Biography
Born in New York, Alexander Barnett moved to Los Angeles to begin his career. Early in his acting career, he performed on Playhouse 90, Target: The Corrupters, Arrest and Trial, Climax!, The Great Adventure, Kraft Suspense Theatre, G.E. Theatre, The Defenders and Rawhide. He began his directing career in Los Angeles with "Winterset." The Los Angeles Times said, "There is only one word for this production. Magnificent." He followed this with acclaimed productions such outstanding contemporary plays as "Look Back in Anger," "Golden Boy" and "A View from the Bridge." His writing career also began in Los Angeles with an adaptation for the stage of "Wuthering Heights" and his first stage play "Remnants of a Man."
Relocating to New York, he embarked on a series of acclaimed Shakespearean productions beginning with "Macbeth." The Village Voice said, "Mr. Barnett has directed with strength, integrity and a multitude of original touches." He continued his love affair with the classics of the American theatre in a production of "Death of a Salesman." During this time, he also wrote two more plays: "Stranger on the Earth" and "Still Life with Booze," both of which were produced in New York.
Determined to tour the world with the great plays of the English language, he founded Classic Theatre International. Their maiden production was Arthur Miller's "A View from the Bridge," which firmly established the company upon the stages of Europe. Critics said, "The American actors exploded onto the stage with so much intensity that the audience was both taken aback and enthralled."
His production of "King Lear" marked the first time an American company ever toured Europe with a Shakespearean play. This production was an outstanding artistic success for the company. Critics in Switzerland said, "Alexander Barnett gave us a dazzling illustration of what a production of "King Lear" should be like. It is a dense interpretation, concise, lucid and powerful, bestowing an intense life upon the tragedy."
German reviewers said, "He allows the profundity and effect of the play to crystallize, undiffused by unnecessary pathos. He has completely removed any superfluous effects and padding from his fluid, tightly directed production." Other critics remarked "With little fanfare Classic Theatre, under the direction of Alexander Barnett, astonishes: They had the audience enraptured." Other Shakespearean plays followed. Of "Othello," critics noted, "The crowning touch is the directorial concept."; "The audience was totally caught up in the emotions and thoughts of the characters."; "an intensely moving portrayal," and "Rarely has one followed the action in such fascination as in this interpretation of the play."
Of his production of "Macbeth," critics said, "Alfred Hitchcock couldn't have done it better. A brilliant directorial concept" and "Brilliantly directed...profoundly relevant to our world today." (Cologne) Switzerland said "An outstanding production. The audience was riveted from beginning to end." Others noted that "Barnett's direction is original and illuminating..."; "A forceful and outstanding production."; "Beautifully directed." and "Barnett displays a total mastery of Shakespeare." Over the following years, the work produced by Classic Theatre International under Barnett's artistic direction was seen on major stages in Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Greece, France, Spain, England, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and Japan.
For the group, Barnett wrote his second stage adaptation, an acclaimed version of "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest." Of this production, which toured throughout Europe for well over a year, the critic for the Oslo Aftenposten said the production "...was infinitely to be preferred to the movie." Barnett's most prominent roles include Lear, Hamlet, Iago, Macbeth, Richard 111, Shylock, Prospero, Richard 11, Coriolanus, Brutus, Oedipus, Willy Loman, Eddie Carbone, Becket and Heathcliff. In addition to plays by Sophocles, Ibsen, Chekhov, Anouilh and most of the American classics, he has directed all of the Shakespearean tragedies. He is an acting teacher and has lectured extensively on Shakespearean tragedy, and on the lives of Van Gogh, Gauguin, and the Impressionists, at universities and libraries across Europe.
After returning to the States and appearing in a number of independent feature films, he wrote and directed his first screenplay, The Eyes of Van Gogh (2005). One critic said that "... it is arguably the most poignant and profound portrayal of Vincent van Gogh ever put on film." Screenrant rated his performance as one of the ten best portrayals of van Gogh. Discoverwalks cited the film as one of the five best movies about Vincent van Gogh.
Most recently, he starred in I Did Her Wrong (2016) for which he co-wrote the screenplay. His American screen version of King Lear (2017) was released worldwide in October 2017. Currently (2021) he is writing a new film script.
His Awards and Honors include: Winner Madrid Art Film Festival - Best Short; Official Selection Garden State Film Festival; Official Selection Annual Sedona International Film Festival; Finalist Global Annual Seema Summit Short Film Festival - [title/tt13154476] Best Actor - New York International Independent Film and Video Festival [title/tt0267784] Best Film - New York Independent Film Festival [title/tt0267784] Official Selection - Sundance Film Festival; Winner - Verona Love Scenes Film Festival Mr. Vincent (1997) Winner Houston International Film Festival - Director/Screenwriter The Eyes of Van Gogh (2005) Official Submission - Santa Fe Film Festival The Eyes of Van Gogh (2005)) New York International Independent Film and Video Festival No Deposit, No Return (2000), which won Best Film - New York Independent Film Festival The Final Resolution (2000)_ David (Starring Role) New Century Productions + Finalist Project Greenlight Mr. Vincent (1997) Nick (Principal Role) Alchemy Productions ** Official Selection Sundance Film Festival; Winner Verona Love Scenes Film Festival Finalist - Cine Golden Eagle Moonshot (2016) Finalist - Miami Urban Film Festival; Official Selection - Los Angeles Cinefest, St. Louis Black Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Festival Appassionato (2016) Finalist - Stockholm Independent Film Festival - Best Picture I Did Her Wrong (2016) Finalist - Philadelphia Independant Film Awards - Best Picture I Did Her Wrong (2016) Official Selection - Alexandria Film Festival - I Did Her Wrong (2016)
