Artaud’sArtaud’sTheatre Theatre and it’s and it’s DoubleDouble

Artaud’s ActorArtaud’s Actor

Highly trainedHighly trained

Breath controlBreath control

Semi-ritualistic chants of Eastern religionsSemi-ritualistic chants of Eastern religions

Tempo-RhythmTempo-Rhythm

Emotional releaseEmotional release

Artaud’s TheatreArtaud’s TheatreAlternative theatre spacesAlternative theatre spaces

Audience at the centre of the actionAudience at the centre of the action

Audience trapped and powerlessAudience trapped and powerless

A sensory experienceA sensory experience

No boundaries between actor and audienceNo boundaries between actor and audience

Use of galleriesUse of galleries

Full musical scores usedFull musical scores used

Recorded sound used at full volumeRecorded sound used at full volume

Sophisticated lighting effectsSophisticated lighting effects

Example – Example – The CenciThe Cenci (1935) (1935)

““The auditorium will be enclosed within four walls, stripped of any ornament, with The auditorium will be enclosed within four walls, stripped of any ornament, with the audience seated below, in the middle, on swivelling chairs, allowing them to the audience seated below, in the middle, on swivelling chairs, allowing them to follow the show taking place around them.”follow the show taking place around them.”

[T& ID, 1985. p.75][T& ID, 1985. p.75]

Puppetry and MaskPuppetry and Mask

Symbolism rather than functionalismSymbolism rather than functionalism

Emphasise sense of ritualEmphasise sense of ritual

Cruel and archetypalCruel and archetypal

Example – Example – Ubu RoiUbu Roi (1896) (1896)

LanguageLanguage

Based on signs, not dialogueBased on signs, not dialogue

Anti – characterAnti – character

Extended means of communicationExtended means of communication

Speech replaced by sound patternsSpeech replaced by sound patterns

SurrealSurreal

Dada poetryDada poetry

Phonetic Poem (1917) Hugo BallPhonetic Poem (1917) Hugo Ball

KARAWANEKARAWANE

jolifanto bambla o falli bamblajolifanto bambla o falli bambla

grossiga m’pfa habla horemgrossiga m’pfa habla horem

egiga goramenegiga goramen

higo bloiko russula hujuhigo bloiko russula huju

hollaka hollakahollaka hollaka

anlogo bunganlogo bung

blago bungblago bung

blago bungblago bung

bosso fatakabosso fataka

u uu uu uu u

schampa wulla wussa oloboschampa wulla wussa olobo

hej tatta goremhej tatta gorem

eschige zunbadaeschige zunbada

wulubu ssubudu uluw ssubuduwulubu ssubudu uluw ssubudu

tumba ba – umftumba ba – umf

kusagaumakusagauma

ba – umfba – umf

[Waldberg, P., Surrealism, 1965][Waldberg, P., Surrealism, 1965]

There is no more firmamentThere is no more firmament““Darkness. Explosions in the Dark. Harmonies cut short. Raw sounds. Sound Darkness. Explosions in the Dark. Harmonies cut short. Raw sounds. Sound blurring. The music gives the impression of a far-off cataclysm; it envelops the blurring. The music gives the impression of a far-off cataclysm; it envelops the theatre, falling as if from a vertiginous height. Chords are stuck in the sky; they theatre, falling as if from a vertiginous height. Chords are stuck in the sky; they dissipate, going from on extreme to the other. Sounds fall as if from a great height, dissipate, going from on extreme to the other. Sounds fall as if from a great height, stop short and spread out in arcs, forming vaults and parasols. Tiered sounds.stop short and spread out in arcs, forming vaults and parasols. Tiered sounds.

Beginnings of glimmers that change continually, passing from red to harsh pink, from Beginnings of glimmers that change continually, passing from red to harsh pink, from silver to green, turn white; suddenly boundless, opaque, yellow light, the colour of silver to green, turn white; suddenly boundless, opaque, yellow light, the colour of dirty fog or the Simoon…dirty fog or the Simoon…

Street cried. Various voices. An infernal racket. When one sound stands out, the Street cried. Various voices. An infernal racket. When one sound stands out, the others fade into the background accordingly…others fade into the background accordingly…

A hysterical woman wails, makes as if to undress. A child cries with huge, terrible A hysterical woman wails, makes as if to undress. A child cries with huge, terrible sobs…sobs…

Sudden stop. Everything starts again. Everyone takes his place again as if nothing Sudden stop. Everything starts again. Everyone takes his place again as if nothing had happened.”had happened.”

[Artaud, A., Collected works][Artaud, A., Collected works]

RitualRitual

Influenced by Balinese DancersInfluenced by Balinese Dancers

Influenced by Neitzsche and the God Dionysus Influenced by Neitzsche and the God Dionysus i.e. passion and irrationalityi.e. passion and irrationality

Appeals primarily to the sensesAppeals primarily to the senses

““A ritual generally takes the form of repeating a pattern of words and A ritual generally takes the form of repeating a pattern of words and gestures which tend to excite us above a normal state of mind. gestures which tend to excite us above a normal state of mind. Once this state of mind is induced we are receptive and suggestible Once this state of mind is induced we are receptive and suggestible and ready for the climax of the rite. At the climax the essential and ready for the climax of the rite. At the climax the essential nature of something is changed.”nature of something is changed.”

[Ann Jellicoe, quoted in Innes. P. 219][Ann Jellicoe, quoted in Innes. P. 219]

SurrealismSurrealism

Themes taken from SurrealismThemes taken from Surrealism

Redefinition of realityRedefinition of reality

Insights into the subconsciousInsights into the subconscious

Defines madness and non-madnessDefines madness and non-madness

Artaud expelledArtaud expelled

SelectiveSelective

““I think I have found a suitable title for my book. It will be:I think I have found a suitable title for my book. It will be:

THE THEATRE AND IT’S DOUBLETHE THEATRE AND IT’S DOUBLE

For if theatre is the double of life, life is the double of true For if theatre is the double of life, life is the double of true theatre…This title will correspond to all the doubles of theatre…This title will correspond to all the doubles of theatre which I thought I had found over so many years: theatre which I thought I had found over so many years: metaphysics, the plague, cruelty.”metaphysics, the plague, cruelty.”

[Quoted in Sellin, 1975. p93][Quoted in Sellin, 1975. p93]

The Theatre and it’s DoubleThe Theatre and it’s Double

Production and MetaphysicsProduction and MetaphysicsTheatre and the PlagueTheatre and the PlagueThe Theatre of Cruelty, First and Second The Theatre of Cruelty, First and Second ManifestosManifestos

Production and MetaphysicsProduction and Metaphysics

Used to express anything that has no rational Used to express anything that has no rational explanationexplanation

Use of dance as expressionUse of dance as expression

Non-verbal signs for communicationNon-verbal signs for communication

More narrative than traditional mimeMore narrative than traditional mime

Gesture with depth of meaningGesture with depth of meaning

Dramatic spectacleDramatic spectacle

Simultaneous actionSimultaneous action

SurrealismSurrealism

ComedyComedy

Influences of MetaphysicsInfluences of Metaphysics

Balinese DancersBalinese Dancers

Lot and His DaughtersLot and His Daughters

The Marx BrothersThe Marx Brothers

Theatre and the PlagueTheatre and the Plague

Physical effectsPhysical effects

Allegory and analogyAllegory and analogy

Stripped theatre of it’s constraintsStripped theatre of it’s constraints

Intention to challenge and disturb audienceIntention to challenge and disturb audience

Definition of ‘real’ playDefinition of ‘real’ play

““A real stage play upsets our tranquillity, A real stage play upsets our tranquillity, releases our repressed subconscious, releases our repressed subconscious, drives us to a kind of potential drives us to a kind of potential rebellion.”rebellion.”

[T&ID, 1985. p.19][T&ID, 1985. p.19]

The Theatre of CrueltyThe Theatre of Cruelty

Connection between director, actor and spectatorConnection between director, actor and spectator

Against conventional theatre spacesAgainst conventional theatre spaces

Opposed to the representation of real lifeOpposed to the representation of real life

Creation of a new languageCreation of a new language

Use of emotionUse of emotion

Myth, ritual and well-known talesMyth, ritual and well-known tales

ShockShock

Collected WorksCollected WorksCorrespondence and lettersCorrespondence and letters

InterviewsInterviews

ManifestosManifestos

ReviewsReviews

The Alfred Jarry TheatreThe Alfred Jarry Theatre

FilmFilm

Un Chien AndalouUn Chien Andalou

Plays by ArtaudPlays by ArtaudThe CenciThe Cenci

The Death of SatanThe Death of Satan

Plays influenced by ArtaudPlays influenced by ArtaudUbu Roi by A. JarryUbu Roi by A. Jarry

Murderer, Hope of Womankind by O. KokoschkaMurderer, Hope of Womankind by O. Kokoschka

Royal Hunt of the Sun by P. ShafferRoyal Hunt of the Sun by P. Shaffer

Equus by P. ShafferEquus by P. Shaffer

Marat / Sade by P. WeissMarat / Sade by P. Weiss

East by S. BerkoffEast by S. Berkoff

Decadence by S. BerkoffDecadence by S. Berkoff