Norman Briski

Naum Briski, more familiarly known as Norman Briski, is a prominent Argentine actor, director, and playwright. Born on 2 January 1938 in Santa Fe, Argentina, Briski demonstrated an early inclination towards acting, earning his first stage role in 1955 in La Farsa del señor Corregidor. By coming of age, his passion saw him moving into more leading roles in stage plays like Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and The Mother. Briski made his first cinema appearance in 1967 in Cómo seducir a una mujer. In the early 1970s, he founded Octubre, an independent theatre company dedicated to producing classic plays banned in Argentina at that time. His political stance, as a left-wing Peronist, however brought him under threat necessitating relocation to Spain in 1975. While in Spain, his acting career continued to flourish with leading roles in acclaimed movies like Elisa, My Life and Mamá cumple cien años.

The advent of democracy in Argentina prompted Briski's return from exile in 1983. Post-exile, he took on the role of Emilio, a Jewish theatre director, in Los dias de junio. His pen also saw vigour during this period, penning numerous works like Las primas, Fin de siglo and Cuadrilátero. His television debut was in 1989 and he has since taken on numerous roles in television, cinema, and theatre. Despite some political ambitions, which saw him run unsuccessfully for Congress in 1991, acting remains Briski's mainstay. Today, he is celebrated for his contribution to the theatre and notably for establishing the Caliban Theatre in 1987.