Anti-Theater In 'The Theater And It's Double'

When considering anti-theater, the observation of not only the performance, but also the mise in scene should be taken into account. This is the only way to obtain a full understanding of the play. Among other occupations, Antonin Artaud was a theater director, and in his book The Theater and It’s Double, he explains how the totality of the work is given power through language and the mise in scene. An example of this can been seen in the preface where he writes, “How hard it is, when everything encourages us to sleep, though we may look about us with conscious, clinging eyes, to wake and yet look about us as in a dream” (11). This essay will consider how anti-theater is used in Luigi Pirandello’s, Six Characters in Search of an Author and …show more content…
Some of the characters believe that Henry IV is somewhat sane, while others believe that he is completely mad. However, while living in the 20th century, Henry IV supposedly believes that he is the King of Germany and is living in the 11th century. Although at this point in the play, the credibility of Henry IV being in good mental health was yet established, his character demonstrates the specific language of theater of the mentioned that Artaud refers to. For instance, intonation, as he tells of his revulsion toward his friends, is noted when Henry IV refers to his friends as “Clowns! Clowns! Clowns!” Here, his voice rises (by the use of an exclamation point) to give the full impact to his words when he shouts them (118). Toward the other characters, the stage directions explain that Henry IV, “Stops short, noticing that the four men are getting nervous, more perplexed, and amazed than ever before,” as he delivers his rant (119). The use of their physiognomies adds to the dialogue that is performed on stage, as it shows the depth of the characters, while also rereading the hatred of Henry IV’s lines as he uses his friends and insults …show more content…
In this setting at the castle, their physiognomies speak as loudly as their words. First, it is noted how Henry IV has them all doing exactly as he requests by the use of not only his words, but also his gestures. After he calls his friends “clowns,” the stage directions read, “He says this in a gay and gushing frenzy…turning his eyes, until all of a sudden he no longer sees Berthold.” Henry IV is using his facial features to illustrate his crazed mind and behavior and this scene speaks to how he actually loathes his friends. The same directions go on to read that the other characters are “Bewildered by amazement,” by Henry IV’s actions (118). This is due to the intonation and physiognomy that Henry IV uses, and it serves to make the other characters react to his non-verbal