The Theatre of Cruelty (Antonin Artaud)

The Theatre of Cruelty, conceived by Antonin Artaud in the 1930s, is a revolutionary approach to theater that seeks to provoke deep emotional responses from the audience. Artaud believed traditional theater was too focused on words and narrative, so he emphasized the use of physicality, intense imagery, and sound to express human suffering and existential conflict. This approach aims to dismantle the barriers between performer and audience, immersing viewers in a visceral experience that confronts their emotions and subconscious. Ultimately, it seeks to reveal deeper truths about the human condition through a raw and often unsettling performance style.