Theatre and its Double

In <i>The Theatre and Its Double</i> first published in 1938 Antonin Artaud puts forward his radical theories on drama and theatre which he saw as being stifled by conservatism and a lack of experimentation.<br/><br/>Containing the famous manifestos of the 'Theatre of Cruelty' this collection of essays analyses the underlying impulses of performance provides suggestions on a physical-training method for actors and features a long appreciation of the expressive values of Eastern dance drama.<br/>This new English translation of Artaud's canonical text by Mark Taylor-Batty retains the idiosyncratic nature of the author's writing communicating its fervour and ambition while achieving a much-needed clarity. <br/>Through doing so it facilitates a fuller appreciation of Artaud's artistic objectives and the original context in which they grew aided by a newly translated set of his notes and drafts and a selection of letters to his publisher friends and associates concerning the book's genesis and the evolution of the concept of a 'Theatre of Cruelty'. <br/>The commentary further contextualizes this material within Artaud's broader oeuvre from his collaboration with the Surrealist group through to his plans to stage his own adaptation of Percy Shelley's<i> Les Cenci</i>in 1935.<br/>A welcome addition to any theatre-lover's or student's bookshelf this translation of Artaud's classic text offers clear and faithful insights into Artaud's theatre.