The Power of Sound and Voice in Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty

• Drama
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

The Power of Sound and Voice in Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson you should be able to explain the importance of sound and voice in Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty.

Introduce the learning objective of the lesson to the students.

What do you already know about the Theatre of Cruelty?

Who Was Antonin Artaud?

Antonin Artaud was a French playwright, poet, and essayist who developed the Theatre of Cruelty.

Provide a brief background on Antonin Artaud and his contributions to modern theatre.

What is the Theatre of Cruelty?

The Theatre of Cruelty is a form of theatre that seeks to confront audiences with their deepest fears and emotions through the use of unconventional staging and performance techniques.

Explain the Theatre of Cruelty and its goals to the students.

The Importance of Sound and Voice

According to Artaud, sound and voice are crucial elements in the Theatre of Cruelty because they have the power to bypass the rational mind and communicate directly with the unconscious.

Explain why sound and voice are important in the Theatre of Cruelty.

The Screams of the Audience

Artaud believed that the screams of the audience were an essential part of the performance, as they reflected the emotional impact of the play.

Discuss the role of the audience in the Theatre of Cruelty and how their reactions are important to the performance.

The Soundscapes of the Theatre

Artaud created a concept called the 'sound landscape', which involved using a range of sounds and music to create a disorientating and overwhelming experience for the audience.

Introduce the concept of the 'sound landscape' and how it was used in the Theatre of Cruelty.

The Voice as a Tool

Artaud believed that the voice could be used as a tool to convey emotions and ideas beyond language and rational thought.

Discuss how the voice can be used as a tool in the Theatre of Cruelty to convey emotions and ideas.

The Limits of Rational Thought

Artaud believed that rational thought was a barrier to true understanding and that the Theatre of Cruelty could help break down these barriers through the use of sound and voice.

Discuss Artaud's views on rational thought and how the Theatre of Cruelty can help overcome these limitations.

Interactive Element: Voice Experiment

In pairs, take turns making random noises with your voice. Without discussing, try to interpret what the other person is feeling or trying to convey through their noises.

Engage the students in an interactive experiment to demonstrate the power of the voice beyond language.

Theatre of Cruelty in Practice

The Theatre of Cruelty was never fully realized in practice, but it has influenced many modern theatre practitioners and continues to inspire new forms of experimental theatre.

Discuss the impact of the Theatre of Cruelty on modern theatre.

Interactive Element: Soundscapes

In groups, create a soundscape using a range of sounds and music that would fit with a scene from a play. Discuss how the soundscape enhances the emotions and atmosphere of the scene.

Engage the students in an interactive activity to create their own soundscapes and discuss the impact on the scene.

The Legacy of Antonin Artaud

Antonin Artaud's ideas and theories had a profound impact on modern theatre and continue to inspire new forms of experimental theatre today.

Summarize the legacy of Antonin Artaud and his contributions to modern theatre.

Review: The Importance of Sound and Voice

In this lesson, we explored the importance of sound and voice in Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty. We learned how sound and voice can communicate directly with the unconscious and bypass rational thought, creating a deeper emotional impact on the audience.

Review the main points of the lesson with the students.

Quiz: The Power of Sound and Voice

Take this quiz to test your knowledge on the importance of sound and voice in Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty.

Provide a quiz for the students to test their knowledge on the lesson content.

Bibliography

- Artaud, Antonin. The Theatre and Its Double. New York: Grove Press, 1958.
- Carlson, Marvin. Theories of the Theatre: A Historical and Critical Survey from the Greeks to the Present. Ithaca, N.Y: Cornell University Press, 1984.

Provide a list of resources and further reading for the students.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.

Theatre of Cruelty is a necessary form of art.

Agree, it challenges societal norms and conventions.

Disagree, there are other forms of art that can achieve the same goals.

Agree, it pushes boundaries and expands creativity.

Disagree, it is vulgar and lacks artistic merit.

Agree, it creates a unique and unforgettable experience.

Disagree, it is too extreme and unnecessary.

Agree, it questions the purpose of art and society.

Theatre of Cruelty can be a form of therapy.

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What is the role of the audience in the theatre of cruelty?

1. To leave the theatre
2. To remain passive
3. To participate in the ritual
4. To criticize the actors

What is the name of the book Antonin Artaud wrote about the theatre of cruelty?

1. Waiting for Godot
2. The Bald Soprano
3. The Theatre and Its Double
4. The Chairs

What is the term used to describe the use of sound and movement in the theatre of cruelty?

1. Corporeal mime
2. Clowning
3. Mime
4. Pantomime

What was the main goal of the theatre of cruelty?

1. To make the audience laugh
2. To shock and awaken the audience
3. To entertain the audience
4. To make the audience cry

Who is the founder of the theatre of cruelty?

1. Eugene Ionesco
2. Harold Pinter
3. Samuel Beckett
4. Antonin Artaud