Expressionism in the Contemporary Spanish Theatre

Although expressionism as a theatre movement per se is primarily a phenomenon of the German stage, culminating in the 1920'S, expressionism continues to have an important impact on dramatic structure and technique. Spanish theatre especially makes widespread and innovative use of expressionism, both in the social/allegorical form most directly associated with the German movement and in the personal/stream-of-consciousness form associated with American theatre, notably Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman. The esperpento, or grotesque tragicomedy, of Ramon de Valle-lnchin in the 1920'S is closely related to German expressionism in time and intent. The contemporary Spanish avant-garde, in a theatre of social and political protest, tends to reflect the influence of Valle-Inclan in particular and expressionism in genera1. On the commercial stage, the dominant form of expressionism is the psychological with its projection of inner states of mind; it is found most frequently in the works of two of contemporary Spain's most important and innovative playwrights, Antonio Buero Vallejo and Jaime Salom.