Antonin Artaud was a highly influential French dramatist and theatre theorist of the 20th century. He developed the theory of the Theatre of Cruelty, which aimed to use shocking and visceral performances to break down the separation between performers and audience. Artaud suffered from mental illness throughout his life and was heavily influenced by non-Western forms of theatre he saw performed. Although he did not achieve widespread success during his career, Artaud has become recognized as revolutionizing modern theatre through his rejection of text-based plays and emphasis on physical and sensory experiences in performance. His ideas have greatly influenced experimental theatre practices and practitioners worldwide.

1. Antonin Artaud
•
B ecky C uter
l
•
C harl t D urnel
ot e l
•
E lzabet D e C ourcy
i h
W heel er
•
F fur E dw ards
l

2. Biography
•
Date of Birth - 4 t S ept ber, 1896
h em
•
Date of Death - M arch 4 t 1948
h
•
Place of Birth - M arseil , F rance
les
•
Nationality - F rench
•
Gender - M al
e
•
Occupation - D ram atst P l
i , ayw ri
ght

3. Biography
•
aud w as one oft 20 t cent ’s m osti port
A nt n A rt
oni he h ury m anttheoretci
i ans oft dram a
he
w orl .
d
•
oped t T heory, T heat ofcruely, w hi i l ayw ri s.
H e devel he re t ch nfuenced m any other pl ght
•
em hroughouthi lf , st i atage 5 w hen he suf ered a
H e suf ered w ih healh probl s t
f t t s ie artng f
near f alat ack ofm eni ts. T hen i 1914 he w as t
at t ngii n reat w ih opi f an at ack of
ed t um or t
heni , t w hi he qui y becam e addi ed .
neurast ao ch ckl ct
•
H e j ned t arm y i 1916, butw as realsed af er a f m ont due t m ent nst lt
oi he n i t ew hs o ali abiiy
and drug addi i .
cton
•
B efore he st ed t seri
art o ousl w rie f t t
y t or he heat he had j
re obs as a stage and screen
di or, and a setand cost e desi gner.
rect um
•
H e w as expeled f
l rom t surrealstm ovem entf ref ng t renounce t
he i or usi o heat as a
re
com m ercialartform and notj ni t F rench com m uni
oi ng he stpart al
y ong w ih t ot
t he her
surrealst , yetstl ew ed hi sel i.
is ilvi m fas a surrealst
•
I t 1930’s he publshed hi m ostf ous book ‘T heat and is D oubl ’.
n he i s am re t e

4. Ideas and Practices of
Artaud
•
Theatre of Cruelty
–
hatdram a over t past 400 years had becom e st l . H e w ant a
A nt n A rt
oni aud frm l beleves t
iy i he erie ed
heat w hi w as ant- nt l ualand obj ed t em phasi on w rit w ord .
t re ch ii elect ect o s t en
–
heat , w ih w hi he
W orki as a producer show ed A rt
ng aud an i ghti o t practcalaspect oft
nsi nt he i s re t ch
w as nothappy. H i t ng poi ntw as w at ng B alnese dancers att C ol alE xhi ton i P ari .
s urni chi i he oni bii n s
heat . T hi w as
H e publshed an artcl on i hi seem ed t of er an alernatve t t calw est
i ie tw ch of t i o ypi ern t re s
heat ofcruely.
t begi ng oft
he nni re t
– aud does notm ean sadi or pai . H e m eans a vi ent physi
ol ,
T hrough t w ord cruely A rt
he t sm n cal
erm i i t shat er f se realt . H e show s t audi hey do notw antt see .
det naton o t al iy he ence t t h t
he rut hatt o
–
H e w as t ng t connectt perf
ryi o he orm ers and t audi
he ence w ih t honest and t h w ihi
t he y rut tn
hem sel , w hi i t
ch n hatera , had been l
t ves ostw ihi a l
t n otofpeopl e
–
ence as m uch as possi e . T hey shoul be hurl i o t
H e sai t
d hatt heat shoul af ectt audi
re df he bl d ed nt he
orced t engage .
acton and be f
i o
–
age and an audiori t alow m ore engagi . T hi al alow s t lght
H e abolshed t i
i he dea ofa st t um o l ng s so l he i
ence , so t acton i i vi hem .
t f lon t audi
o al he he i s nvol ng t
–
orm ances t port a m ore realstc ef ectand set i .
A rtaud used al lsenses i hi perf
ns o ray ii f tng
–
B ecause he w ant t t
ed he heat t af ectt audi
re o f he ence as m uch as possi e he used a m i ure of
bl xt
range and di urbi f s oflghtng , sound and perf ance .
st st ng orm ii orm
‘This cruelty, which will be bloody when necessary but not systematically so, can be thus
identified with a kind of severe moral purity which is not afraid to pay life the price it must be
paid’ – Antonin Artaud, Theatre of cruelty, In the theatre of the modern stage, Penguin 1968

5. What influenced Artaud
•
l-
H i healh or ilhealh probabl had a m aj i l
s t t y or nfuence on t ki ofw ork he di
he nd d
•
H e w as i l
nfuenced by aut hors such as S hakespeare and P oe
•
orm i M arseil i 1931 and w as greaty i pressed . I t s
H e saw B alnese T heat perf
i re n le n lm n hi
ures, si , post ance – i ot
ki oft
nd heat gest
re gns ures and sounds w ere al
lofgreati port
m n her
ay han si pl w ords. I B alnese t
w ords there w as m uch m ore t a pl t
o my n i heat t
re he
supernat , m agi and m ystci w ere al m port – t ant hese w ere A rt ’s pri tes t .
ural c i sm li aud orii oo
“The Theatre of Cruelty has been created in order to restore to the theatre a
passionate and convulsive conception of life” – Antonin Artaud, Manifesto of
the theatre of cruelty 1932-1933

6. Artaud’s influences on the Theatre
•
aud di ofcancer aged 51, he w as a m argi nalfgure i t F rench artstc w orl .
W hen A rt ed i n he ii d
A m i m oton pi ure act , and f -
nor i ct or ounder oft o shortlved avant garde t
w i heatre
com pani .es
•
nce hi deat , he has becom e m ore w i y accl m ed and i rem em bered f havi
Si s h del ai s or ng
heat .
changed t course ofW est
he ern t re
•
H i w ork had a l i i l
s astng nfuence on experi ent heat i partcul on t T heat oft
m alt re n i ar he re he
A bsurd (S am uelB ecket c) and on t heat calpracttoners lke P et B rook.
tet ri ii i er
•
so nfuenced m usi ans such as Ji M orri . M otey C rue nam ed an al
H e al i l ci m son l bum T heat re
ofP ai af er readi hi w ork. T he band B auhaus w rot a song abouthi .
nt ng s e m
•
aborat set , m ovem entand at enton t m yt
M ade pl producers m ore consci
ay ous ofel e s tio h
(another ofA rt ’s concerns)
aud
•
l nfuenced by hi , as w as m uch E nglsh l
Li ng t
vi heat w as al greaty i l
re so m i anguage
experi ent heat . K aren F i y, C harl M orow iz, S am S hephard al
m alt re nel es t lnam ed A rtaud as
hei nfuences.
one oft r i l

7. What did he accomplish as a
Dramatist?
•
I one producton aboutt pl
n i he ague he used sounds so horri e t
bl hatsom e m em bers oft he
audi ence w ere si i t m i e oft perf
ck n he ddl he orm ance
•
s ravel i M exi “ ’un V oyage au P ays de T aram uharas”(1937)
H e w rot a pl abouthi t
e ay sn co D
(he had gone t M exi t l ure on t decadence ofW est ern C i lzaton )
o co o ect he vii i
•
H e al w rot a pl aboutV an G ough i 1947 – an artstw hose w ork he greaty adm i
so e ay n i l red
•
H e al di ed w ork by ot
so rect her dram atst i udi S t ndberg buthi career as a di or
i s ncl ng ri s rect
w as shortand notext rem el successf
y ul
•
or ven t exaggerat actons – as i hi port
A rtaud w as an act gi o ed i ns rayaloft f ar i t fl
he ri n he im
‘La P assi de Jeanne d ’A rc (1928)
on

8. Final Years
•
A rtaud becam e increasi y del onal
ngl usi
•
I 1937 he t
n raveled t I and because he beleved he had a w al ng stck bel
l o rel i ki i ongi t S t
ng o
P at ck (and Lucier and Jesus C hri ) t
ri f st hathe needed t ret
o urn
•
O n hi w ay back t F rance he had t be hel i a st ghtacketand w as t
s o o dn rai j hen adm itt ed
agai t a m ent
no alhospial t
•
E l ri shock t
ect c reat entt
m here helped and he began t w rie agai
o t n
•
I 1947 – a f m ont bef ore hi deat he w rot a radi pl ‘P our en fni avec l
n ew hs s h e o ay ir e
ugem entde D i (T o have done w ih t jt he udgem entofG od ). T he day bef
j eu ore transm i on
ssi
ded i as t random , t ant- m eri can and ant- hri i t broadcast .
R adi F rance deci
o tw oo oo iA iC stan o
Ii
n the had been t rue t hi T heat ofC ruely m odelofreduci pow erf
os re t ng ulem otons t
i o
sounds, scream s, cri and grunt . I as event l broadcast 30 years l er.
es s tw ualy at
•
agnosed w ih cancer he di on M arch 4, 1948 i P ari f s rom a drugs overdose . H e w as
Di t ed n
al , sitng on t end ofhi bed , hol ng a shoe .
one t i he s di
Our Thoughts
We found it very interesting looking at Artaud’s work. He is a very innovative practitioner and he has
changed the way people think about theatre. He has made theatre become more of an experience and
taken it out of conformity. Artaud has inspired many after him to move into physical theatre. Although he
did establish more experimental theatre he did not completely achieve his aims to obliterate the use of
text within drama. He tried through his life to focus entirely on physical theatre using movement light
and sound to create atmosphere rather than the use of dialogue. Although this was effective it still to this
day has not reached its full potential.

9. Bibliography
Works by Artaud:
•
A rt , A nt n . O euvres com pl es d ’A nt n A rt , P ari : G ali ard , 1961 & 1976.
aud oni èt oni aud s lm
•
A rt , A nt n . C olect W orks ofA nt n A rt , T rans. V i or C ort. London : C al and B oyars, 1971.
aud oni l ed oni aud ct i der
•
A rt , A nt n . S el ed W rii , T rans. H el W eaver. E d . and I ro . S usan S ont . N ew Y ork: F arrar,
aud oni ect tngs en nt ag
roux, 1976.
St raus and G i
•
A rt , A nt n . P our en fni avec l je ugem entde di , O ri nalrecordi . E died w ih an i roducton by
aud oni ir eu gi ng t t nt i
M arc D achy. C om pactD i . S ub R osa /auraldocum ent , 1995.
sc s
•
A rt , A nt n . T he T heat and I s D oubl , T rans. M ary C arolne R i chards. N ew Y ork: G rove
aud oni re t e i
denf d , 1958.
W ei el
In English:
•
B arber, S tephen A nt n A rt : B l s and B om bs (F aber and F aber: London , 1993) I B N 0-571-17252-0
oni aud ow S
• E ssln , M artn . A nt n A rt . London : John C al , 1976.
i i oni aud der
•
R ai F ri ch , quot;T he D econst ed S el n A rt :
ner edri ruct fi aud and B recht N egaton ofS ubj
i ectand
A ntt alt ani ,quot; F orum f M odern Language S t es, 26:3 (Jul 1990): 282-297.
iot iari sm or udi y
•
nnes, C hri opher A vant G arde T heat 1892-1992 (London : R outedge , 1993).
-
I st er l
• eson , Lee A nt n A rt : F rom T heory t P ractce (G reenw i E xchange : London , 2007) I B N 978-
Jam i oni aud o i ch S
1-871551-98-3
•
K i berl Jannarone , quot;T he T heat B ef ore I s D oubl : A rtaud D i s i t A lred Jarry T heat ,quot; T heat
m y er t e rect n he f er re
S urvey 46.2, N ov. 2005: 247-273.
•
K och , S tephen . “ n A rt .” riQ uart y, no . 6 (S pri 1966): 29-37.
aud T -
O erl ng
• unka , G ene A . (E d ). A nt n A rt aud and t M odern T heat . C ranbury: A ssoci ed U ni versiy P resses.
Pl oni he er at t
1994.
•
R oger S hat uck, quot;A rt aud P ossessed ,quot; T he I nnocentE ye (N ew Y ork: F arrar S t roux, 1984): 169-186.
t raus G i
•
W ard , N i quot;F it -one S hocks ofA rt quot;, N ew T heat Q uart y V olX V P art (N T Q 58 M ay 1999): 123-
. 2
gel f y aud re erl
128

10. Bibliography
In French:
• anchot M auri . “rt .” N ouvele R evue F rançai 4 (N ovem ber 1956, no . 47): 873-881.
,
Bl ce A aud La l se
•
H élogabal ou lA narchi e couronné , 1969
'
i e st
• B rau , Jean -Loui . A nt n A rt . P ari : La T abl R onde , 1971.
s oni aud s e
•
V i aux, A l n . A nt n A rt e héât . P ari : S eghers, 1970.
rm ai oni aud etl t re s
• V i aux, A l n and O det e . A rt : un bian crii . P ari : B elond , 1979.
rm ai t aud l tque s f
•
V i aux, A l n and O det e . A nt n A rt : quiêt -vous? Lyon : La M anuf ure , 1986
rm ai t oni aud es act

11. References
•
ht p ://en .w i pedi .org /w i / nt n _ A rt aud (accessed 8 t N ovem ber 2007)
t ki a kiA oni h
•
ht p ://w w w .ant nart .org /hom e .ht l(accessed 8 t N ovem ber 2007)
t oni aud m h
•
ht p ://bookrags.com /bi ography/ant n -art aud ( accessed 6 t N ovem ber 2007)
t oni h
•
ephen B arber, 1993, A n to n in A rta u d , B lo w s a n d B o m b s, F aber and F aber lm ied
St it
•
A nt n A rt , M aniest oft t he heat ofcruely 1932-1933
oni aud fo re t
•
A nt n A rt , T heat ofcruely, I t t t n he heat oft m odern st , P engui 1968
oni aud re re he age n
•
eson , A nt n A rt : F rom T heory t P ractce 2007
Lee Jam i oni aud o i