Catalan Theatre History and Josep Maria Benet i Jornet

Catalan Theatre History and the Independent Movement

With the advent of the Civil War, many authors were forced into exile or wrote in clandestinity. The resumption of Catalan performing arts was slow and difficult during the years of the dictatorship. Notable figures include Manuel de Pedrolo and Joan Brossa. During the dictatorship, the creation of new voices from the universities brought about the movement called "independent theater."

In the late 1960s, changes were detected in the stage conception of the phenomenon: the theater of the author was under pressure, and much professional attention turned toward "staging." All this led to changes in conditions, replacing the concept of stage props and scenery to suit the needs of each spectacle.

The Rise of Teatre Lliure and the TNC

The Teatre Lliure and one of its proponents, Fabià Puigserver, are the best exponents of these changes. The Teatre Lliure was created by a group of individuals involved in independent theater, where theater alternated with dance and music. The consolidation of the public was carried out with the creation of the National Theatre of Catalonia (TNC) in 1997, which began with the basic objective of offering high-quality theater both nationally and internationally, paying particular attention to original works in Catalan.

Josep Maria Benet i Jornet: A Life in Drama

Josep Maria Benet i Jornet studied Letters. Writing meant radically breaking with family tradition and widening his horizons. Thus, writing was an adventure. Theater was a passion for the author; it was a vital way of interpreting the world.

His work Una vella, coneguda olor (1964) reveals an old, known smell. The realistic drama continues with Berenàveu a les fosques (1972). This work was initially rejected by critics, who labeled it a drama rooted in outdated formulas of 1950s Spanish theater. Despite these years of failure, the writer did not sink; he decided to expand his range of production.

Literary Success and Television Scripts

He showed himself and the critics that the only possible response was to continue writing to find new ways of theatrical language. In 1995, he received the National Award for Dramatic Literature with the play E.R. (or Morir). He was the first soap opera scriptwriter for the television of Catalonia, creating series such as Rosa, El cor de la ciutat, and Ventdelplà.