The Aesthetics of The Empty Space in the Theatre: Exploring the Writing and Theatrical Work of Peter Brook

Abstract

Peter Brook’s seminal text The Empty Space envisioned theatre as a vehicle for spiritual transformation where presence, silence and symbolic embodiment worked cohesively together. Deeply influenced by the work of G. I. Gurdjieff, Brook’s Holy Theatre positioned the actor as a living symbol. His pioneering work at the Centre International de Recherche Théâtrale (CIRT) fostered profound engagements between performers and audiences, seeking to create mythopoetic states of consciousness. Famously, Brook’s epic production The Mahabharata was a vibrant manifestation of what could occur when the Rough and Holy Theatres were juxtaposed together: creating a transformative space for audiences. Throughout his life Brook challenged traditional theatrical conventions and worked to transcend cultural boundaries, renewing theatre’s role as a space for shared symbolic revelation.