The lobby of the Teatro de La Comedia in Madrid hosts since the beginning of this month the free exhibition Comedy: 150 years of theatre (1875-2025), which commemorates its 150 years of history. The exhibition will be open to the public until 25 January 2026.
This exhibition, conceived, organized and produced by the CNTC and curated by Antonio Castro Jiménez, offers a visual and historical tour of one of the most emblematic scenes in Madrid. Divided into eight sections, it presents a careful selection of documents, plans, photographs and programs that summarize the most important stages of the theater: since its inauguration and reconstruction after the fire of 1915, until its consolidation as the headquarters of the National Company of Classical Theatre in 1985 and the comprehensive rehabilitation of the building in the 21st century.
Among the outstanding pieces are reproductions of emblematic figures that decorated the Teatro de la Comedia, such as the historical candelabra-figures, which remained for more than a century, and the bust of Jacinto Benavente, Temporarily loaned by the Farándula Society and installed in the lobby in 1955.
The exhibition also recalls milestones such as the reopening of the theater in 2015 with El alcalde de Zalamea, directed by Helena Pimenta, and the creation of the Sala Tirso de Molina, which expanded the theatrical offer and capacity of the theater.
Inaugurated on September 18, 1875 and designed by Agustín Ortiz de Villajos, the Teatro de la Comedia is the third oldest in operation in Madrid and continues to be an indispensable cultural reference for the city. After the fire of 1915, it was rebuilt by Tirso García Escudero, whose family managed it until 1998. In 1985 it became the headquarters of the Compañía Nacional de Teatro Clásico and, after a thirteen-year closure for deep rehabilitation, reopened in 2015 with two operating rooms.
