The sophistication of the contemporary Spanish American theatre links it seriously with the world avant-garde movement. Following the break with the domination of the Spanish tradition which prevailed until the experimental period of the late 1920's and 30's, the Spanish American playwrights became more eclectic in their orientation, expanding their vision to include their European and North American precursors and contemporaries. The reality-illusion conflicts of Pirandello, the alienation techniques of Brecht, the existentialist preoccupations of Camus and Sartre, and more recently, the absurdist inclinations of Beckett and Ionesco provided models which have been incorporated within a Spanish American context. The stimulus to themes and techniques has resulted in a new wave of experimentation which has been widespread, making itself felt in all the major theatrical capitals of Spanish America. The last fifteen years, especially, have been characterized by renewed vigor and activity. In the front rank are such contemporary dramatists as Argentina's Osvaldo Dragun, Puerto Rico's Rene Marques, Guatemala's Garlos Solorzano, and Mexico's Emilio Carballido. These playwrights, and others with a similarly significant production, are the interpreters of a Spanish American reality. Their socio-psychological awareness has resulted in the creation of serious new plays commenting on particular aspects of the social and human condition. Their plays transcend national limitations and become significant commentaries on a universal scale. Much of the sensationalism, melodrama, and sentimentality associated with earlier plays has been suppressed through improved control over dramatic structure and technique. Complex lighting and sound effects intensify the total theatrical experience, as well as the new dimensions added through the use of spatial dislocations, constructed around a double or revolving stage, and temporal dislocations involving flashbacks or unexplained sequences of time. Their characters are vital, complex creations, mul tifaceted, who function on different levels simultaneously. While incorporating avant-garde devices and techniques acquired from the absurdists into their plays, these dramatists see the absurdity