Galician Theater: Late 20th and Early 21st Century Evolution

Galician Theater: Late 20th and Early 21st Century

The death of Franco in 1975 and the arrival of democracy brought a series of legislative changes, establishing administrative structures, rights, and fundamental freedoms, also affecting the language. Three basic texts were key: the Constitution (1978), the Statute of Autonomy (1981), and the Law of Linguistic Normalization (1983).

This period also saw significant social transformations due to integration with the EU, including improved food and health, leading to an aging population and economic development. This decreased the impact of emigration and led to immigration as a social factor. Language was normalized through institutional campaigns, the influence of RTVG, and a major boost in publishing, with over 1,000 literary titles per year.

All legislative, economic, and social changes facilitated the consolidation of theater, both in terms of gender and industry. This led to a proliferation of theater fairs and festivals, starting with the Sample Theatre of Beja (1973-1980). The first stable theater venues appeared, along with diverse and important theater companies like Theatre Northwest, Sarabela Theatre, Theatre of Nowhere, and the Bat Theatre. The work of the Galician Dramatic Centre, established in 1984, is also important. Finally, children's and youth theater saw significant development.

This era is characterized, first, by its thematic openness, abandoning the social themes of earlier decades and cultivating specific forms, such as the theater of the absurd. Another feature is the specialization of its authors, who dedicate their work solely to the literary genre, as well as its heterogeneity, even with a cultist calling. Moreover, there's a desire to continue the formal experimentation that characterized the authors of the previous generation, the members of the Abrente group (70s) related to the Beja samples: Manuel Lourenco, R. Euloxio Ruibal, and Roberto Vidal Bolaño.

Generations of Playwrights

The first generation is called the Generation of the 80s, formed by authors such as Miguel Anxo Fernán Vello (The House of the Drowned, 1990), Jesus Pisoni (0 Tariff, 1983), and John Guisan Seijas (A Scenario Called Frederick, 1985). The Generation of 1990 includes playwrights who became known through the Award for Drama School Theater brief Galega. These authors focus on creating literary works with careful structure, easy to stage, and less symbolic than the previous generation. Notable authors include Candido Palace (0 Bululú of Lini, 2000), Raul Dans (Matalobos, 1993), and Michelangelo Murad (A Great Evening of Felix, 1994).

In recent years, the number of authors and works has increased considerably. Galician theater continues to show great heterogeneity, but with a predominance of comedy that uses irony and parody to reflect on topical issues. Experimental theater, which mixes various techniques and uses intertextuality, also becomes relevant, preparing works based on other literary creations or existing arguments.