometoa
point,andthepointshouldbeaworkobviouslythereisa
necessarycrystallisingoftheworkintoaconcentratedform.Its
alwaysaboutthatcomingtopointsofconcentration.72

OnthePossibilityofaUniversalLanguage
WhenA.C.H.Smithaskedhimaboutthepossibilityofa
universallanguage,PeterBrookdismissedthequestionas
beingmeaningless.73Hisresponsereflectsafearofthestifling
ofavitalquestionbyendlesstheoreticalconsiderations,by
deformingandmaimingabstractions.Howmanyprejudicesand
clichesareunleashedautomaticallysimplybypronouncingthe
twowordsuniversallanguage?AndyetBrooksentirework
testifiestohissearchforanewlanguagewhichendeavoursto

unitesound,gestureandword,andinthiswaytofreemeanings
whichcouldnotbeexpressedinanyotherway.Butaboveall
thisresearchisexperimental:somethinglivingemergesintothe
theatrespace,anditmatterslittlewhatnameonegivestoit.
Whathappens,Brookasks,whengestureandsoundturninto
word?Whatistheexactplaceofthewordintheatrical
expression?Asvibration?Concept?Music?Isanyevidence
buriedinthestructureofcertainancientlanguages?74
Thefactthat,bythemselves,wordscannotprovidetotalaccess
torealityhasbeenwellknownforalongtime.Inthefinal
analysis,anydefinitionofwordsbywordsisbasedonindefinite
terms.Wheredoeslinguisticdeterminismbegin,andwheredoes
itend?Canitbecharacterisedbyasinglevalue,byafinite
numberofvaluesorbyaninfinitenumber?Andif,accordingto
Korzybskisfamousphrase,themapisnottheterritory,75it
neverthelesshastheconsiderableadvantageofastructure
similartothatoftheterritory.Howcanthissimilaritybecome
operative?Thewordisasmallvisibleportionofagigantic
unseenformation,writesBrook.76Startingwiththissmall
visibleportion,howcanonegainaccesstothegigantic
formationoftheuniverseasawhole?Atheatricalevent,ashas
alreadybeensuggested,determinestheappearanceofaladdered
structureofdifferentlevelsofperception.Howcananysingle
wordencapsulatethesumoftheselevels?
Therelativisationofperceptionhasenabledustospecifya
phenomenonsplaceinreality,aswellashowitislinkedtothe
rest.Aword,agesture,anactionarealllinkedtoacertainlevel
ofperception,but,inthetruetheatricalevent,theyarealso
linkedtootherlevelspresentintheevent.Relativityallowsusto
uncovertheinvarianceconcealedbehindthemultiplicityof
formsofphenomenaindifferentsystemsofreference.This
visionofthingsisclosetothatimpliedbytheprincipleof
relativityformulatedbyGurdjieff.77

Relativityconditionsvision:withoutrelativitytherecanbeno
vision.Theplaywrightwhotakeshis/herownrealityforreality
asawholepresentsanimageofadesiccatedanddeadworld,in
spiteofanyoriginalitythathe/shemighthaveshown.
Unfortunatelytheplaywrightrarelysearchestorelatetheir
detailtoanylargerstructureitisasthoughtheyacceptwithout
questiontheirintuitionascomplete,theirrealityasallof
reality.78Deathitselfcanberelativisedinanacceptanceof
contradiction.BrookcitestheexampleofChekhov:In
Chekhovswork,deathisomnipresentButhelearnthowto
balancecompassionwithdistanceThisawarenessofdeath,
andofthepreciousmomentsthatcouldbelived,endowhis
workwithasenseoftherelative:inotherwords,aviewpoint
fromwhichthetragicisalwaysabitabsurd.79Non
identificationisanotherwordforvision.
Theatreworkcanbetheconstantsearchforasimultaneous
perception,bybothactorsandaudience,ofeverylevelpresent
inanevent.Brookdescribeshisownresearchinthisconcise
formulation:
thesimplerelationshipofmovementandsoundthatpasses
directly,andthesingleelementwhichhastheambiguityand
densitythatpermitsittobereadsimultaneouslyonamultitude
oflevelsthosearethetwopointsthattheresearchisall
about.80
Theprincipleofrelativityclarifieswhataneventualuniversal
languagecouldbe.ForGurdjieff,thisnew,precise,
mathematicallanguagehadtobecenteredaroundtheideaof
evolution:Thefundamentalpropertyofthisnewlanguageis
thatallideasareconcentratedaroundonesingleidea:inother
words,theyareallconsidered,intermsoftheirmutual
relationships,fromthepointofviewofasingleidea.Andthis
ideaisthatofevolution.Notatallinthesenseofamechanical
evolution,naturally,becausethatdoesnotexist,butinthesense

ofaconsciousandvoluntaryevolution.Itistheonlypossible
kindThelanguagewhichpermitsunderstandingisbasedon
theknowledgeofitsplaceintheevolutionaryladder.81Sothe
sacreditselfcouldbeunderstoodtobeanythingthatislinkedto
anevolutionaryprocess.
Thisnewlanguageinvolvestheparticipationofbodyand
emotions.Humanbeingsintheirtotality,asanimageofreality,
couldthereforeforgeanewlanguage.Wedonotonlyliveinthe
worldofactionandreaction,butalsointhatofspontaneityand
ofselfconsciousthought.
Traditionalsymboliclanguageprefiguresthisnewlanguage.
Whentalkingaboutdifferentsystemswhichconveytheideaof
unity,Gurdjieffsaid:
Asymbolcanneverbetakeninadefinitiveandexclusivesense.
Insofarasitexpressthelawsofunityinindefinitediversity,a
symbolitselfpossessesanindefinitenumberofaspectsfrom
whichitcanbeconsidered,anditdemandsfromwhoever
approachesitthecapacitytoseeitfromdifferentpointsofview.
Symbolsthataretransposedintothewordsofordinarylanguage
harden,becomelessclear:theycanquiteeasilybecometheir
ownopposites,imprisoningmeaningwithindogmaticand
narrowframeworks,withoutevenpermittingtherelative
freedomofalogicalexaminationofthesubject.Reasonmerely
providesaliteralunderstandingofsymbols,onlyever
attributingtothemasinglemeaning.82
Thefactthatasymbolpossessesanindefinitenumberofaspects
doesnotmeanthatitisimpreciseatall.Indeeditisitsreading
onanindefinitenumberoflevelswhichconfersonititsextreme
precision.CommentingonthetheatreofSamuelBeckett,Brook
writes:
Beckettsplaysaresymbolsinanexactsenseoftheword.A
falsesymbolissoftandvague:atruesymbolishardandclear.

Whenwesaysymbolicweoftenmeansomethingdrearily
obscure:atruesymbolisspecific,itistheonlyformacertain
truthcantakeWegetnowhereifweexpecttobetoldwhat
theymean,yeteachonehasarelationwithuswecantdeny.If
weacceptthis,thesymbolopensinusagreatwonderingO.83
ItisclearthereforewhyBrookbelievesChekhovsessential
qualitytobeprecision,andwhyhestatesthattoday
fidelityisthecentralconcern,anapproachwhichnecessitates
weighingeverysinglewordandbringingitintosharpfocus.84
Onlythencanwordshaveaninfluence:theycanbecomeactive,
bearersofrealsignificance,iftheactorbehavesasamedium,
allowingwordstoactthroughandcolourhim/her,ratherthan
him/hertryingtomanipulatethem.85
Byforgettingrelativity,languagehasbecomeintimeinevitably
narrower,diminishedinitsemotionalandevenintellectual
capacities.Ithasbeennecessarilybastardised:onewordis
takenforanother,onemeaningforanother.TheOrghast
experimentshowedinastartlingwaythatareturntoanorganic
language,detachedfromthedreadbondingofabstractionto
abstraction,ispossible.WordsinventedbythepoetTedHughes
andfragmentsperformedindifferentancientlanguagesactedas
catalyststothereciprocaltransformationbetweenmovement
andsound,asanexpressionofaninnerstate,meaningnolonger
needingtobefilteredsolelythroughcerebralactivity.Inan
interviewwithAmericanTheatre,Brookemphasisedthat
actors,whatevertheirorigin,canplayintuitivelyaworkinits
originallanguage.Thissimpleprincipleisthemostunusual
thingthatexistsinthetheatre86
Evidentlytherelativisationofperceptiondemandshardwork,a
considerableeffort,aninnersilencethatisasortofpenitence.
SilenceplaysanintegralpartinBrookswork,beginningwith
theresearchintotheinterrelationshipofsilenceandduration
withhisTheatreofCrueltygroupin1964,andculminatingin

therhythmpunctuatedwithsilencesthatisindefinitelypresent
atthecoreofhisfilmMeetingswithRemarkableMen:In
silencetherearemanypotentialities:chaosororder,muddleor
pattern,allliefallowtheinvisiblemadevisibleisofsacred
nature87Silenceisallembracing,anditcontainscountless
layers.88
Onecouldsuggestthateventsandsilenceconstitutethefabricof
anytheatreperformance.Silencecomesattheendofaction,as
inConferenceoftheBirds:Abeautifulsymbolicoppositionis
drawnbetweentheblackofthemourningmaterialandthehues
ofthepuppets.Colourdisappears,allsparkleissuppressed,
silenceisestablished,observesGeorgesBanu.89Therichness
ofsilenceconfuses,embarrassesanddisturbs,andyetitisjoy
thatishiddenwithinit,thatstrangeirrationaljoythatBrook
detectedintheplaysofSamuelBeckett.90
Itisnocoincidencethatthewordsemptyspaceformthetitle
ofoneofthetwobooksontheatreBrookhaseverpublished.
Onemustcreateanemptiness,asilencewithinoneself,inorder
topermitthegrowthofrealitysfullpotentiality.Thisiswhat
Traditionhasalwaystaughtus.
Issilencethepremonitorysignofatrueuniversallanguage?In
apassageinTheEmptySpace,Brookwriteseverythingisa
languageforsomethingandnothingisalanguagefor
everything.91Isthisnothingformless,bottomless,as
JacobBhmecalleditthebasisofallform,processandevent?
Andhowcanonereconcilethisinfinitelyrich,formlesssilence
withaestheticform,otherthanthroughincessantsearch,
continualinvestigationandpitilessquestioning,relentlessly
pursuedalongacuttingedge?Perhapsitisabovealltightropes
thataremissingfromcontemporaryartisticresearch:
Wecantrytocapturetheinvisible,butwemustnotlosetouch
withcommonsenseThemodelasalwaysisShakespeare.His

aimcontinuallyisholy,metaphysical,yethenevermakesthe
mistakeofstayingtoolongonthehighestplane.Heknewhow
harditisforustokeepcompanywiththeabsolutesohe
continuallybumpsusdowntoearthWehavetoacceptthat
wecanneverseealloftheinvisible.Soafterstrainingtowards
it,wehavetofacedefeat,dropdowntoearth,thenstartup
again.92
PeterBrookistheonlyonetofollowthepathhehaschosen.On
suchapath,therecanbeneithersourcesnorabsolute
models.
IfoneacceptsKorzybskissuggestion,93thehistoryofhuman
thoughtcanberoughlydividedintothreeperiods,adoptingas
thebasisforclassificationtherelationshipbetweentheobserver
andwhatisobserved.Inthefirstperiod(prescientific),the
observeriseverything,whilewhatisbeingobservedhaslittleor
noimportance.Inthesecondperiod(classicalorsemi
scientific),whatisobservedcomprisestheonlyimportant
aspect:thisclassicalmaterialisttendencycontinuesto
dominatemostareasofconcerntoday.Finally,inthethird
period(scientificstillembryonicatthepresenttime),a
periodinwhichPeterBrookseemstoustobeoneoftheboldest
explorers,graduallyitbecomesclearthatknowledgeresults
fromaunitybetweentheobserverandwhatisobserved.An
encounterwithTraditioncanonlyenrichandennoblethis
conceptionofunity.Forthetheatre,suchameetingisnot
abstractorintellectual,butexperimental.Onecouldeven
suggestthattheatreisaprivilegedfieldofstudyofTradition.
Attheendofthisessay,perhapsonemustconfessthatitseems
impossibletoapproachBrookstheatreworkfromatheoretical
pointofview.Allthatwecanofferisareading,oneofa
multitudeofotherpossibilities.InTheEmptySpace,Brook
writes:

Mostofwhatiscalledtheatreanywhereintheworldisa
travestyofawordoncefullofsense.Warorpeace,thecolossal
bandwagonofculturetrundleson,carryingeachartiststracesto
theevermountinggarbageheapWearetoobusytoaskthe
onlyvitalquestionwhichmeasuresthewholestructure:why
theatreatall?Whatfor?Hasthestagearealplaceinour
lives?Whatfunctioncanithave?Whatcoulditserve?94
Thequestionisstillbeingasked.

Notes
1PetitRobert,Paris,S.N.L.,1970,p.1810.2PeterBrookin

GrardMontassier,LeFaitCulturel,Paris,Fayard,1980,
p.121.3PetitRobert,op.cit.,p.1810.4PeterBrookinLeFait
Culturel,op.cit.,p.122.5P.D.Ouspensky,Fragmentsdun
enseignementinconnu(hereafterFragments),Paris,Stock,
1978,p.393.PublishedinEnglishasInSearchofthe
Miraculous,thisremainsthemostthoroughandilluminating
introductiontoGurdjieffsthought.Forastudyofthe
relationshipbetweenGurdjieffandcontemporaryscientific
thought,seeBasarabNicolescu,G.I.Gurdjieff,in
EncyclopdiedesSciencesEsotriques,Paris,Quillet,1985.6
BasarabNicolescu,PhysiquecontemporainetTradition
occidentale,in3meMillnaireno.2,May/June1982,pp.4
13.7PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,Harmondsworth,Penguin
Books,1977,p.58.8PeterBrook,ibid.,p.64.9A.G.H.Smith,
OrghastatPersepolis,London,EyreMethuen,1972,p.257.10
JohnHeilpern,ConferenceoftheBirds:TheStoryofPeter
BrookinAfrica,Harmondsworth,Penguin,1979,p.103.11
PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,p.79.12G.I.Gurdjieff,
Gurdjieffparleseslves,Paris,Stock/Mondeouvert,1980,
p.35.13P.D.Ouspensky,Fragments,op.cit.,p.133.14Peter
Brook,TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,p.13.15ErvinLaszlo,Le
systmismevisionnouvelledumond,Paris,PergamonPress,
1981,p.59.Thisisanexcellentintroductiontosystemstheory.

16PeterBrook,LeFaitCulturel,op.cit.,p.11117G.I.

Gurdjieff,RcitsdeBelzbuthsonpetitfils,Monaco,
Rocher/Litrature,Vol.I,pp.84,166,167,254.18SeeA.C.H.
Smith,OrghastatPersepolis,op.cit.:JohnHeilpern,
ConferenceoftheBirds,op.cit.:MichelRostain,Journaldes
rptitionsdeLaTragdiedeCarmeninLesVoiesdela
CrationThtrale,Vol.XIII,PeterBrook,Paris,Editionsde
C.N.R.S.,1985.19PeterBrookintheprogrammeforLa
ConfrencedesOiseaux,Paris,C.I.C.T.1979,p.75.20A.C.H.
Smith,OrghastatPersepolis,op.cit.,p.33.21PeterBrook,The
EmptySpace,op.cit.,p.127.22AlfredKorzybski,Scienceand
Sanity,Lakevillel,Connecticut,TheInternationalNon
AristotelianLibraryPublishingCo.,1958,p.161.23A.C.H.
Smith,OrghastatPersepolis,op.cit.,p.255.24Ibid.,p.123.25
PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,p.128.26Seefor
exampleStphaneLupasco,LesTroilMatires,Strasbourg,
Coherence,1982.27FaridudDinAttar,Conferenceofthe
Birds,Boulder,Shambhala,1971,pp.46:translationbyC.S.
Nott.28G.I.Gurdjieff,RcitsdeBelzbuthsonpetitfils,
op.cit.,vol.2,pp.1415.29See,forexample,articlesinthe
review3meMillnaire,nos.12,1982,andno.7,1983.30John
Heilpern,ConferenceoftheBirds,op.cit.,p.136.31Peter
Brook,TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,p.1415.32Ibid.,p.124.33
CharlesS.Pierce,Ecritssurlesigne,Paris,EditionsduSeuil,
1978,pp.2324.34Ibid.,p.22.35PeterBrook,TheEmpty
Space,op.cit.,p.111.36PeterBrookintheprogrammeforLa
Cerisaie,Paris,C.I.C.T.,1981,p.109.37PeterBrook,The
EmptySpace,op.cit.,p.18.38PeterBrook,interviewedby
RonaldHayman,TheTimes,29August1970.39PeterBrook,
TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,p.40.40StphaneLupasco,Lestrois
matires,op.cit.,p.138.41PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,op.
cit.,p.65.42Ibid.,p.98.43Ibid.,p.96.44Ibid.,p.105.45
Zeami,LatraditionsecrtedeNo.,Paris,Gallimard,1960,
p.77.46SeeforexampleJohnHeilpern,Conferenceofthe
Birds,op.cit.,pp.12021.47PeterBrookinLeFaitCulturel,

op.cit.,pp.11516.48JohnHeilpern,ConferenceoftheBirds,
op.cit.,p.69.49A.C.H.Smith,OrghastatPersepolis,op.cit.,
p.250.50PeterBrookTheEmptySpace,op.cit.,pp.1213.51
Ibid.,p.132.52P.D.Ouspensky,Fragments,op.cit.,pp.275
7753Forafullerdescriptionofsuchexercises,seeMichel
Rostain,JournaldesrptitionsdeLaTragdiedeCarmen
op.cit.54JohnHeilpern,ConferenceoftheBirds,op.cit.,p.50.
55A.C.H.Smith,OrghastatPersepolis,op.cit.,p.108.56Peter
Brook,TheEmptySpace,Harmondsworth,Penguin
Books,1977,p.154.57Ibid.,p.142.(Englishtranslatorsnote:
Onaliterallevel,thethreeFrenchwordsinBrooksformula
abovemeanrehearsal,performanceandattendance,although
theyalsosuggestsomeoftheconnotationsthesamewordshave
inEnglish,e.g.rehearsalasanunglamorousrepetitiveprocess,
performanceasrepresentation,etc.Brookplaysonthis
tension.)58Ibid.,p.57.59Ibid.,p.152.60Ibid.,p.144.61Ibid.,
p.25.62Ibid.,p.150.63JohnHeilpern,Conferenceofthe
Birds,TheStoryofPeterBrookinAfrica,Harmondsworth,
Penguin,1979,p.165.AccordingtoGurdjieff,thenumberof
fundamentallaws,whichregulateeveryprocessintheworld
andinmankind,isveryrestricted.Inhiscosmology,the
fundamentallawsarethelawofThreeandthelawofSeven,
describedinexhaustivedetailinP.D.OuspenskysFragments
dunenseignementinconnu,Paris,Stock,1978.64P.D.
Ouspensky,Fragments,op.cit.,p.216.65PeterBrook,The
EmptySpace,op.cit.,p.130.66Ibid.,p.131.67Zeami,La
traditionsecrteduNo,Paris,Gallimard,1960,p.131.
(Translatorsnote:PerhapsthemostusefulofEnglish
translationsavailable,bothinthisinstanceandelsewhere,isOn
theArtoftheNoDrama:TheMajorTreatisesofZeami,
translatedbyJ.ThomasRimerandYamazakiMasakazu,New
Jersey,PrincetonUniversityPress,1984.SeeConnectingall
theartsthroughoneintensityofmind,fromAmirrorheldto
theFlower,p.230,9697).68G.I.Gurdjieff,Gurdjieffparle
seslves,Paris,Stock/Mondeouverte,1980,p.230.69A.C.H.
Smith,OrghastatPersepolis,London,EyreMethuen,1972,

p.251.70PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,p.66.71
A.C.H.Smith,OrghastatPersepolis,op.cit.,p.52.72Ibid.,
p.264.73Ibid.,pp.25525674Ibid.,p.42.75AlfredKorzybski,
ScienceandSanity,Lakeville,Connecticut,TheInternational
NonAristotelianPublishingCo.,1958,p.58.76PeterBrook,
TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,p.15.77P.D.Ouspensky,
Fragments,op.cit.,p.111.78PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,
op.cit.,p.40.79PeterBrook,intheprogrammeforLaCerisaie,
Paris,C.I.C.T.,1981,p.110.80A.C.H.Smith,Orghastat
Persepolis,op.cit.,p.248.81P.D.Ouspensky,Fragments,
op.cit.,p.112.82Ibid.,pp.400401.83PeterBrook,TheEmpty
Space,op.cit.,pp.6465.84PeterBrook,intheprogrammefor
LaCerisaie,op.cit.,pp.10710885A.C.H.Smith,Orghastat
Persepolis,op.cit.,p.27.86PeterBrook,interviewpublishedin
AmericanTheatre,19701971:quotedinA.C.H.SmithOrghast
atPersepolis,op.cit.,p.40.87PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,
op.cit.,p.64.88Ibid.,p.29.89GeorgesBanu,LaConfrence
desOiseaux,oulecheminverssoimme,inLesVoiesdeLa
CrationThtrale,Vol.X,Paris,C.N.R.S.,1982,p.285.90
PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,p.66.91Ibid.,p.133.92
Ibid.,p.69.93AlfredKorzybski,ScienceandSanity,op.cit.,
p.99.94PeterBrook,TheEmptySpace,op.cit.,pp.4546.
~~
Prof.BasarabNicolescuisaquantumphysicist,workinginthe
theoryofelementaryparticlesattheCentreNationaldela
RechercheScientifique,UniversityofParis6.Heistheauthor
ofahundredscientificarticlespublishedinmanyspecialized
internationaljournals,aswellastheauthorofseveralbooksof
generaltransdisciplinaryinterestsuchasScience,Meaningand
EvolutionTheCosmologyofJacobBoehme(ParabolaBooks,
NewYork,1991)andManifestoofTransdisciplinarity(SUNY
Press,NewYork).
ThisessaywasoriginallypublishedinFrenchinLesVoiesdela

CrationThtrale,Vol.XIII(CNRSEditions,Paris,1985,
editedbyGeorgesBanu).Thesecondhalf(startingwiththe
sectiontitledTheatre,DeterminismandSpontaneity)wasfirst
publishedinEnglishinContemporaryTheatreReview,VolVII,
pp.1123,Copyright1997OPA(OverseasPublishers
Association),N.V.
OriginalFrenchcopyright1985Basarab
Nicolescu/CNRS
Englishtranslationcopyright1990DavidWilliams
Thiswebpage2001GurdjieffElectronicPublishing
Featured:Spring2001Issue,Vol.IV(2)
Revision:April9,2001