Spanish Theater: Early 20th Century Trends & Key Playwrights

Spanish Theater at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century

The development of drama was influenced by social constraints, primarily aimed at middle-class audiences who were not particularly interested in social problems or ideological themes. Playwrights had to cater to public demand, but faced limited financial resources for their works. Consequently, authors who adhered to these constraints were not marginalized.

The result was a period of relative stagnation in Spanish theater, characterized by a lack of innovation and renewal.

Background of Theater in the Second Half of the 19th Century

Romantic drama evolved into more balanced and thoughtful forms, culminating in the rise of high comedy.

Characteristics of High Comedy:

• Contemporary Setting
• Observation of Reality
• Educational or Didactic Purpose
• Presence of Verse
• Exaggerated Effects in Some Scenes
• Bourgeois Sentimentality

High comedy underwent changes but failed to produce truly transcendent works. Notable figures include Adelardo López de Ayala (Consuelo, 1878) and Manuel Tamayo (A New Drama, 1867).

José Echegaray introduced neo-romanticism, characterized by sensationalism, exaggerated gestures, realism, and verisimilitude.

The late 19th century saw several attempts to move away from rhetoric and melodramatic theater, with figures like Benito Pérez Galdós (Reality), Jacinto Benavente (Outside the Nest), and Joaquín Dicenta (Juan José) leading the charge. While Galdós and Dicenta did not achieve lasting success, Benavente did.

The Theater at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century

Several authors elevated the quality of theater, though truly exceptional works remained scarce.

Benaventian Comedy

After the initial failure of Outside the Nest, Benavente wrote more successful and high-quality works. His plays often presented minor conflicts within elegant, natural, and witty dialogues.

He produced rural bourgeois comedies and dramas such as The Unloved and Autumn Roses. A key work is Vested Interests, which explores the conflict between genuine feelings and social hypocrisy.

The Comedy of Manners

Another theatrical trend involved sketches related to customs and typical, humorous characters.

Carlos Arniches contributed to this genre with works like Madrid's Saint Isidra.

The grotesque tragicomedy, featuring tragic caricatures, is exemplified by Miss Trevélez.

Serafín and Joaquín Álvarez Quintero created farces, comedies, and topical works.

The Poetic Drama

Verse drama was influenced by modernism, often featuring historical themes and ideological conservatism.

Notable works include Eduardo Marquina's In Flanders the Sun Has Set and Lola is Going to Ports by the Machado Brothers.

Renovation Attempts by the Generation of '98

Aside from Unamuno (Phaedra) and Azorín (Invisible), Jacinto Grau stood out with his poetic prose and traditional themes, as seen in That the Mocker Mocks. His best work is considered to be The Lord of Pygmalion.