Parts of a comedy pen

The theater in the Golden Age began to professionalize And, it was then, when the first spaces in which the plays were represented began to emerge: the comedy pens. As its name indicates, these "theaters" were authentic corrals that were emptied of animals to be able to house the theater piece, which used to last from 3 to 6 hours. Unlike the current theaters, the corrals were neighborhood patios that were found in the towns and that were used to broadcast the theater pieces that the companies prepared. In this lesson from a TEACHER we are going to show you the parts of a comedy corral so that you know better the functioning of the first theaters that were in Spain.

Index

1. What were the comedy corrals
2. The parts of the comedy corrals
3. Theater in the corral de comedies

Before talking about the parts of a comedy corral, we are going to explain what they were and what they were used for. The first thing you have to know is that

Thus, with the appearance of the corral de comedias, those shows that were commonly held on the street had a specific space in which to perform. The construction of these spaces made street art finally had a space Special to be represented with a distribution of the space designed for the needs of the society of the time and, obviously, with the collection of money to be able to see the work.

The first comedy corrals in Spain were two that were built in Madrid: the Corral de la Cruz and the Corral del Príncipe. However, currently these pens no longer exist and in Spain we can only enjoy one that maintains the 100% original structure: the Corral de Comedias de Almagro.

The name "Corral de comedias" defines exactly what these spaces were, since they were located in the corrals of the houses (in the patios of neighbors that were used to keep the cattle) where they began to perform "comedies", the name given to plays of yore.

By being located in spaces that were previously designed, these corrals took advantage of the characteristics of these constructions to be able to represent their works. The square or rectangular shape of these patios allowed the space to be distributed in a very similar way to how we currently have our theaters, that is, a stage in the part at the end, the patio designed for the public and the balconies or galleries that joined the neighbors were adapted so that more public could be placed there and, thus, see the piece theatrical.

The corral of comedies lasted in our towns and cities from 1579 to the 18th century, moment in which they were replaced by theaters of Italian inspiration, that is to say, more Renaissance and with greater accommodation for the public.

Now we are going to analyze the different parts of a comedy pen to understand how these first theaters were distributed in Spain and how people were placed according to their position in the social hierarchy. Let us remember that these corrals were interior courtyards of buildings or houses that were reused to house a play. These were done during the day since the spaces had no roof and, in this way, the sunlight was used.

Let's analyze, one by one, the parts of a comedy corral to know what these spaces of the Golden Age were like:

• Hallway: is the area that connects the interior of the comedy corral with the street.
• Accommodation: It was in front of the stage and food and drinks were sold here so that people could go shopping because, remember, the works used to last several hours. The name comes from the "lodge" which was a type of drink of the time that was prepared with a mixture of spices, honey and water.
• Yard: This was one of the most important and outstanding parts of a corral of comedies. It is located in the center of the building and offered the lowest prices, which is why all the most humble men (NOT women) crowded in this area while standing during the entire performance. This type of audience was known by the name of "The Musketeers" and they used to be the ones who determined if a performance was good or not with their cheers and applause. If they wanted to be seated, they had to pay more money and could sit on some steps under the arcades.
• Casserole: Now we have to go to the first floor of the comedy corral to find the casserole, the place where the women were. It was located on the first floor, right in front of the stage and in order to access this space, They entered through doors other than those of men since the relationship between them was not allowed sexes. Although it seems a privileged position within the corral, the truth is that it was a very small space and the women were very tight between them, so much so that they seemed to be in a "casserole", hence the Name. Such was the situation in this area of ​​the comedy corrals that there was even the figure of the "pusher" who, as his name indicates, was in charge of pressing so that more women could fit.
• Tertulia or the Attic: We have indicated that the Cazuela del Corral de Comedias was located in front of the stage but on the first floor, right? Well, the corridors or corridors that were at the ends of this first floor were known by the name of Tertulia or Attic.
• Rooms or Galleries: It was the area of ​​the corrals that cost the most money and, therefore, were only reserved for the most powerful or richest families in the town. They were also located on the first floor and here it was allowed for women and men to share space since they were covered with grids so that they could see without being seen. Here used to be the rulers, the priests or the high nobility.
• Platform: it was the name that was given to the stage where the comedy or theatrical work took place. Below him was The Pit, another part of the comedy corral where it used to function as a men's dressing room and, in addition, Here too, the animals that were usually in the corral were usually stored when there was no function. The women had their dressing room at the back of the stage.

The plays of the comedy corrals fulfilled a series of particularities that is worth knowing. Let us remember that, with these spaces, the theater began to be professionalized since, previously, "comedies" in the streets by different companies that made their living according to the charity that gave them people. With the comedy corrals it was possible to create a profession of the actor and the artist, in addition to beginning to see the economic interest in these representations.

To be able to do a play in the corral de comedias a tenant was in charge of renting this space as well as looking for theater authors (a figure highly valued at the time and which, currently, would resemble the figure that a theater director performs in this sector). Once the contact was made, the theater season was organized and different actors began to be hired to perform the function.

Once they had the work rehearsed and ready to present, it was promoted by placing posters in the busiest areas of the town. To be able to enter to see the play an entry price had to be paid whose amount was previously set by the lessee. Depending on the area of ​​the comedy corral that was occupied, the price was lower or higher; As we have already indicated, the area of ​​the patio where "The Musketeers" were was the cheapest, as well as the Cazuela, reserved for women who were crowded in a few square meters.

The play of the corral de comedias it used to last about 3 hours and they started at noon (in the winter months) and in the early afternoon (the hottest months). The objective was to make the most of the daylight and the hours in between to avoid being too cold because, remember, the roof of the pens was uncovered.

The public that attended the comedy corrals It was different from the current theatrical audience because we think that, in the Golden Age, this genre was totally popular, that is, it was designed by and for the people. Thus, it was normal for the public scream if he didn't like the play, They will throw fruits or objects at them or they will also talk with the characters in the play. Mostly these interventions came from the Patio area where Los Mosqueteros ended up being the biggest critics of the functions since the success of the same depended, essentially, on the reaction that was breathed in this part of the corral of comedies.

Among all the authors who represented their works in the comedy corrals, it stands out Lope de Vega who, in addition, was in charge of revolutionizing and modernizing the theater of the Golden Age with "The New Art of Making Comedies"or" The new comedy. "

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