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Teagan
14 days ago

Hi I was just wondering how I would cite this website for my drama (plz answer quick)

10 months ago

[…] Artaud’s Frightening Theatre of Cruelty Techniques – 63 Explanations | The Drama Teacher […]

Jamila
2 years ago

Thank you so much …this was very helpful . Please would you elaborate on the concept of cruelty as conceived by Artaud because I find it too intricate to be pin down and utterly philosophical

CC
2 years ago

doing my solo presentation on Artaud. this was insanely helpful, thank you so so much justin.

Paul Stanton
3 years ago

Really helpful, thanks.

Sasha
3 years ago

This has helped me thoroughly with my A-Level coursework, THANKS JUSTIN!

Bob
3 years ago

Great article!

sam
4 years ago

thanks meant a lot hope one day i could meet up with him

Adrin
Reply to  sam
4 years ago

the guy died like years ago.

C J
4 years ago

As a KS5 Drama teacher this article has really helped my students consider their own work in relation to Artaudian ‘style’ and conventions. Thanks so much

Hamiida Namugga
5 years ago

Very well explained piece

Stanley Jenkins
6 years ago

I remember seeing an experimental film of sun ra performing which seemed to me to approximate the theater of cruelty in many ways. As the performer played, and was filmed in black and white, bright lights were shined directly into the camera, causing a strobe effect. The music was loud and the effect was disorienting, painful and ….well….cruel.

biob
6 years ago

Fantastic piece!

Ariel Styk
6 years ago

It’s helped me a lot!
Thanks:)

Mari
6 years ago

I’m a professional theatre maker and I specialize in working in the Theatre of Cruelty, Epic Theatre, Theatre of the Poor and Theatre of the Oppressed. Reading The Theatre and it’s Double was like reading my own mind. I literally cried. It’s my favorite bedtime book.

Angus
Reply to  Mari
6 years ago

Not going to lie you sound like the coolest person ever!!

Meghan
6 years ago

Thank-you so much for this well-written, informative post! Would you be able to clear up for me why many people regard Theatre of Cruelty as an “impossible” form of theatre? What about it makes it impossible to produce?

Michael Freeman
6 years ago

You mostly write about how you don’t understand Artaud. Don’t write about Artaud if you aren’t ready to understand it. He is the completely rebellious artist — and took risks all his life to prove it. His theater goes against the precepts of Westernized theater. If you are stuck to that, then you will never understand. There are no yawns in Artaud’s audience. It’s a theater of magic.

Molly
6 years ago

This was a life saver, it’s very difficult finding such concise well written information like this. Thank you so much!

JOHN CALVERT
7 years ago

Speaking as a writer, I find the current stage of much theatre abysmal…. admittedly there are a handful of writers and directors producing new and exciting work but they remain unrecognised and unacknowledged.Artaud other others showed what could be achieved in theatre, but hardly anyone these days wants to take up that challenge. With the advance of countless innovations in stage technology, you would think it would be now more than ever possible to produce a theatre which stuns and intruigues us… just as Artaud imagined. Alas , we seem to be afraid of the new , the dangerous.

Alex
7 years ago

Very helpful for my A-level drama piece acting in the style of Artaud, using the script of 100 for our stimulus. Thanks

Max
7 years ago

Thankyou this was really helpful.Just did a mock GCSE that explored Artauds use of drama.Then had to write and explain about Artaud in a devising log that was marked by an exam board.Really appreciate it.

Freddie
7 years ago

Artaud has inspired me to create my own play

Beatrice Hooper
7 years ago

Thank you this was very helpful for my Drama GCSE homework.

Agbonkhese Derek Godfrey
7 years ago

Nice work your research on Arturd’s theatre really helped me for my master exam. Derek

Val
7 years ago

I’m really interested in this form of drama, I want to perform it, and I have many ideas, I am currently studying it in drama and it blows my mind away

Sam
Reply to  Val
7 years ago

Could you please recommend me a workshop idea to present to my class? It’s so hard of a project:(

Sam
Reply to  Justin Cash
7 years ago

Hey, thanks a lot for the idea! I have to create a 45min – 65min long seminar for my class and I will need to go over the style of theatre thoroughly. More specifically I will need to include the : Biography on the practitioner(s), a detailed description of the elements, principles, and style of the genre, and a workshop (40-45 minutes) that exposes students to the style of the genre. For the workshop, what would you recommend me to ask my fellow peers to present. My class has 16 students in it (including my partner and I). I’m thinking of maybe splitting up the class into 7 groups of 2, but then what should I ask them to do? Should I give them all a scene or something to act out, or a theme, and ask them to try and portray that theme through the techniques you’ve learned through Artaud’s style of theatre?

Sam

brandon
8 years ago

Artaud was on occultist,comparriate of Crowley and devised this form of theatre as a early form of what would become large scale ritual performances intended to alter mental states.it was basically a predecessor of Mk ultra type mind control.he did predict the large scale rituals we have now any Grammy ceremony in recent years has had some type of occult performance.I’m not saying he’s bad I was risked hermetic but I’m telling you what your learning about is occultist Artaud was unable to handle the things he dabbled and delved into and drove him mad.I’m not saying occultism is bad, but I do think people should know before participating in his techniques.its designed to hit subconscious triggers that can open old trauma or pain thus making you open to influence and control.if you were raised hermetic you learn very early to loose fear because fear leaves you venerable to the things you try to harness if you fear it it will turn on you.that’s why theres rituals that must be performed in progression of training.Artaud and Crowley alike lacked discipline you can’t dabbled with these things.like Crowley trying to preforms the abramelin was his downfall Artaud wasn’t mentally able to cope and its something that can happen to others who participate in his ritual theatre.100 may try it and only one be effected but you never know how mass rituals will effect people performer or audience and I can tell you the exact grimoire he got this idea from, its an offshoot of the gotta.if someone truly harnesses magick.youll never know dabblers send addicts will publicize it true practioneers have no need of publicity and definitely dont want spotlight.its basically playing with live wires its unsafe the traditional protection for the performers are nonexistent.the 4corners north east south west above and below the set up is a ritual in itself so just coming together even unintentional activates the portal.

8 years ago

very helpful with my drama diary thank you

paul mecock
8 years ago

fab stuff

chloe
8 years ago

very helpful with my drama diary thank you (GSCE)

Jasmine
8 years ago

Hi, this is brilliant and has helped me so much. Was just wondering if you had a refference list available for this?

Clyde
8 years ago

He influenced surrealists. You have the causation working the wrong direction.

Honour
9 years ago

Just used this for an essay for my interdisciplinary work for my degree, was very helpful thank you!

Cara
9 years ago

So helpful with my GCSE Drama work

Alyssa
9 years ago

Thank you#!!!

Clair Haynes
10 years ago

This alone has triggered many ideas to workshop and experiment with. …Great, concise explanation – thank you!