Modernism is closely associated with the idea of the ‘avant–garde’. Avantgardes are people or works that push the boundaries of what primarily exists in the cultural realm. The concept of ‘avant-garde’ is to oppose the cultural values, thinking and to promote innovative ideas, technology, forms and experiments. 

The term ‘modernism’ is applied to various developments in all art’s in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. These developments happen against realism. The new innovations are emerged in all branches of theatre, including acting, stage design, direction and playwriting. Stanislavsky, a Russian director, actor invented a ‘method’ in acting. This is widely accepted around the world. Later, the techniques of ‘method acting’ are become popular through film. In Germany Bretlot Brecht brought new dimensions to theatre. With the collaboration of Erwin Piscator, Brecht brought the concept of ‘alienation effect’ to performances. Brecht primarily rejected the concept of the fourth wall. In which actors were isolated from the audience. The fourth wall is a concept in which actors imagine an imaginary wall between them and audience so that the audience can get an illusion of reality. But Brecht rejected this idea. The ‘epic theatre’ proposes that the play should not cause the spectator to identify emotionally with the characters or action with the performance, but a play should provoke a rational self-reflection and a critical view of the action on stage. The epic theatre brought many new devices like film clippings, cartoons to the stage. The first major modernist movement in the theatre was ‘symbolism’. Edward Gordon Craig introduced symbolic scenery to stage design. Adolphe Appia, on the other hand, brought three dimensional sets on stage and created integrity between actors and design. The World War I and World War II had a greater impact on the arts. The war effects were represented in theatre performances. The new ideologies were emerged. In that, Existentialism is important. Existentialism explains the existence of human beings. The actual life of the human being is governed by the “true essence”. Human beings, through their consciousness, create their own values and meaning to their life. Samuel Beckett and Eugene Ionesco are the important writers in the ‘Theatre of Absurd’. ‘Waiting for Godot’ is one of the well-known plays in the Absurd Theatre. 

Antonine Artaud’s works were in the 1960s. Artaud believed that the theatre should represent reality and its effect should reach the audience as much as possible. His work ‘The Theatre and Its Double’ were largely discussed. Artaud formulated his ideas into a manifesto and named it the ‘Theatre of Cruelty’. His focus is to give a sensorial experience to the audience with a combination of design and performance skills.