About the Book

August Strindberg – dramatist, theatre practitioner, novelist, painter, and essayist – was above all one of the most radical innovators of Western theatre, whose exceptionally diverse dramatic output embodied a quintessentially modernist sensibility .

In this new volume, the author provides a critical introduction to August Strindberg’s vital contributions to theatrical modernism by placing his work in a wider cultural and interdisciplinary context. His great achievements in all the various areas he ventured into were mirrored in his eagerness to break down barriers between genres, views, and fields of experience. Strindberg’s re-definition of drama and theatre as a fluid, constantly evolving form came to exert a profound influence on twentieth-century playwriting and theatrical production from the German Expressionists to the Theatre of the Absurd.

Beyond Strindberg’s influence on the modernist movement this volume explores his drama as a living voice that challenges audiences, critics, and even the most innovative directors. August Strindberg provides an essential and accessible insight into the playwright’s work on theatre culture beyond his own time and illustrates the relevance and significance of his work for our understanding of theatre today.