Who said “The theater, which is in no thing, but makes use of everything -- gestures, sounds,…”?

Verified

Antonin Artaud. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourcePreface: The Theater and Culture

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“The theater, which is in no thing, but makes use of everything -- gestures, sounds, words, screams, light, darkness -- rediscovers itself at precisely the point where the mind requires a language to express its manifestations. To break through language in order to touch life is to create or recreate the theatre.”
— Antonin Artaud
VerifiedPreface: The Theater and Culture · evidenceTheater

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Preface: The Theater and Culture.

APA

Artaud, A. (n.d.). The theater, which is in no thing, but makes use of everything -- gestures, sounds, words, screams, light, darkness -- rediscovers itself at precisely the point where the mind requires a language to express its manifestations. To break through language in order to touch life is to create or recreate the theatre. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39517-the-theater-which-is-in-no-thing-but/

MLA

Artaud, Antonin. “The theater, which is in no thing, but makes use of everything -- gestures, sounds, words, screams, light, darkness -- rediscovers itself at precisely the point where the mind requires a language to express its manifestations. To break through language in order to touch life is to create or recreate the theatre.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39517-the-theater-which-is-in-no-thing-but/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Artaud, Antonin. “The theater, which is in no thing, but makes use of everything -- gestures, sounds, words, screams, light, darkness -- rediscovers itself at precisely the point where the mind requires a language to express its manifestations. To break through language in order to touch life is to create or recreate the theatre.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/39517-the-theater-which-is-in-no-thing-but/.

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“When we speak the word ''life,'' it must be understood we are not referring to life as we know it from its surface of fact, but to that fragile, fluctuating center which forms never reach.”
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All 24 Antonin Artaud quotes →