Artaud Theatre

Question 1

When did Antonin Artaud live?

Answer 1

1896 - 1948

Question 2

Who was Artaud?

Answer 2

• EVERYTHING WAS ABOUT CREATING A MOOD AND ATMOSPHERE FOR YOUR AUDIENCE.
• An experience for the audience
• Hypnotising theatre
• He was amazed by huge gestures and physicality to communicate stories to audiences.
• He wanted to bring his audience back to Greek Theatre type movements.

Question 3

What are some facts about his life?

Answer 3

• At the age of 5 Artaud caught meningitis and began a prolonged nervous disorders.
• He was prescribed opium which lead to a life-long addiction.
• He was expelled from the surrealist movement due to this.

Question 4

What were some of the inspirations for his work?

Answer 4

The Balinese Dancers
- in 1931, he saw a performance by Balinese dancers that mesmerised him and inspired his search for ritual in performance.
- This resulted in his creation of ‘Dionysian Theatre’ that focussed on the darker side of human nature of passion accessed through rituals.

Question 5

What is the ‘Theatre of Cruelty’?

Answer 5

• The audience are left unsettled - ‘Confrontational Theatre’
• He advocated the complete abolition of traditional boundaries between the actor and the audience, actors interact with a audience as there is absence of distance between seats and stage.
• ‘Theatre of Cruelty’ was Artaud’s vortex - a space where anything could happen.

Question 6

What were Artaud’s Aims and Principles?

Answer 6

• To explore the ideas of ‘Theatre of Cruelty’
• The Arcadian theatre is rooted in RITUAL - Visual, Aural and Spatial performance quality.
• His theatre intends to challenge and disturb.

Question 7

What visual elements did Artaud include in his pieces?

Answer 7

• Dance
• Mime
• Choreography
• Tableaux/freeze frames/still images
• Diamond formation
• Procession
• Masks/costumes

Question 8

What was the purpose of Artaudian Theatre?

Answer 8

His theatre intended to…
- Shock
- Unsettle
- Inspire
- Startle
- Awaken

Question 9

What were the elements of Artaudian Theatre?

Answer 9

• Actors and audience shared one playing space - ‘vortex’ - freed form the constraints of the Proscenium Arch environment.
• Audience surrounded by the action - often used barns/factories.
• No scenery
• Lavish costumes, puppets and masks
• Language takes a back seat, movement and emotions are a lot more important.

Question 10

What is ‘total theatre’?

Answer 10

• Non-verbal Theatre - a new physical language evolved; using poetry, music, gesture, dance, movement and choreography.
• Sound: The audience experienced an overwhelming sound/sensory performance - instruments.
• Lighting: The lighting was similar to that used in rock concerts/stadium effects - to engulf the audience in waves/sheets.
• Design elements: Film, masks, puppets, live sound.
• Physical Theatre: Movement instead of lots of dialogue.

Question 11

Sum up the key ideas of Artaudian Theatre?

Answer 11

• STIMULATING AN EMOTIONAL RESPONSE FROM AUDIENCE!!!!!!
  -Wanted anyone from any country to get something out of each of his performances, also wanted it to be timeless (time period was irrelevant).
• It appealed to the senses