Antonin Artaud (1896-1948)
Artaud is most famous for his book ‘The Theatre and It’s Double.’ His work has profound impact on the evolution of contemporary theatre to this day, evolving from his observations of cinema, theatre and art. Artaud was indeed banished from the surrealist movement and yet his only produced film ‘The Seashell and the Clergyman’ is perceived to be the first tangible example of surreal concepts and ideas explored in cinematography
“His work is a painful movement through many silences and journeys. Points of apparently intractable breakdown are twinned with sudden breakthroughs into physical and linguistic intensity.’“
Stephen Barber
The focus of the Research and the forming of ‘Fille De Mon Coeur’ – Daughter of my Heart
Artaud suffered like no other, especially from his internment from 1937 to 1946 – within this time, mostly, Artaud was left to his own devices, deemed as ‘uncurable’ and part of the ‘undesirables.’ On the brink of death was an understatement, as he suffered from years of starvation – mostly surviving off cabbage soup, a rationed source of food during World War Two. So, this story begins with Artaud’s fascination – his birth – the concept of life and death – is he already dead when he talks to us? Artaud states, ‘you will see my present body burst into fragments and remake itself under ten thousand notorious aspects a new body where you will never forget me.’ He pulls away from the womb, evolving into precise gestural work – a language that was forbidden at Rodez Asylum. It is here that Artaud remains once again stuck, with the repetition of striking his head, to remove the pain he has suffered for years. The symbolism of his birth is significant, as Artaud firmly believed that through creating his ‘daughters of the heart’ he could at some stage be reborn.
What follows is Artaud’s time at Rodez Asylum, his ‘inner’ world of solitude thoughts and more purposeful/productive behaviour, writing and translating works was encouraged whereas his athletic states was frowned upon and deemed as psychotic bots of behaviour. Within this repetitive state, Artaud recites ‘Cry’ an original poem of Artaud’s writing in his earlier years. Slowly throughout this time, we begin to see ‘the silent scream’, this symbolises Artaud’s response to 51 electric shock treatments, ‘it dulls my mind and my heart, it turns me into someone who is absent and who knows he is absent.’
Then on the 10th March 1945 Colette Thomas visits Artaud, alongside her husband Henri Thomas. Henri is barely mentioned in this performance as both parties – Colette and Artaud took a great liking to the other. This likeness has many disturbing qualities as both can identify with the other, whilst simultaneously placing a massive weight on the others ‘existence’ and place in this world. They share a poem together by Gerard de Nerval, which is haunting and yet ‘contained’ as Artaud is not allowed to perform or read literature how he would choose to. Artaud quotes Gerard Nerval and shortly after; their visit has to come to an end. The story follows the intensity between these two people, throughout the last years of Artaud’s life – including his time in Paris, after his release from Rodez Asylum. In fleeting moments, a ‘softness’ is identified – however – this soon passes. This is highlighted in Artaud’s gesture to pay for Colette’s feet reduction operation, which seems harmless but only demonstrates an intense suffering for her.
“His work is a painful movement through many silences and journeys. Points of apparently intractable breakdown are twinned with sudden breakthroughs into physical and linguistic intensity.“
Natasha Higdon