Avant Garde Theatre 1892–1992

Examining the development of avant garde theatre from its inception in the 1890s to the present day, Christopher Innes exposes a central paradox of modern theatre; that the motivating force of theatrical experimentation is primitivism. What links the work of Strindberg, Artaud, Brook and Mnouchkine is an idealization of the elemental and a desire to find ritual in archaic traditions. This widespread primitivism, he argues, is the key to understanding both the political and aesthetic aspects of modern theatre and provides fresh insights into contemporary social trends.
The original text, first published in 1981 as "Holy Theatre," has been completely revised to take account of the most recent theoretical developments in anthropology, critical and intercultural theory and psychotherapy. Additional sections on Heiner Muller, Robert Wilson, Eugenio Barba, Ariane Mnouchkine and Sam Shepard have been added. As a result, the book now deals with all the major avant garde theatre practitioners.
"Avant Garde Theatre" is essential reading for anyone attempting to understand contemporary drama. Not only does it provide a coherent perspective on what is often seen as confusingly diverse, its analysis of performance and the relationship of staging to theory will interest a general audience.

Examining the development of avant garde theatre from its inception in the 1890s right up to the present day, Christopher Innes exposes a central paradox of modern theatre; that the motivating force of theatrical experimentation is primitivism. What links the work of Strindberg, Artaud, Brook and Mnouchkine is an idealisation of the elemental and a desire to find ritual in archaic traditions. This widespread primitivism is the key to understanding both the political and aesthetic aspects of modern theatre and provides fresh insights into contemporary social trends. The original text, first published in 1981 as Holy Theatre, has been fully revised and up-dated to take account of the most recent theoretical developments in anthropology, critical theory and psychotherapy. New sections on Heiner Muller, Robert Wilson, Eugenio Barba, Ariane Mnouchkine and Sam Shepard have been added. As a result, the book now deals with all the major avant garde theatre practitioners, in Europe and North America. Avant Garde Theatre will be essential reading for anyone attempting to understand contemporary drama.

List of Illustrations Acknowledgements 1.Introduction 2 The Politics of Primitivism 3. Dreams, Archetypes and the Irrational 4. Therapy and Subliminal Theatre 5. Antonin Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty 6. Ritual and Acts of Communion 7. Black Masses and Ceremonies of Negation 8. Myth and Theatre Laboratories 9. Secular Religions and Physical Spiritualitty 10. Anthropology, Environmental Theatre and Sexual Revolution 11. Interculturalism and Expropriating the Classics 12 From the Margins to Mainstream