The Corral de Comedias was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument in 1955, initiating several interventions for the conservation and restoration of this important legacy of our historical and artistic heritage. The last major action occurred between the years 2003-2004, which enabled the technological modernization of the only existing theatre from the seventeenth century.
On the other hand, the Corral de Comedias is the axis around which revolves the Almagro Festival since its inception, becoming center of study and a meeting place of specialists, researchers, teachers, directors, actors and actresses, from the theatre of the Century of Gold.
Today, the Corral de Comedias maintains an intense theatre schedule throughout the year, taking in the International Festival of Classic Theatre of Almagro.
Some of the most important celebratory spaces in all of baroque architecture are the “corrales de comedias,” or, structures in which theatrical exhibitions were performed.
The Corral de Comedias is an architectural manifestation of the ideological change people experienced in the Modern Age. During this revolutionary period, theatre and performance, which had always in the past been religiously themed and thus confined to religious spaces, were suddenly opening themselves up to the new material and themes of the period’s contemporary literature. With new material came the demand for new performance spaces and thus, at the end of the sixteenth century, the corrales de comedias were born. The architectural design of the corrales was inspired by the closed-structure of the “casa-mesón,” or, house-tavern, which people realized would work incredibly well as a theater and for performances of a theatrical nature. Thus, these spaces were renovated and adapted to hold theatrical performances and advent celebrations. There is also a great deal of Islamic influence in the design of the corrales and with the farmworkers from the end of sixteenth century. The architectural elements of the corral meet its dual function as a restaurant and theatre.
The Corral de Comedias in Almagro was built in 1628 by Leonard de Oviedo. The original design consisted of little more than a raised platform which acted as a stage, a cobbled hall, an entryway, and a rusticated ceiling. The building on a whole was typical of vernacular Almagro architecture at the time.
The hall was used as a reception space for travelers, as sleeping quarters, as a dining hall, and sometimes as a makeshift game room. The patio, which follows the principals of popular architecture at the time, was made up of galleries supported by wooden bases. These galleries opened to the interior of the patio so that from them, theatrical performances could be viewed. They were also used as rooms for the travelers.
The corrales were closed in the 18th century, along with all similar performance spaces, due to a royal decree by Felipe V. Some corrales were converted into Italian theatres. Others were demolished. The Corral de Comedias in Almagro, however, went back to being a tavern. Over the years, the structure of the building changed a great deal. Walls were built to better manage the existing space. Sections were segregated and sold as separate properties.
In 1954, the Corral de Comedias was purchased for use by the city council, which then began a series of diverse restorations that continue to this day. These restorations have worked to bring the building back to how it was in 1628, in structure and in purpose. The Corral de Comedias in Almagro is thus the only corral of its type to survive until the present era.