Spanish Drama on the Dutch Stage

Between 1568 and 1648, the Dutch waged war against the occupying Spanish Empire. Simultaneously, Dutch theatre-goers eagerly flocked to adaptations of Spanish comedia nueva. This study shows how and why plays by Lope de Vega, Calderón, and others were, paradoxically, theatrical blockbusters in the Dutch Republic and Flanders. Using techniques such as spectacle, illusion, and tableaux vivants alongside violence, incest, and cross-dressing, the comedias were emotional whirlwinds of love, honour, and revenge. Examining historical texts and stage practices from Amsterdam, Antwerp, and Brussels, Tim Vergeer demonstrates that this vastly understudied genre offered audiences a voyeuristic escape from the emotional norms of early modern life.