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Absurdism
“Theatre of Cruelty” (Antonin Artaud 1896-1948) - The Theatre and its double
1. Characteristics
a. Influenced by surrealism and anthropology
b. Attacks notion of theatre as representation; favors “presence
c. Theatre as “total”—i.e., visual, auditory, tactile, etc. –experience
d. Precursor of participatory and ritualistic theater

2. Existentialist Philosophy
a. We have no predetermined nature or essence that controls what we are, what we do, or
what is valuable to us.
b. We are radically free to act independently of determination by outside influence
c. The choices that we make define who we are as human, social, political (etc.) beings.
d. We also create our values through these choices.
i. “We are thrown into existence first without a predetermined nature and only later
do we construct our nature or essence though our actions”
ii. Martin Heidegger (Being and Time, 1928)

3. Existentialist Drama
a. Characteristics
i. The moral, religious, political, and social structures of human life have collapsed
ii. The search for a pre-established meaning or purpose in human life is futile
iii. Humans are defined by their acts, and by nothing else
iv. Conventional dramatic form (as opposed to later absurdist plays)
1. Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980)
a. No exit (1944)
b. “Hell is other people.”
2. Albert Camus (1913-1960)
a. The myth of Sisyphus (1941)
b. Major theoretical essay on absurdism

4. Theatre of the Absurd

a. Characteristics
i. No recognizable plot
ii. Puppet-like characters
iii. Mechanical behavior and language
iv. Illogical acts
v. Dreams and nightmares replacing social commentary
vi. Language, memory, and social bonds have become dysfunctional
vii. Martin Esslin: The Theatre of the Absurd (1961)
b. Precursors of Absurdism
i. Georges Feydeau and 19th century farce
ii. Alfred Jarry
1. Ubu Roi (1896)
iii. The Marx Brothers
1. Duck Soup (1933)
a. Surrealistic non-sequitur structure
b. Slapstick and farce
 c. Dadaist humor that subverts traditional notions of patriotism,
heroism, etc.
2. Samuel Beckett (1906-1989)
a. Waiting for Gadot (1953)
b. Endgame (1958)
c. Krapp’s Last tape (1958)
d. Happy Days (1960)