Description
THE BAKER WOMAN
Book Summary
This work offers a unique tour of 18th-century theater through the figure of Ramón de la Cruz, a fundamental author for understanding the Spanish Enlightenment. Playwright Lluïsa Cunillé has woven together several "sainetes" (one-act farces) by the master to show us the fascinating world of the theater companies of the era, their characters, and their vicissitudes. The reader will discover how the "sainete," that minor genre, became a jewel of dramaturgy, while delving into a story that connects lard, the origin of the word "sainete," and the lives of comedians. A text that vindicates the legacy of an essential author.
What is it about?
The book is a scenic recreation based on several original "sainetes" by Ramón de la Cruz, an author who revolutionized 18th-century Spanish theater. Lluïsa Cunillé has selected and stitched together those fragments that coincide in showing us the world of theater companies from the inside, offering a meticulous description of their characters. Through this work, the reader can catch a glimpse into the complex vicissitudes of actresses and actors of the time, while discovering how De la Cruz introduced Enlightenment values, created new popular archetypes, and secularized the theater. The work also explores the curious etymology of the word "sainete," which shares its origin with "ensaimada" (both derived from the Catalan *saïm*, lard), establishing a metatheatrical play that connects the genre to the reward given to birds of prey.
Main themes
- Theater within theater (metatheater) through the life of 18th-century companies.
- The vindication of the "sainete" as a theatrical genre of great literary and social value.
- The Spanish Enlightenment and its reflection on the stage: new values, popular archetypes, and the secularization of theater.
- The figure of Ramón de la Cruz as an innovator and systematizer of the "sainete."
- The memory of the theatrical craft: actresses, actors, and the complexities of their work in the past.
Who is it recommended for?
It is recommended for students and professionals of the performing arts, those interested in the history of Spanish theater and 18th-century dramaturgy. It is also for readers who wish to discover the work of Ramón de la Cruz from a contemporary perspective, as well as for those who appreciate theatrical proposals that combine erudition, humor, and metaliterature.
What this book contributes
- A lucid and documented vision of the 18th-century theatrical world, through the pen of two key authors.
- The opportunity to rediscover Ramón de la Cruz, a fundamental author often unknown to the general public.
- An exercise in dramaturgy that connects the past with the present, showing the relevance of "sainetes."
- A journey to the origin of the "sainete" and its curious etymological relationship with gastronomy.
Technical specifications
- Author: DE LA CRUZ, RAMON; CUNILLE, LLUÏSA
- Publisher: INSTITUTO ARTES ESCENICAS Y MUSICA
- Language: Spanish
- Collection: FONDO
- Publication date: October 2025
- Number of pages: 92
- Weight: 110 g
Editorial review
This work is of interest to specialized audiences and any reader curious about the history of theater. Lluïsa Cunillé's proposal manages to give unity to several "sainetes" by Ramón de la Cruz, offering an inside look at the craft of 18th-century comedians that is both erudite and entertaining. It is a text that invites reflection on the importance of minor genres and the persistence of certain theatrical traditions, presented with an approach that seeks to vindicate the figure of an author who deserves to be better known.