The ‘New Spanish theatre’ Within its milieu: Elements for its contextualization

Abstract

The ‘New Spanish Theatre’ is a little-known theatrical movement. It appeared at the end of the 60’s, under Franco’s dictatorial government, and marked a break from the previous generation called ‘Realists’. It comprises different pieces of work by engaged authors excluded from the public stage due to various political and economic reasons. These were characterized by an avant-garde esthetics, close to absurd and symbolism theatre. Because they were usually neither played nor published, they often did not reach the public. Still, the youngest writers of the ‘New Theatre’ try to expand their movement through independent groups, alternative circuits or festivals. The audience attending the few shows was very different from those usually going to national and commercial theatre; they were searching for an alternative theatre, esthetically new and politically engaged. By these means, the ‘New Spanish Theatre’ hoped not to remain in the absurd state of «text theatre».