For Gothic horror and the cult of the sublime brought terror for terror's sake, and they in turn bred the theatre of cruelty and the Modernist creed that art's first duty is to shock.

ECONOMIST: Why is art so hard?

Its current show, Theatre of Cruelty, is based on the aesthetics of Antonin Artaud, a French playwright.

ECONOMIST: Scouring New York for fresh talent

In the rehearsal room and in the theatre, there is nothing but relish for every kind of craziness, every grief, every danger, every cruelty, every joy.

NEWYORKER: Curtain-Raiser