1961: A Fond Memory of Peter Brook A few weeks after I moved to one of the four rooms above La Botella bar-restaurant, the owner, Chuck New, approached me and said he needed big favor. “Kal, there’s a film director coming here from England with his family. They’re going to need a place to stay while they shoot the movie. Would it be terribly inconvenient for you to find some other place to live? I wouldn’t ask, but he’s offering me a nice price for renting out the whole upstairs and I can use the money.” All I had was a suitcase with my clothing, so I said “sure.” A few days later, I found a small apartment nearby. Late one afternoon, not long afterward, I passed by La Botella, and Chuck stopped me. He pointed to a man seated at a table inside. “Come,” he said. He guided me over to the man, then in his mid-thirties, and said “Mister Brook, this is Kal Wagenheim. He’s one of the fellows who gave up his room, so you could stay here with his family. The man he introduced me to was Peter Brook, an Englishman, who was about to film “Lord of The Flies” on the nearby island of Vieques, which later became a classic. (Mr. Brook was in the early stages of a fabulous career as a producer and director of films and plays. In 2008, at age 83, he resigned as director of the Paris-based Bouffes du Nord theatre. ) Mr. Brook smiled, shook my hand, and said “Let me take you to lunch!” We walked next door to Sam’s Patio, a casual neighborhood place, and enjoyed hamburgers and drinks, while Mr. Brook politely asked me about my life and plans for Puerto Rico. I will never forget his gracious gesture. A true gentleman!
Posted on: Tue, 11 Mar 2014 01:03:57 +0000
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