Tribute to Peter Brook: behind the scenes of the Mahabharata with Sheela Raj
At the end of July, the In and Off Festivals of Avignon ended.
On this occasion, middle ground wishes to pay tribute to a man who left his mark on the Festival Peter Brookdied in early July.
Known for his theory of “empty space”, which recommends abandoning sets and costumes in favor of acting, this British director put on one of the most ambitious shows of the festival: the Mahabharata.
The piece, lasting 9 hours, was created in 1985 at the Festival In d’Avignon. It is an adaptation of the Hindu mythological epic of the same name.
History not to tell you his Wikipedia page, middle ground invites you to discover behind the scenes of the creation of the piece. For this, we asked a few questions to Sheela Raj.
Sheela Raj is an Indo-Celtic dancer and choreographer, creator of the method Breath in motion. She worked with Peter Brook during the development of the Mahabharata.
Sheela Raj – ©Friedrich Glorian
middle ground : You worked with Peter Brook when he created the Mahabharata. How did you meet each-other ?
Sheela Raj: I met Peter Brook for the first time in February 1982. He was looking for international artists in different fields (dance, music, theatre, costumes…) as he was doing research for his next production of the Mahabharata. Merce Cunningham, who was my long-time mentor and friend, gave Peter my details.
We met, Peter, Jean-Claude Carrière [qui a écrit le texte de la pièce, n.d.l.r.] and I at their hotel in New Delhi.
JM : At that time, they were only in the research phase, right? What exactly did they need?
Initially, they invited me to join the Research and Development Residence around the show that was planned in Paris.
Then, during the conversation, they asked me to help them find the 12 volumes translated into English from the Mahabharata. It was essential for Jean-Claude Carrière who wrote the script for the play. I took them to a bookstore that I had frequented since childhood, as I grew up in Delhi. The owner always found what I was looking for. He moved mountains to find and deliver the volumes quickly.
JM : How did Peter Brook and Jean-Claude Carrière plan to adapt this Indian epic? Did they want to keep the cultural codes of Indian performance or transpose it to the West?
They suggested learning more about Indian performing art forms in general, and Mahabharata especially. So I used my network in Delhi to introduce them to many artists (dancers, musicians, actors, artists…).
I also took them to classes in various forms of dance, music and drama. I also helped them to understand the unique process of “Guru Shishya Parampara”. It is a direct oral transmission of all knowledge from the teacher to the student.
JM : You mentioned earlier about a research residency in Paris. How did it go ?
It did not take place immediately. I returned to France, where I was living at the time, while Peter and Jean-Claude Carrière visited other parts of India.
The Residence began in the fall of 1982. Peter had assembled a group of approximately 40 multilingual and multidisciplinary artists from around the world. During the Residence, we start each day in a circle to maintain absolute equality between us. We share our thoughts on the play.
This Residency was the first research and development session for what was to become a monumental production… a 9 hour piece.
JM : So you participated in the research process before writing the play. What happened next ? Did you continue your collaboration with Peter Brook?
No, because at the end of Residence, Peter Brook told us that he had decided not to use Indians in his cast. He wanted to prioritize the universal message of the epic. My collaboration with him has therefore come to an end.
JM : How did you take it? Were you disappointed not to participate in the project to the end?
I was disappointed at the time, as it would have been an amazing experience to be part of the full process. But life has a strange way of getting us where we need to be…
When the Mahabharata was created in Avignon in 1985, I was sent an invitation to see the production, which was magnificent. But I knew then that I didn’t belong there or on the road as they traveled around the world, away from their families, for four long years. At the time, I was a single mother of a 3-year-old child and I should have sacrificed precious years with my son.
It also allowed me to have time to create the method of the Breath in motion and to open in Drôme Provençale in 1984 Chakra, a multidisciplinary research center between East and West.
So looking back, I’m just grateful for this experience of sharing ideas with a group of amazing artists. I have no regrets, just gratitude for a unique experience with the genius that was Peter Brook.
JM : Has this experience had an impact on your career?
Yes ! I have met many talented people, some of whom have remained in contact with me for years.
I also have a very clear memory of the day Peter asked me to lead the first morning session during the Residency. I made them work on movement, breath and sound, and this allowed me to experiment with them with practices that I later gathered in the method. Breath in motion.
There was another unforgettable experience… Peter had assigned me research for a scene. I spent my day off at the Guimet Museum and found not only inspiration, but also a fascination with a statuette of a dancing Dakini. She accompanied me until the creation of the Dakini Dance in 2000, 18 years later.
JM : Have you stayed in touch with Peter Brook?
Yes, we kept in touch over the years and whenever I passed through Paris, if he was around, we met for tea and a chat.
Although I was not involved in the final production of the MahabharataI am grateful for these moments with Peter, Jean-Claude Carrière and all the people of great artistic value with whom I collaborated during the Residence.
To quote Shakespeare, with whom Peter has always had a special bond: “All’s well that ends well”.