La puesta en escena del teatro áureo. Ayer, hoy y mañana by Duncan Wheeler

Abstract

Reviewed by: La puesta en escena del teatro áureo. Ayer, hoy y mañana by Duncan Wheeler Philip Allen Wheeler, Duncan. La puesta en escena del teatro áureo. Ayer, hoy y mañana. Translated by Mar Diestro-Dópido, Reichenberger, 2020. 269 pp. ISBN: 978-3-944244-91-4. Readers of the present collection of articles and chapters previously published in English will find a refreshing—and all too uncommon—compilation of recent historiography and literary theory complimented by contemporary accounts of the reception of Golden Age plays that spans nearly six centuries of the Spanish theatrical tradition. In doing so, Wheeler's contribution not only challenges and successfully dismantles many unfavorable stereotypes of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Spanish plays, but also delves into a contemplation of how these works are still relevant today. Moreover, the author reiterates that the underlying themes and motives found in these works can still resonate with today's audiences if they allow for the innate plurality of possible interpretations of these masterpieces to foster a new vision of Spanish Golden Age theater and a reconsideration of the literary canon. Wheeler recounts a narrative of the evolution of Spanish theater, following a chronological timeline that he establishes in Chapter 1 by placing the reader in late sixteenth-century Seville. The chapter presents a treasure of examples of the controversies and academic debates that surrounded the popularity of the corrales there during this time. Wheeler further posits that the exoticism of the Andalusian capital as represented in the comedias facilitated the dissemination of the city's culture throughout the realm, asserting that the newly established Spanish court in Madrid created a cultural identity inspired by that of Seville and illustrates the strong interrelationship between theater and politics that he uses as a point of departure for the upcoming chapters (21). Wheeler's exploration of the evolution of representations of Baroque Spanish theater and its broader sociopolitical implications continues in Chapter 2, in which Wheeler addresses how certain interpretations of gender relations in Golden Age dramas contributed to Spain's "Black Legend" throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The assertion made is that other European countries used topics like uxoricide to perpetuate the conceptualization of Spain as a retrograde, uncivilized society. The chapter refutes this negative stereotype by demonstrating how its detractors selectively ignore the fact that the same issues are present in works like Shakespeare's Othello. Wheeler also provides textual evidence to spotlight the instances in which spousal abuse against women is condemned by authors, both in canonical and non-canonical works, whereas cases in which women murdered their husbands are not present. Chapter 3 expands on such considerations of Golden Age Spanish theater and how they have contributed to a misunderstanding of the role of these literary works during [End Page 236] Francisco Franco's dictatorship, misconceptions that were perpetuated by the theories of José Antonio Maravall, whose conceptualizations of Golden Age Spanish theater have been embraced in Spain, leading to the widely-accepted notion that "Lope y Calderón eran considerados lacayos del Estado por excelencia" (71). Wheeler uses textual evidence from Maravall's own writings (that have been echoed by subsequent scholars) to discredit these ideas, arguing that they stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of the original works. Chapter 4 uses mid-twentieth-century adaptations released outside of Spain as further evidence to counterargue the notion that Golden Age plays only resurfaced in the twentieth century as state-sponsored propaganda. The fifth chapter of the volume quickly concludes the examination of Golden Age plays during the dictatorship and focuses on how national initiatives—such as the National Theater Company—have taken strides to find a place for the early modern masterpieces in today's popular culture. Wheeler goes beyond identifying the challenges that these initiatives have presented and offers suggestions as to how to make these productions resonate better in the twenty-first century by drawing inspiration from techniques that have proven successful with recent audiences. The author reserves the most salient example of a Golden Age drama adaptation that was embraced by audiences and critics alike, both inside and outside of Spain—Pilar Miró's feature film El perro del hortelano...