Spanish Postwar Theater 1939–1960: Drama, Censorship, Melodrama

The Theater: Postwar Period until 1949

THE THEATER.

The postwar period until 1949: It is a theatre for domestic consumption, at a considerable distance from modern European trends, due to a number of factors. The Civil War meant, as in other genres, circumstances unfriendly to the development of its aesthetics; the theatre was also more directly influenced by social, political, and economic pressures and was more conditioned by the environment of war. Yet, never in those years were there so many authors and premieres—for example: José Mª Pemán, Joaquín Sotelo, José López Rubio, Juan Ignacio Luca de Tena, Miguel Mihura, Alfonso Sastre, and so on.

Significant Phenomenon

SIGNIFICANT PHENOMENON

As we also note, there existed different types of theatre:

• Public theatres, maintained by the administration. Two theatres were created and subsidized: the Teatro María Guerrero for contemporary works and foreign authors, and the Teatro Español for classic plays.
• Those of private initiative, which built 99% of the theatre, unlike what happens today.

The first decades were often empty and desolate: names of writers appeared or reappeared who cultivated the drawing-room comedy and realistic drama, with Benavente as a leading figure. Also very successful was theatrical humour: reruns of Carlos Arniches and Muñoz Seca, the manners of the Álvarez Quintero brothers (Serafín and Joaquín), the slapstick tone of Llopis, etc. A very significant phenomenon is the success of the melodrama.

Highlights and Geographic Concentration

- Highlights

A downside is that theatrical activity was reduced to Madrid and, to a lesser extent, Barcelona. The rest of Spain experienced only situational activity (summer tours, festivals, etc.). Some theatre shows toured, but overall presence outside the main cities was limited.

Hope: 1949 and Beyond

In the midst of this negative picture, hope comes with Historia de una escalera in 1949, by Antonio Buero Vallejo.

From 1949 to 1960: Gradual Evolution

From 1949 to 1960. Gradually there has been some evidence of evolution in the field, despite poor results. There was at least an awareness of the enormous difference that separated our dramaturgy from contemporary European drama. Broadly speaking, the majority of theatre is characterized by:

• Technical efforts involved in the construction of stage works: brilliant dialogue, intricate plots, lavish decor, and ambiance.
• Shy social criticism, limited to the bourgeoisie, and often incapable of attacking the problems of the moment (as the novel sometimes did); plays were worldly and even frivolous, or abstract and conventional in morality, often with melodramatic endings.

There are some positive facts:

• Return of the fine nuances of poetic and allegorical drama (a return to the style of Alejandro Casona).
• Revolt of assembling: hundreds of playwrights and parallel events at universities, conferences, etc.
• Birth and development of the TEU (Teatro Español Universitario), and the first assemblies of so-called independent groups.
• Frequent representations of foreign authors, which may influence young Spanish dramatists.
• Triumph and success of the works of Miguel Mihura and Buero Vallejo.

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