Artaud : The Screaming Body

Year 2000
Pages 160

Worth buying if: Curious about avant-garde theatre and performance theory.

Skip it if: You need an exhaustive scholarly biography with full apparatus.

Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9781840680096. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.

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Summary

Stephen Barber traces Artaud’s life and work in a compact, accessible study, balancing biography, critical insight, and vivid episodes to illuminate the poet, theorist, and performer behind the myth.

Why this book now

A focused introduction for readers rediscovering early 20th-century avant-garde theatre and the roots of performance theory.

30-second preview

Two quick cards, fifteen seconds each.

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1-sentence hook

A sharp, concise portrait of Antonin Artaud that captures his furious creativity and tragic intensity.

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Best for readers who...

Good fit if you want...

  • Curious about avant-garde theatre and performance theory.
  • Want a short, readable introduction to Artaud’s life and ideas.
  • If you liked the pacing, the conversation drives the plot forward.

Maybe skip if...

  • You need an exhaustive scholarly biography with full apparatus.
  • You expect a complete chronology of every text and production.
  • You only want something with very current references and examples.

Mood / Vibe Tags

intense provocative concise Quick read Published before 2020

Decided it fits?

Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9781840680096

Worth buying if: Curious about avant-garde theatre and performance theory.

Skip it if: You need an exhaustive scholarly biography with full apparatus.

Buy This Edition on Amazon

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.

Reader guide

Cues to help you decide faster.

Reading commitment

Light Short sit-downs

At about 160 pages, this is a brief, lively read—suitable for a few focused sittings or a weekend deep-dive.

What stands out here

This Creation Publishing edition emphasizes a compact, reader-friendly survey of Artaud’s persona and influence rather than archival scholarship.

Best way to approach it

Approach it as an interpretive introduction: read straight through for context, then revisit sections that spark interest for deeper research.

Exact edition: ISBN-13 9781840680096

Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.