Spanish Post-War Theater: From Bourgeois Comedy to Absurdist Humor
Spanish Post-War Theater
General Features
The post-Civil War Spanish theater served two primary functions: entertainment and ideological dissemination. This ideology was conveyed through various means:
- Dismissal of pre-war contributions, such as those of Federico García Lorca and Teatro Valle.
- Promotion of works that glorified the victors’ values.
- Reliance on classical authors to evoke a sense of a glorious past.
The state and church exerted strict control over new works and repertoires, fostering self-censorship among playwrights. Despite abundant theatrical activity, the era was marked by mediocrity.
Bourgeois Comedy
This genre aimed to entertain and educate by praising virtue. Bourgeois comedies were characterized by their well-structured plots, often divided into three acts, and their focus on love, family, marriage, and home. They generally maintained moral neutrality and featured bourgeois characters.
Key authors and works include:
- Jacinto Benavente: Poultry and Birds, The Last Letter
- José María Pemán: There Are Seven Sins, The Truth
- Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena: Two Women at Nine, The Condor Without Wings
- Joaquín Calvo Sotelo: Still Life, When Night Comes
- José López Rubio: Air of Jealousy, The Blindfolded
The Theater of Humor
This genre, led by Enrique Jardiel Poncela and Miguel Mihura, offered an escape from the harsh realities of the time.
Jardiel Poncela’s Theater
Jardiel Poncela’s works are characterized by a carefree spirit, embracing the improbable with elements of madness and mystery. His characters, typically bourgeois, often feature the master/servant dynamic. His plays depict a society preoccupied with love and money, employing witty dialogue and situational humor.
Heloise Is Beneath an Almond Tree, a classic black humor comedy set in 1940, uses multiple characters and two butlers to highlight the fictional nature of the play. Other notable works include Angelina or The Honor of a Brigadier.
Mihura’s Theater
Miguel Mihura’s plays idealize life, emphasizing humanization, goodness, and tenderness. Set in a lost normalcy, his works distort reality through imagination and poetic fantasy. His humor arises from unlikely combinations, exaggeration, and distorted logic.
Three Cornered Hats, his most famous work, features Dionysus, who represents the free and bohemian world. His eventual return to the established order reflects Mihura’s pessimism and disillusionment. Other notable plays include The Case of the Stupendous Mrs., Sublime Decision, and Peaches in Syrup.