Due to several circumstances, until the XX century, the Galician theatre does not stand out for its quantity or for its quality.

In the Middle Ages, although there was a lyric poetry in Galician-Portuguese which became quite important in Europe, no dramatic text from this time has been preserved. Nevertheless, some critics infer from certain evidences and news the existence of some theatrical activity in Galician-Portuguese related to liturgical celebrations and the nobility courts, of which there is no proof or documents. These critics link the minstrels’ performances and recitations to the Portuguese “arremedilhos”, which are the base of later “momos” and “entremeses” (short farces).

In the time known as “Séculos Escuros” (the Dark Age, from the XVI century till the XVIII century) characterized by a political, social, linguistic and cultural isolation of the kingdom of Galiza, there were hardly any literary works in Galician. From this period we find some rudimentary dramatic performances at Christmas, Carnival, Easter, Corpus Christi, etc. We must add that the plays in Galician competed on less good conditions with the plays in Castilian, since the latter were performed by professional companies. The first record of a theatre play in Galician is Entremés famoso sobre a pesca no río Miño by Gabriel Feixó, from 1671. It talks about the dispute between Galician and Portuguese peasants for the right to fish in the river Miño, which constitutes the natural border between both countries.

In the XIX century, when the Galician poetry lives a moment of great importance and revival, the dramatic works are neither relevant nor numerous. Between 1812 and 1882 no play was published. They feature costumbrist and historical topics. The main author of the time was Manuel Lugrís Freire (1863-1940) who wrote A Fonte do Xuramento. He was considered as the first modern author and a pioneer of social drama.

THE XX CENTURY

In 1916 a group of Galician upholders founds the “Hirmandade de Amigos da Fala” in A Coruña. This association will later spread to other cities in the country, resulting in the “Irmandades da Fala” (1917). They want to give a boost to the Galician literature and culture. In this time, the Conservatorio Nacional de Arte Galego (National Galician Art Conservatory) is created (1919) and the Galician theatre gets inspired by the ideas coming from Europe.

It was a time of great dramatic activity. Lots of authors wrote for the stage. Between 1922 and 1926, the Conservatorio became the Escola Dramática Galega (Galician Drama School) and the Galician theatre knew a flourishing period. At this time, up to one hundred Galician and Portuguese plays were performed each year in the main towns of Galice.

Among the most important authors of this period we have to mention Leandro Carré Alvarellos (whose plays and essays on the drama are essential to understand the theatrical panorama of this century) and Armando Cotarelo Valledor. Three important novelists of this time were also interested by the theatre genre: Vicente Risco, who wrote a play about local customs, El Bufón de El-Rei ; Otero Pedrayo, who wrote A Lagarada; and Afonso Rodríguez Castelao, author of Os vellos non deben namorarse, which has been staged on many occasions.

GALICIAN THEATRE AFTER THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR

From 1936 onwards, during the hardest times of Franco’s dictatorship, the Galician literature continued to be written by those Galician authors who either were forced to exile or who had already emigrated to South America when the Spanish Civil War broke out. Their work will be deeply marked by the drama of Franco’s rising in July 1936.

The literary activity was greater in Mexico and Buenos Aires. The most relevant Galician dramatists of this time were Manuel Daniel Varela Buxán (who founded the company “Aires da Terra” in Buenos Aires); Eduardo Blanco Amor (in spite of the fact that he did not publish his dramatic works until the 70’s) and Rafael Dieste. The play A Soldadeira (1956) by Luis Seoane, deserves a special mention within the Galician theatre produced in Buenos Aires (Argentina) due to its aesthetical innovations.

Another great author, Álvaro Cunqueiro, wrote in 1958 O incerto Señor Don Hamlet, Príncipe de Dinamarca, a play of extraordinary quality, in which the author recreates the myth of Hamlet from a psychoanalytical point of view, insisting in the incestuous relationship between Hamlet and his mother.

GALICIAN THEATRE FROM THE 60'S TILL PRESENT DAY

During the 60’s, the process of cultural renovation which had started in the previous decade, became stronger. All this process will have an effect on the Galician literature. Thus, in 1961 the Certame de Teatro do Miño (Miño TheatreContest)  is held for the first and only occasion and two years later, in 1963 (the year when the Galician Literature Day is first celebrated) the first number of the literary review “Grial” comes out. It will become a very important medium for the spreading of Galician literature and culture. Also in this decade, the Premios do Teatro Castelao (Castelao Theatre Awards) are held in three occasions, between 1963 and 1965. From the 60’s onwards the cultural associations are going to proliferate, a fact that will have a strong effect on the Galician theatre.

In 1965 the theatre company “O Facho” is created, directed by Manuel Lourenzo. Two years later, in 1967, this director will take charge (as a co-founder) of the theatre company “Circo”.It can be said that, with these two companies, the so-called independent theatre is born in Galiza. They intended to bring back the theatre art to the people, without having to give up on innovations and aesthetical and formal rules. One of its special features is that, unlike the Spanish case, the Galician theatre is born in the streets and not in universities, a characteristic that favours its spreading.

As a consequence of the boom of the independent theatre, the Mostras de Teatro Abrente (Abrente Theatre Exhibitions) take place in Ribadavia (Ourense). These festivals are held in eight occasions, between 1973 and 1980, and they had a great success of public. The first generation of professional playwrights in Galician language, the group “Abrente”, will participate in these exhibitions. The most important authors of this group are: Manuel Lourenzo, Euloxio R. Ruibal, Francisco Taxes and Roberto Vidal Bolaño.