Birrell, Ross John (2002) The theatre of destruction : anarchism

407 Pages·2011·14.63 MB·English

Birrell, Ross John (2002) The theatre of destruction : anarchism, nihilism
& the avant-garde, 1909-1945.
PhD thesis.

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THE THEATRE OF DESTRUCTION:
ANARCHISM, NIHILISM & THE AVANT-GARDE, 1909
-1945
ROSS JOHN BIRRELL
DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE, FILM & TELEVISION STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
Ph. D.
JUNE 2002
Abstract
is
This thesis argues that theatricalization an appropriate paradigm to employ
in the historical Futurism,
a political reassessment of avant-garde moments of
Dada Surrealism. Through the
and an analysis of performativity and
theatricality of the manifestos and manifestations of these successive avant-
it is that
gardes, suggested each avant-garde moment self-dramatizes a
destructive An is then developed that the destructive
character. argument
demonstrates displays libertarian-barbarian
character of the avant-garde and a
dialectic from the discourses
which emerges within of anarchism and nihilism,
in from Michael Bakunin's `the for destruction is
maxim: passion a
particular
too'.
creative passion,
is in
The destructive character of the avant-garde manifest most clearly the
desire for destruction
the the
manifestos which announce and perform a of
life, by Peter
institution of art and the re-integration of art and as advanced
Bürger. Identifying between the discourses of theatricalization and
a parallel
in Symbolist drama, I that the
argue paradigm of
aestheticization
the
theatricalization necessitates a critical re-assessment of polarity which
Walter Benjamin between the aestheticization of politics and the
advances,
Further, it is the
politicization of art. suggested, we must also re-examine
Bürger between Aestheticism the
polarity which asserts and avant-garde with
in Thus, from Bakunin's initial
respect to the question of autonomy art.
between destruction/
breakdown of the opposition creation we embark upon a
between key
re-examination of the polarity terms of the avant-garde:
libertarian / barbarian; incarnation / integration; /
aestheticization politicization;
/
theatricality performativity.
is in
The the then the
theatricalization of avant-garde manifesto articulated
context of Habermas' study of the structural transformation of the public
from feudalism (theatricalization) to (literalization). Here, I
capitalism
sphere
that immanent within the performative and theatrical modality of
suggest
avant-garde manifestos and manifestations are the origins of a
Finally, I
and refeudalization of the public sphere. suggest
retheatricalization
destructive
that the repetition of the character of the avant-garde suggests a
Nietzsche's theory of the eternal recurrence and that, consonant
parallel with
from
with the paradigm of theatricalization which emerges a political
historical
of the avant-garde, the avant-garde manifests a
reassessment
History.
theatricalization of
1
Acknowledgements
I like to thank those institutions have funded,
would which assisted and
including: Students Awards Agency for Scotland,
this the
supported research
Department Theatre, Film Television Studies University Glasgow. I
of and of
like Bibliotheque de l'Arsenal
to thank the the
would also staff at and
friendly Bibliotheque Gaston Baty, Paris.
the
staff at
I indebted friends,
am particularly to my close colleagues and students at
Glasgow School Art for
of their continued encouragement and advice, and to
Department Historical Critical Studies for facilities
the of and access to and
resources.
have
I like
would also to thank all those who supported me throughout
Jane Allan, Stephen Barber, Henry Birrell, Marie Birrell, John
this
research:
Calcutt, Malcolm Dickson, Adrian Glew, Dominic Hislop, Alexia Holt,
Stewart Home, Roddy Hunter, Stephen Hurrel, Gordon Hush, Tom Leonard,
Laura Martin, Kyle Smyth, Stephen Thomson, Oscar Marietta, Peter
McCaughey, Francis McKee, Susan McLay, Gustav Metzger, Donald Pirie,
Adrienne Scullion, Brian Singleton, Sarah Smith, Gordana Stanisic.
and
I like to thank Claude Schumacher for his
would especially
-perseverance,
patience and generosity.
Finally, I like to tribute to the late Dr. Alasdair Cameron,
would pay who
in first Glasgow. During
taught me my year as a student at a chance
Byres Road in 1992,
the
meeting on summer of shortly after graduation,
Alasdair I to do Ph. D. He did have
suggested return a always a cruel sense
humour.
of ----
2
Contents
Abstract
Acknowledgements
2
Contents
3
List Illustrations
4
of
Prologue
5
Introduction
The Historical Avant-Garde in Context 7
1. Theoretical Frame
1.1 Chapter One
The Destructive Character Avant-Garde: Libertarians
the
of and
Barbarians 37
2. Historical Application
2.1 Chapter Two
The New Barbarians: The Destructive Gesture Italian Futurism 136
of
2.2 Chapter Three
The Aura Destruction: Manifestations Zürich Dada 215
the
of of
2.3 Chapter Four
Understudy Revolutionaries: Surrealism Politics Destruction 284
the
and of
Conclusion
The Theatricalization Death the Avant-Garde 376
and of
Epilogue 3$4_
Bibliography 385
Illustrations 405
3
List Illustrations
of
Fig. 1. First for Alfred Jarry's Ubu Theatre de L'Euvre,
night programme roi at the
9- 11 December 1896. Lithograph. Reproduced in Claude Schumacher, Alfred
Jarry Guillaume Apollinaire (London: MacMillan, 1984). (Fig. 6. )
and
Fig. 2. F. T. Marinetti, `The Founding Manifesto Futurism', it
and of as appeared
the front Le Figaro 20 February 1909. Reproduced in Caroline
on page of on
Tisdall Angelo Bozzolla, Futurism (London: Thames & Hudson, 1977), 6.
and p.
(Fig. 1. )
Fig. 3. Marinetti declaiming Futurist Angelo Bozzola Caroline
at a serate. and
Tisdall, Futurismo 1909-1919: Exhibition Italian Futurism (Newcastle Upon
of
Tyne/ Edinburgh:. Northern Arts Scottish Arts Council, 1972) 69.
and p.
Fig. 4. Hugo Ball Karawane, Cabaret Voltaire, 23 June 1916. Reproduced
performing
in Annabelle Melzer, Dada Surrealist Performance (Baltimore: Johns Hopkins
and
University Press, 1994), 56. (Fig. 10. )
p.
Fig. 5. Dada hair Reproduced in Greil Marcus, Lipstick Traces: A Secret
advert product.
History Twentieth Century, (London: Picador, 1990).
the
of
Fig. 6. The front the first issue La Revolution Surrealist, 1 December
cover of of
1924. Reproduced in Andre Breton, What is Surrealism?: Selected Writings,
edited
by Franklin Rosemont (New York: Pathfinder, 1978), Book 2, 2.
p.
Fig 7. Antonin Artaud, The Cenci, Thdätre des Folies-Wagram in North
the
at
West Paris, 6- 22 May 1935. Reproduced Antonin Artaud, The
on cover of
Cenci, translated by Simon Watson-Taylor (London: Calder Boyars, 1969).
and
Fig. 8. Antonin Artaud, The Cenci, Theatre des Folies-Wagram in North
the
at
West Paris, 6- 22 May 1935. Reproduced in Antonin Artaud, Selected Writings,
by Susan Sontag, by Helen Weaver (Berkeley: University
translated
edited of
California Press, 1985).
4
Prologue
Prologue
I have before I
lithograph: illustration
me, as write, a reproduction of a an
the first-night for Alfred Jarry's Ubu
of programme roi which opened at the
Theatre de L'cEuvre, Paris, 9 December 1896. [Fig. 1] The image
on
shows
destruction,
the
aftermath of a scene of catastrophe, war.
In background house is burning. The building is
the a almost totally
by fire. Rising the is balloon-like bird,
consumed above carnage a strange
head far but
too
with an alien and wings small which nevertheless serve to
fan the flames. Tied to its is bag
one of protruding stick-legs a of money.
This is for is fragment
that's there be
no phoenix sure: no of redemption to
found in this The bird hovers like toy balloon dust
universe. a or atom-bomb
taunting its inane knows
cloud, us with existence: a cartoon cruelty which no
bounds.
In the middle-ground, towards `stage' left are twin supplicants. The two-
dimensional figures, from
the their
resembling woodcuts middle-ages, clasp
hands in Perhaps it is their home is in the being
unison. which process of
by flames. Their faces fact
consumed appear resigned to the that their gesture
is ignored. Both balloon bird in background figure
the the the
and massive
in the foreground are staring us straight in the eye.
5
Prologue
The huge figure fills foreground. He is
the the the
on right undoubted
His body is large he
the two
progenitor of carnage. and stands erect on
feet like His head, from
the trunk,
stumpy a sideboard. which rises neck-less
is in the shape of a cone topped with a single mock-militaristic leaf. Above
his drawn features (button-hole leaf-moustache, `v'
crudely mouth, nose which
into forehead his brain be. By
spirals eyes) the narrows where should
his like balloon bird's, in his
contrast stomach, the extends celebration of
His left is long, be
adiposity. arm which grotesquely and seems to made of
hangs in downward Clutched the in hand
rubber, a spiral. at end, a which
is large bag the his destruction.
resembles a metal-claw, a of cash, profits of
His right hand, held aloft from behind his enormous bulk, carries a torch
dragon-breath flame
with a of white that zig-zags out across a spread of
black ink. This flame arcs above the torched house which continues to
its in background.
the
perform endless conflagration
I background, foreground, but the is
of course stage as
say middle-ground,
flat it is It is devoid depth
as the page printed on. a world of or emotion; a
folded lives deaths. The destroyer does
universe of cut-out and cardboard not
devastation but instead baldly blankly
contemplate the scene of stares and out
his the
towards audience, mindlessly confronting us with purposelessness of
his burning building, barbarian buddha, bloated
abandoned victims, a
outrage:
bird beneath black
squawking a sun.
6
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction: The Historical Avant-Garde in Context
I
The 1909 to 1945 in for
years witnessed an escalation mankind's capacity
destruction in human history. This
unparalleled any prior period of era was
by
two
marked world wars, as well as colonial conflicts, civil wars,
During the Second World War forces
uprisings, rebellions and revolutions. of
destruction battlefields, but
mass were unleashed not only against soldiers on
This is documented by
against civilian populations. aspect of total warfare the
deliberate bombardment in European (Coventry,
aerial of civilian zones cities
Dresden, Hamburg, Berlin), Nazi Holocaust US bombings
the and the atomic
Hiroshima Nagasaki. Destruction
of and on such an unprecedented scale was
by from industry
made possible only employing principles and science,
increasing forces
namely the rationalization and mechanization of the of
facilitated by in
production and reproduction, advances the understanding of
These
the technologies
molecular science and of mass communication.
forces for industrial
powerful controlling society were also weilded as
in dominant ideologies
weapons the arsenal of the of the epoch: capitalism,
imperialism, fascism, This destruction
and communism. period of unparalleled
8