1910-1986. French dramatist, novelist, and
poet, an exponent of the Theatre of Cruelty.
His turbulent life and early years spent in
prison are reflected in his drama,
characterized by ritual, role-play, and
illusion, in which his characters come to act
out their bizarre and violent fantasies. His
plays include Les bonnes/The Maids 1947, Le
balcon/The Balcony 1957, and two plays
dealing with the Algerian situation: Les
negres/The Blacks 1959, and Les paravents/The
Screens 1961.