Spanish Theater Post-Civil War: 1940s-1970s

Spanish theater faced significant restrictions due to the new socio-political situation following the Civil War. Many intellectuals went into exile, and a rigid censorship was established on all performances, though it softened over time. The rise of cinema, and later television, drew the public, primarily the bourgeoisie, away from the theaters, leading to what is often referred to as the 'crisis of theater'.

The 1940s and Early 1950s

The initial years following the Civil War were characterized by low literary production. Writers largely kept themselves apart from overt political and ideological influence, focusing instead on human themes. Three main currents emerged:

• Bourgeois Comedy: These plays featured elaborate theatrical constructions, sometimes offering a gentle critique of manners while defending traditional values. Drawing-room comedies predominated (e.g., *Jealousy* by José López Rubio), alongside works of thesis (e.g., *The Wall* by Joaquín Calvo Sotelo).
• Comic Theater: Comedy was renewed by introducing improbable elements into the scene. Notable authors include Enrique Jardiel Poncela (*Eloísa is Under an Almond Tree*) and Miguel Mihura (*Three Top Hats*).
• Social Drama (Serious or Non-Conformist): This was a theater of complaint, with themes revolving around social injustice and miserable living conditions. On one hand, Antonio Buero Vallejo stands out as a key figure of the period, with works like *Story of a Stairway*. On the other, Alfonso Sastre defended theater as an aesthetic rather than purely revolutionary art form. His work denounces injustices (e.g., *The Gag*, *William Tell Has Sad Eyes*).

The 1960s

Social drama continued to be cultivated, with diverse approaches ranging from the realism of José María Rodríguez Méndez (*The Innocents of Moncloa*) or the absurdity of Martín Recuerda (*The Wild Man of Puente San Gil*) to the Arnichesque farce of Lauro Olmo (*The Shirt*).

The 1970s: Avant-Garde Theater

Theater was renewed by assimilating European existential drama, including the Theater of the Absurd and the works of Bertolt Brecht and Antonin Artaud. It remained a theater of protest and denunciation, adopting a symbolic and allegorical approach, often using poetic and ceremonial language. Two prominent authors from this period are Francisco Nieva (*The Hot Lead Float*) and Fernando Arrabal (*Hey, Patria, My Affliction*).