20th Century Galician Theater: From Ribadabia to Abrente
Galician Theater in the 20th Century
Post-War Revival (1950s)
The 1950s marked a slow recovery for Galician dramatic writing, branching into three thematic lines:
- Avant-Garde Theater: Continuing the pre-war avant-garde tradition, with authors like Otero Pedrayo (The Desengaño Prioiro, The Tragicomedy of the Night of the Saints) and Anxeles Baleiros (The Devil’s Tariff). These works explore themes of superstition, emigration, and passionate love affairs, often infused with humor.
- Regionalist Theater: Maintaining the pre-war focus on regional themes, ranging from traditional to urban sainete, with authors like Leandro Carré Alvarellos and Eugenio Carré Alvarellos.
- Existential Angst Theater: Reflecting the traumatic social situation under the dictatorship, with works like Vieiro Choído (José Luis Franco Grande), The Innkeeper’s Self (Manuel María), and Midas and the Angle of Stone (Isaac Díaz Pardo).
Development and Contests (1960s)
The 1960s saw initiatives like the Minho Contest and the Castelao Contest to further dramatic development. Authors like Cunqueiro, Manuel María, and Johan Manuel Torres participated in these events.
The Liaison Group
The Liaison Group focused on normalizing Portuguese culture through theater, bridging the pre-war drama and the 1970s renovation led by the Abrente group. These authors shared characteristics such as dedication beyond drama, serving as models for later generations, and creating children’s theater.
Key Authors and Works
- Otero Pedrayo: From pre-war works like The Mill and Theater Masks to later pieces like Night of Compostela and Hidalgo and Night.
- Blanco Amor: Known for Four Farces and Puppet Theater for Us, his work spans imaginative, satirical deceptions for adult audiences (Romance and Micomicona, Adhelala or Refaixo for Celestina) and traditional autos rooted in Galician rural life (The Truth Dressed).
- Álvaro Cunqueiro: From his debut Role of Romeo and Xulieta, Celebrity Boyfriends, incorporating Shakespearean elements, to his renowned The Uncertain Sir Don Hamlet, Prince of Denmark and The Night is Like a River, featuring Dona Inés and her modest owner.
- Daniel Cortezón: Explored negative views of humanity in Nicolas Flamel, challenged traditional Spanish narratives in Prisciliano or the Irmandinhos, and addressed emigration in The Diaspora, also focusing on Castelao’s biography in Castelao or the Passion of Galicia.
- Johan Torres: Published The Other Side of Íberr and A Top Hotel on the River, both featuring female protagonists and reflecting the pain of land abandonment and destruction.
The Rise of Abrente (1970s)
The 1970s witnessed the Ribadabia show and the I Abrente Galician Theater Contest, a crucial meeting point for theater groups. The Coordinating Center of Galician Theater emerged, aiming to normalize theater in Portugal.
The Abrente group, named after the contest, consisted of professional playwrights committed to the socio-political reality. They incorporated new aesthetics, updated older forms, achieved linguistic standardization on stage, and guided subsequent generations.
Manuel Lourenço
Lourenço’s work explored various themes:
- Myth: Using classical mythology (Pilgrimage to the Devil’s Cave, Phaedra).
- Illusion and Fantasy: Replacing reality with theatrical illusion (The Illusion of the Scene, As a Whisper).
- Theater Without Words: Emphasizing visual elements and giving freedom to directors and actors (Eden and Other Havens).
- Relationship Difficulties: Exploring communication problems (The Circus After Midnight).
- Other Works: Including pieces like The Night of the Knights.
Roberto Vidal Bolaño
Bolaño incorporated popular elements like Carnival into his plays, addressing themes of injustice (Laudamuco, Lord of Nowhere), immigrant isolation (Troughs), and the corrupting influence of power (Days Without Glory).