Spanish Theater Renewal: From Generation of '98 to Esperpento

2nd Renewal of Spanish Theater

The theater underwent a significant renewal, incorporating new musical elements and seeking to engage a broader, non-naturalistic audience. European innovations in acting, sound, and lighting were adopted to elevate the quality of performances.

2.1 Generation of '98

Two prominent authors define this period: Unamuno and Azorin. Their reformative efforts focused on the structure and thematic depth of their works.

• Unamuno: Sought to adapt Greek theater to the Spanish context. Notable works include The Sphinx, which explores reason and faith, and Fedra, which addresses themes of love.
• Azorin: Introduced psychoanalytic themes into Spanish theater, focusing on the passage of time. His most significant work, The Invisible, utilizes psychoanalytic innovation, while Old Art Comedy revolves around the nature of fiction.

Generation of '14

Jacinto Grau and Ramon Gomez de la Serna are the primary representatives of this generation.

• Jacinto Grau: An actor and director who managed his own company, allowing him to stage his own works. Lord Pigmalion draws from Greek mythology and features cinematic elements, while Don Juan de Carillana offers a unique recreation of the Don Juan myth.
• Ramon Gomez de la Serna: Introduced the avant-garde movement to Spain. His major work is The Beings.

Valle-Inclan: The Master of Renovation

Valle-Inclan is the most influential writer of this theatrical renewal. His work remains relevant today, even influencing modern cinema. His evolution was unique: conservative in his youth, he matured into a radical innovator of the theatrical genre.

The Esperpento Technique

Valle-Inclan created a technique known as esperpento, with his career divided into two distinct stages:

• Pre-1920: Includes Voces de Gesta (set in the Galician countryside with modernist verse), Comedias Bárbaras (comprising Águila de Blasón, Romance de Lobos, and Cara de Plata), and Farces (written for puppets or actors playing dolls, such as La Marquesa Rosalinda and Tablado de Marionetas). Divinas Palabras depicts the political reality of the time.
• Post-1920 (The Esperpento Era): The centerpiece is Lights of Bohemia (Luces de Bohemia). Written in 1920 and divided into three parts, this work is of extreme transcendence, proving that Valle-Inclan was truly ahead of his time.