Annual Manuel Irujo 2026

Comics Without Land: An Overview of the 1939 Basque Theatrical Exile in America and Europe

Abstract

The talk offers an overview of the leading figures and works of the Basque theatrical exile caused by the 1936 Civil War.
There are significant examples in which exile can be understood as a context of opportunity — a space of creative freedom that was impossible in postwar Spanish theatres.

The discussion examines the careers of these artists and writers, highlighting their contributions to dramatic literature, stage direction, and related performing arts (dance, opera, and other stage arts).
The presentation also includes graphic materials illustrating this important theatrical activity in host countries across the Americas and Europe.

Speaker

Dr Carmen Gil Fombellida is a lecturer in Literature in the Department of Philology and History at the University of the Basque Country (EHU) and holds a PhD in Philology from the Complutense University of Madrid.

Her research has focused on the study of theatrical texts and performance across various historical contexts, including the Spanish Second Republic, exile during the Civil War, the postwar period, and the contemporary stage.

She is a member of the executive team of the Chair for Research on Republican Literary Exile (CEXLIR, UAB) and a member of the research group “The Basque Country, Europe and America: Connections and Relationships” (EHU).

She has coordinated several collective volumes and is the author of around thirty publications, including six books: Rivas Cherif, Margarita Xirgu y el teatro de la II República (2003); El teatro en Gipuzkoa (1970–1986) / Antzerkia Gipuzkoan (1970–1986) (2004); Eduardo Ugarte. Por las rutas del teatro (2005); El Festival Cero: crónica de un festival interrumpido (2005); José Martín Elizondo. Teatro combatiente (2009); and 1936ko euskal erbestealdiko antzerkia / El teatro en el exilio vasco de 1936 (2012).

This event is financed by the Etxepare Basque Institute.