Corrales were the public theatres that
were home to secular plays.
◙ Constructed in existing courtyards
◙ Open-air
◙ Galleries and boxes were private
areas with roofs built into the walls that had to be reserved ahead of time
◙ Originally temporary, but over time
became permanent
◙ Stage was erected at one end, the
entrance was at the opposite end
◙ Audiences could stand during plays on
the yard floor and these seats were much cheaper
◙ Audience members called
"mosqueteros" (musketeers) ate and had conversations during the
shows, there was no sense of the modern theatre etiquette.
◙ Stools and benches were eventually
added on the floor nearest the stage
◙ Women had their own seating area
above the entrance, called the cazuela which was guarded from men.
◙ Above the cazuela were the boxes
where government officials sat
◙ On the top row was a gallery for
clergy members
◙ The alojero was the refreshment stand
located near the entrance
◙ Elevated benches called gradas were
located on either side of the yard
◙ Rejas were above the gradas and were
rooms with barred windows, above the windows was another row of boxes
◙ One the fourth floor there were
cramped rooms with low ceilings called desvanes
◙ Held 2,000 spectators with 350 seats
for women
◙ Comparable to Elizabethan theatres
SCENERY
There was a stage house
behind the playing space that was up to three stories high, the facade of the
stage house was used to portray a certain location. In addition to a
curtain and props, "spoken decor" was used to indicate locale.
Spoken decor was dialogue indicating the location of the characters.
A central curtain behind
the stage led to the stage house and had dressing rooms
Trap doors were used for
special effects
Proscenium-arch theatres
were not popular in public corrales, but rather only in courts
COSTUMES
Contemporary
costumes were usually worn, even if it didn't represent the period of the
play. Characters representing moors would be dressed distinctively so the
audience would know they were villains. Some characters called for
elaborate costumes which was controlled by the amount of money being spent for
a performance. Noblemen in comedias often wore actual capes (hence cape
and sword dramas).
ACTING COMPANIES
◙ Consisted of 16-20
performers, including women
◙ Had to be licensed by
government
◙ Some were run as
campanias de partes, or sharing companies, in which some member bought a part
of the troupe and in return got a part of the profits from shows.
◙ Some were run
by an autor, a manager type. They hired performers and made final
artistic decisions.
◙ Companies bought plays
from playwrights
◙ Actors playing multiple
roles and typecasting were popular
THE END
The Catholic Church
always disapproved of theatre in Spain. Since religious was such an
important part of Spanish law-making and culture, this seriously affected
theatrical activity. In 1587 a law was passed stating that women could be
performers, but women were banned again in 1596. In 1599 actresses were allowed
onstage only if they were a relative of a male company member, and only if
there was no cross-dressing. Between 1650 and 1700 Spain was falling from
its position as a world power and the Golden Age was over.