Theater at the Corral de Comedias
12 May 2026 · 21:50
Evento: 18 Jun 2026 · 20:30 — 22 Jun 2026 · 22:30
The unique experience of seeing Golden Age theater at the Corral de Comedias in Almagro, the only one that has been preserved intact, just as it was in the 17th century, and which remains in use today.
THE GARDENER’S DOG
Corral de Comedias
June 18 - 8:30 p.m.
A story of blue blood, eroticism, and privilege—the privileges enjoyed by the aristocracy in the early 17th century. El perro del hortelano, a drama of love, envy, jealousy, and honor, was written in 1613 by the great playwright Lope de Vega.
The action, set in Naples, tells the story of Diana, Countess of Belfor. Diana is a beautiful and headstrong young woman who is pursued by several aristocratic suitors eager to marry her. However, Diana consistently rejects all their advances. One night, after seeing her secretary making love to her favorite lady-in-waiting, she falls madly in love with him and becomes consumed by jealousy.
This is the story of a love triangle, of forbidden love and betrayal, set when Naples was under Spanish rule. Thus, the Countess’s household, manipulated by the nobles, represents that segment of Spanish society living abroad. Setting the action in this European city also allows the play to be filled with Italian influences and plots, which Lope was so fond of.
THE FOOLISH LADY
Corral de Comedias
June 19, 2026 - 8:30 p.m.
La dama boba, completed on April 28, 1613, is a play belonging to the genre of comedies of intrigue that explores the recurring and revisited comic interplay between love and reason, characteristic of both the Golden Age and its great author, Lope de Vega.
THE FRENCH WOMAN LAURA
Corral de Comedias
June 20, 2026 - 8:30 p.m.
The plot of this play by Lope de Vega takes place in France and revolves around Laura, daughter of Count Arnaldo. The Dauphin, heir to the French throne, takes a fancy to her and sets out to court her at any cost. But the heroine resists the prince’s advances and the suspicions of her husband, who, in a fit of jealousy and fear of public disgrace, even attempts to end his wife’s life with a potent poison. Ultimately, Laura’s integrity is proven, and the couple’s happiness is restored.
NO ONE WAS GIVEN POISON IN RISA
Corral de Comedias
June 20, 2026 - 10:45 p.m.
The actors of Impromadrid, expert improvisers, dive into the Golden Age with the sole aim, as Lope said, of delighting the audience. With suggestions from the audience, they will create comedic scenes in which knights, rogues, kings, and servants navigate the predominant themes of the Golden Age: the entanglements of love, honor, religion, and the fleeting nature of life.
After all, both then and now, laughter is necessary, and, as Lope said, “No one has ever been poisoned by laughter.”
DON GIL OF THE GREEN BOOTS
Corral de Comedias
June 21, 2026 - 8:30 p.m.
Don Gil de las Calzas Verdes is a classic of the Spanish Golden Age that continues to resonate powerfully in our time.
This play, written in the 17th century, is much more than a comedy of errors; it is a celebration of wit and female power—values that today, more than ever, we need to recognize and champion on stage.