The term Theatre of Cruelty, expresses Artaud wanting his actors to be cruel to themselves: I. Stretching the imagination until near breaking point, challenging the body to complete extreme moves. The term Theatre of Cruelty, expresses Artaud wanting his actors to be cruel to themselves: I. Stretching the imagination until near breaking point, ANTONIN ARTAUDFables whose very atrocity and energy suffice to show their origin and continuity in essential principles. BETTINA L. KNAPP. It contains hi