In The Theatre and Its Double, first published in 1938, Antonin Artaud puts forward his radical theories on drama and theatre, which he saw as being stifled by conservatism and a lack of experimentation.Containing the famous manifestos of the Theatre of Cruelty´, this collection of essays analyses the underlying impulses of performance, provides suggestions on a physical-training method for actors, and features a long appreciation of the expressive values of Eastern dance drama.This new English translation of Artaud's canonical text by Mark Taylor-Batty retains the idiosyncratic nature of the author's writing, communicating its fervour and ambition, while achieving a much-needed clarity. Through doing so, it facilitates a fuller appreciation of Artaud´s artistic objectives and the original context in which they grew, aided by a newly translated set of his notes and drafts, and a selection of letters to his publisher, friends and associates concerning the book's genesis and the evolution of the concept of a Theatre of Cruelty´. The commentary further contextualizes this material within Artaud´s broader oeuvre, from his collaboration with the Surrealist group through to his plans to stage his own adaptation of Percy Shelley´s Les Cenci in 1935.A welcome addition to any theatre-lover's or student's bookshelf, this translation of Artaud´s classic text offers clear and faithful insights into Artaud's theatre.