Theater of Cruelty is a theatrical movement developed by French playwright and director Antonin Artaud in the 1930s. It aims to provoke strong emotional responses from the audience through intense and often disturbing performances. This style emphasizes the use of physicality, symbolism, and non-verbal communication, moving away from traditional narrative structures. Artaud believed that conventional theater was too focused on dialogue and realism, which limited its impact. Instead, the Theater of Cruelty seeks to confront audiences with the rawness of human experience, exploring themes of violence, madness, and existential despair. This approach has influenced various forms of modern theater and performance art.