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By 1870, notwithstanding the chaos which dominated the political panorama, Spain's theatres seemed to be healthy and thriving. According to El Entreacto of 4 March 1871, “Hay en España 335 teatros con 169.376 localidades, donde se celebra por término medio de cada año 8.000 funciones dramáticas, 1.000 de ópera y 3.000 de zarzuela” (“Spain has 335 theatres with 169,376 seats, where on average some 8,000 dramatic works, 1,000 operas, and 3,000 zarzuelas are put on each year”). Fifteen of these theatres were in Barcelona, eleven in Madrid (although Madrid had more total seats than Barcelona), four each in Cádiz and Zaragoza, three each in the Balearic Islands, Córdoba, Sevilla, and Valladolid, two each in Alicante, La Coruña, Granada, Lérida, Málaga, Salamanca, and Valencia, and one in every other provincial capital except Castellón, Logroño, and Toledo. There existed some 45 dramatic societies which promoted theatre in the provincial capitals. These statistics, if accurate, are extraordinary, for they reveal a lively interest in theatre and a significant rise in the number of playhouses from just a decade previously - 91 in capital cities (up from 74) and 244 in small towns (up from 219). Printed texts were also readily available and thereby increased public knowledge of and attention to the theatre. Several publishers dominated the industry of printing inexpensive editions of recent plays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Revolution and the comedia Logically, theatrical activity in the capital should have come to a halt with the invasion of Napoleon's troops in May, 1808. The city was in chaos, its inhabitants fighting heroically in the streets for their freedom, shedding blood to defend the right of the legitimate rulers of the country, the Bourbon monarchs, to remain on the throne. The theatres did close for four days during the most intense period of fighting, then opened briefly in June only to be forced again to shut their doors due to an inability to sell tickets to their performances. However, Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's brother, who had been installed as King of Spain, quickly perceived the value of the theatre as a useful tool in his battle to win over the hearts of his new subjects. Clearly considering the theatres to be an “instrument de propagande,” he ordered them to reopen in December, 1808 and set about trying to calm and “educate” the masses in Madrid. He subsidized the theatres directly in an effort to control them. What was forthcoming, as the power balance shifted from the French occupation force to the Spanish nationalists throughout the course of the war, was a surprising growth of theatrical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manuel Bretón de los Herreros recalled the years 1820–3 as years of “decadence” for Spanish theatre and viewed Grimaldi as a true savior of the theatre. “Under the direction of Mr. Grimaldi,” he wrote, “the work of Máiquez was completed, abuses and habits that were still obstacles were eradicated, and stage art reached its highest point.” This fundamental renovation took years to accomplish, but in his first year as impresario, Grimaldi made a number of significant changes which he would continue to build upon throughout the next decade and beyond. Grimaldi Impresario: 1823–4 What did Grimaldi inherit along with his new title, “impresario”? Why did he take this bold step into an area in which he had no experience? Why did he consider the theatre an endeavor in which he should invest his administrative skills and money? Where did he get the money to invest? Besides a risky financial investment, contentious and undertrained actors and a limited (and censored) repertory of plays to perform, he received two buildings which were decrepit and uncomfortable and which contained a grab bag of painted curtains, sets and props. “The poor state of the costumes, decorations and stage equipment at that time… would hardly be believable to anyone who has not witnessed it,” commented a contemporary theatregoer, Dionisio Chaulié. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]