The Theatre of Cruelty manifesto

The Theatre of Cruelty, developed by Antonin Artaud, is a theatrical movement emphasizing intensified sensory experiences to evoke deep emotional and subconscious reactions from audiences. It seeks to break traditional storytelling, using vivid, often unsettling imagery and emotions to confront viewers with raw human truths, challenging their perceptions and beliefs. The goal is to create a visceral connection that awakens unconscious thoughts and feelings, fostering a more intense and transformative theatrical experience. Essentially, it aims to break down the distance between the audience and the performance, encouraging a profound, almost primal engagement with the play’s themes.