Showing, representing, aestheticizing human cruelty. On a political function in the theatre that requires great delicacy

Abstract

It is through self-study that mankind learns to accept his own cruelty, to recognise its value and fear it. Theatre, by representing cruelty, educates the thumos, the source of civic courage. By not dissociating the empirical and historical reserves of the real from the show, is contemporary theatre creating an audience capable of representing this cruelty to themselves, or is it creating an impassive audience, scorched by excess? Our analysis will present three plays: Eldorado dit le policier (2011), Salle d’attente (2012) and Les Damnés (2016). The crucial issue at stake in all three cases is the possible connection point between the actor’s sensible body and that of the audience members. However, this point is different for each actor as it is for each spectator. Without polyphony, the author doubts that it is possible for everyone to navigate a path in order to feel, fall, perhaps get back up, laugh, think and try to understand what he or she has to do with cruelty, or his or her cruelty.