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RETHINKING ARTAUD'S THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL WORKS Rob Connick A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY May 2011 Committee: Scott Magelssen, Ph.D., Advisor Amy L. Morgan, Ph.D. Graduate Faculty Representative Jonathan Chambers, Ph.D. Bradford Clark, M.F.A. © 2011 Rob Connick All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Scott Magelssen, Advisor This study aims to counter the claims that Artaud was a practical failure and his theoretical writings had little value for theatre practice during his time. I instead argue that Artaud’s body of work shows his dedication to creating a theatre style that would differ drastically from the styles dominating French theatre. I use Artaud’s original texts to determine his Theatre of Cruelty aesthetics and to highlight how much of his work holds practical as well as theoretical value. By doing this, I argue that Artaud’s practical capabilities in theatre should be properly acknowledged and his theoretical contributions be viewed for their applicability to production. This study continues the work of Artaud scholars such as Kimberly Jannarone who have challenged previous portrayals of Artaud by earlier scholars as a failed theatre artist whose theoretical writings are more emblematic of his mental illness than of any practical sensibilities. This study addresses and challenges many of the widely held notions about Artaud concerning his practical works as well as his essays on the plague, cruelty, and non-Western ritual. I argue that while these writings may seem to be disconnected writings, they may be directly connected to practical theatrical concerns. To make these claims, I examine Artaud’s work at the Alfred Jarry Theatre to demonstrate the ways in which aspects of his developing theatre aesthetic are foreshadowed in his practical work while there. I then look at the ways that Artaud’s iv Theatre of Cruelty manifestos can be seen at work in his production of Les Cenci, the only full-length play that he wrote. I connect his writings on “plague” and “cruelty” to established performance tropes and show how Artaud used both of these terms to describe the functionality of his new theatre. Finally, I compare the Balinese dance dramas Artaud witnessed at the 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition to his Manifestos on Cruelty to show how Artaud’s arguably unstageable theories had, as a matter of fact, been staged through these performances. v To Jesi, April, and Taylor. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Monster trucks and pro wrestling. That’s where this all started. While discussing Artaud’s views on theatre, Jim Davis commented that if Artaud were alive today, he’d probably be a fan of pro wrestling and monster truck rallies. Whether one agrees or not, it does attempt to answer the question that drives this study: What would Artaud’s ideal performance look like? The following pages represent my attempt to answer this question. I would like to thank my advisor and mentor, Dr. Scott Magelssen, for all he has done for me academically and professionally. His excitement over my research, both on this dissertation and in other research interests, has helped keep me energized and engaged when this project began to feel overwhelming. I would also like to thank the other members of my committee for their time and effort. Jonathan Chambers has time and again been a voice of reason as I tried to balance studies with having a family. His impact on my academic career goes far beyond the classroom. While Brad Clark joined my committee relatively late in the process, I have always appreciated the practical focus he brings to theoretical discussions. It has been an honor and privilege to learn from all three of them. While I have never taken a class from Amy Morgan, I have worked with her on service projects for the university and have witnessed her commitment to education. I am very fortunate to have her on my committee. I have also been blessed to have two great earlier mentors who still impact my approach to theatre. Bob Schweitzer was the first professor to make me believe that grad school could be an option and Jane Barnette encouraged my creativity as both a vii developing scholar and teacher. I hope that both of them can see their influence in this work. The friendships I developed while here have made the difficult times much easier to bear. Stephen Harrick, Jeff List, Jodilynn Murdoch, JP Staszel, and Chanelle Vigue have all helped keep me sane at various points throughout the last few years. Brian Taylor, Seth and Melissa Randall, Shane and Melissa Wolff, and Michael and Chrissey Mobus have likewise kept me from getting so wrapped up in theatre that I forget how to stop and relax. Without my theatre and non-theatre friends, I would not be as (relatively) well-adjusted as I am now. None of this would have been possible without the support I received from my loving family. My parents and my in-laws have always been there to encourage me to keep going. Most importantly, my wife’s patience, encouragement, and motivation have been the main reasons I have made it this far. I could not have done this without her. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION. ARTAUD IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY ............................... 1 Artaud’s Texts ................................................................................................................ 4 Artaud’s Practical Work: The Alfred Jarry Theatre and Les Cenci ............................ 6 Sickness, Plague, and Cruelty ....................................................................................... 11 Ritual and/in Performance ............................................................................................. 14 Focus and Limitations .................................................................................................... 17 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 18 CHAPTER I. ARTAUD DIRECTS AT THE ALFRED JARRY THEATRE ...................... 20 Earlier Practical Experience .......................................................................................... 22 The Beginning of the Alfred Jarry Theatre .................................................................. 25 The First Performances: The Founder’s Plays ............................................................. 33 The Second Production: Controversy through Cinema and the Use of Paul Claudel’s Partage de Midi ............................................................................................. 35 The Third Production: Strindberg and Surrealism ....................................................... 45 The Final Production: Comparisons to Jarry – Vitrac’s “Victor, or Power to the Children” ................................................................................................................ 55 The End of the Alfred Jarry Theatre ............................................................................. 56 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 64 CHAPTER II. ARTAUD’S LES CENCI: AN EXAMINATION OF THE THEATRE OF CRUELTY ............................................................................................................... 67 The Script ................................................................................................................ 78 ix The Banquet ................................................................................................................ 89 Beatrice’s Imprisonment and Torture ........................................................................... 98 Critical Reception ........................................................................................................... 102 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 106 CHAPTER III. THEATRE, CRUELTY, AND THE PLAGUE ............................................ 109 The Plague ................................................................................................................ 114 Symptoms of the Plague ................................................................................................ 116 Cruelty ................................................................................................................ 132 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 142 CHAPTER IV. THE SEARCH FOR THEATRE IN NON-WESTERN RITUAL AND PERFORMANCE .......................................................................................................... 145 Non-Western Performance ............................................................................................ 147 The Balinese Dance Drama ........................................................................................... 157 The Janger Dance Drama .............................................................................................. 161 The Calonarang ............................................................................................................. 170 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 177 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................ 183 Limitations and Areas of
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