Robert Falls

Hey, it opened last night and it’s pretty swell!
You never know.

Thank *you*!

Delighted that you enjoyed our production and many thanks for your kind words. I only wish Richard was with us to read them. I agree that he has deepened all the characters - especially Julia and Ned, the beautiful beating heart of the play. It’s been such a joy to work on this beautiful play.

One of the greats.

The mother of the man who rushed Ilhan Omar at her town hall last night said in an interview last night: “He’s very sensitive. And the only problem, I think, is that we, the majority of our family, is conservative.”

Sure.

👇

Having had a bit of success directing the late great Brian Dennehy, I’m looking forward to what the brilliant Mr. Lane will do in the role.

"It was not Hitler or Himmler who abducted me, beat me and shot my family. It was the shoemaker, the milkman, the neighbor, who received a uniform and then believed they were the master race." - Karl Stojka, Auschwitz survivor

👇

Now you’re talkin’

Well, I certainly would *love* to work with her.

My fingers were flying and my eyesight is failing.

… oh well …

You too!

God, she’s magnificent.

Sally Mann, Self-portrait, Hollins, Virginia, 1974.

Reading Sally Mann’s Art Work: On the Creative Life.
Wonderful.

Celebrating Vanessa Redgrave, born today, 88 years old.
Her Mary Tyrone. One doesn’t so much direct her as watch in awe as she takes the work somewhere fearless and uncompromising.
A life spent taking risks. An artist who believes the work matters more than approval.

First rehearsal today

Sarah Cooper is back. 👏

… talk about a way to blow a joke! I meant (obviously) “Descendant”
Jeesh

That’s true—at least in my experience. Although he might have made an exception with Kingdom of Earth (The Descendant of Myrtle), which he himself sometimes called simply “Descent.”

Iguana is pure Tennessee Williams—late, bruised, luminous. One of his finest, and yes, it feels like a final play. I directed a production I’m still proud of. NY critics waved it off as “minor Williams,” Canby compared it to the movie (absurd). They missed the masterpiece in front of them.

Go fuck yourself. Preferably with something sharp and rusty.

Haven’t finished your Xmas shopping?
May I suggest a trip to @steppenwolfthtr.bsky.social to check out a little show running until the end of January.

Cormac McCarthy line sticking with me this morning, from The Passenger:

“Evil has no alternate plan. It is simply incapable of assuming failure.”

My favorite Christmas song; just lovely. Thanks @totoroshow.bsky.social

I’ll say!

Not on my bingo card today: stunned to see my name tucked into a Tehran Times (!) article on an Iranian production of Cherry Orchard, listed among “illustrious directors” of the play: "Charles Laughton, Peter Brook, Robert Falls, Tyrone Guthrie, and Giorgio Strehler." Grateful. Amused. Gobsmacked

Thank you so much - I’m delighted you enjoyed it and thanks for risking the cold! It was a great group of actors and a terrific experience at Steppenwilf