Taken as a whole, Joan Brossa's theatrical poetry is characterised by its rupture with conventions and genres in its quest for new poetic possibilities in action. His production for the theatre began in 1944. The early works are highly experimental, one-act, extremely brief pieces, like the paradigmatic Sord-mut (Deaf-Mute) 1947, which consists simply of the curtain rise and fall. Between 1950 and 1962, the works become thematic, with a greater commitment to everyday reality and more conventional in form (with three acts), for example Cortina de muralles muralles (Curtain of Walls) 1951, Or i sal (Gold and Salt) 1959 o Calç i rajoles (Lime and Tiles) 1963. At the same time he began to venture into genres regarded as para-theatrical with the set of dances Normes de mascarada (Norms for the Masquerade) (1948 - 1950) where he broke with the genre of ballet to produce surprising actions. Similar are the performance actions which come under the title Postteatre (Post-theatre) (1947 - 1962), and the group of ballets and performance actions Troupe (1964). (1964). In the 1960s, the poet threw himself fully into these and other genres which bordered on cabaret: transformation monologue, striptease, irregular theatre and musical actions. This domain of Brossa's theatre, breakaway and avant-garde at the time, was created simultaneously with his more synthetic and visual poetry, and was favourably received by the public throughout the 1970s, but this concealed the other facet of the theatrical poet, which was to be discovered by the general public in the 1980s and 1990s.

Another area where Brossa worked was the film script. He began writing these early in his career. Gart and Foc al càntir of 1948 are a good example. Furthermore, in the 1060s and 1970s, he collaborated with the filmmaker Pere Portabella with films like No compteu amb els dits (Don't Count on your Fingers), Nocturn 29, Umbracle (Shade House) and (The Worm's Tail).

John Brossa's work in theatre is collected, almost in its entirety, in the six volumes of Poesia escènica (Theatrical Poetry) published between 1973 and 1983. The first two film scripts are published in Vivàrium (1972) and Alfabet desbaratat (Ruined Alphabet) (1998).