Theatre legend Brook to reveal his famed method in Paris show

Legendary director Peter Brook is giving the public a rare glimpse into how he works. The 94-year-old British-born guru -- regarded as the father of fringe theatre -- is throwing open the doors of the Bouffes du Nord theatre in Paris to show how he and his actors tackle Shakespeare's "The Tempest". Over three nights next month, the man who is often described as the "most influential theatre director of the 20th century", will conduct one of his famous "researches" live in front of an audience. "In 'The Tempest', Shakespeare's last play, you find all the themes that are at the core of his work," Brook and his long-time collaborator Marie-Helene Estienne said in a statement. "We are going to try to delve into the play's secrets," with the help of four actors, they added. "Like travellers in search of an unknown land, we will try to approach Shakespeare with the joy of miners searching for gold," Brook added. "Shakespeare's Resonance" will run from February 19 to 21. For many, Brook's startling 1970 Royal Shakespeare Company production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in a white-cube gymnasium was a turning point in world theatre. Brook, who took over the Bouffes du Nord in the early 1970s, stepped back from running the former musical hall 10 years ago after such landmark productions as "The Mahabharata" in 1985 and "L'Homme Qui" in 1993, based on Oliver Sacks' bestseller about neurological dysfunction, "The Man Who Mistook his Wife for a Hat". Guru: British theatre director Peter Brook