Teatro Valle-Inclán

Teatro Valle-Inclán is a public theatre in Madrid that serves as the second home of the Centro Dramático Nacional, alongside the company's main venue, Teatro María Guerrero. It sits on Plaza de Ana Diosdado (the former Plaza de Lavapiés), right in the middle of Lavapiés, one of the city's most diverse and lively neighbourhoods.

Where is the theatre and how do you get there?

The address is Plaza de Ana Diosdado, s/n, postcode 28012. The closest metro stops are Embajadores (lines 3 and 5) and Lavapiés (line 3), both within easy walking distance, and several city bus routes stop nearby as well. Travellers arriving by commuter rail can use the Cercanías Embajadores station, and BiciMAD bike-share docks are dotted around the square. The building includes step-free access, accessible toilets and a lift for visitors with reduced mobility.

Why is it called Valle-Inclán?

The name honours Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, a Galician writer and playwright active around the turn of the 20th century, best remembered for creating "esperpento" — a grotesque, deliberately distorted style he used to satirise Spanish society. The link runs deeper than a name plaque: when the rebuilt theatre reopened in 2006, it did so with a staging of Valle-Inclán's own play, "Divinas palabras."

What stood here before the theatre?

The site has a longer history than the current name suggests. A cinema called Sala Olimpia opened on this spot on 14 November 1926, designed by architect Secundino Zuazo primarily for film screenings, although the opening night itself featured a variety show rather than a film. For decades — and especially through the 1970s, when it was known simply as Cine Olimpia — it was considered one of the oldest cinema halls still running in Madrid.

The shift toward theatre came on 18 December 1979, when the hall staged Bertolt Brecht's "Galileo Galilei," marking its debut as a stage venue. On 20 July 1984, Sala Olimpia became the headquarters of the Centro Nacional de Nuevas Tendencias Escénicas, an experimental theatre body led by Guillermo Heras.

What does the building look like today?

A full renovation, completed in 2005, was designed by architects Ángela García de Paredes and Ignacio García Pedrosa; their work went on to win Spain's Premio Nacional de Arquitectura in 2007. The renovated building formally opened as the Centro Dramático Nacional's second stage on 21 February 2006.

Today the complex holds several performance spaces: the main Valle-Inclán hall seating several hundred people (with part of the audience on a retractable tribune), the smaller Francisco Nieva hall for around 150 spectators, and an intimate space called El Mirlo Blanco.

What should you know before visiting?

The box office is open daily in the afternoon and early evening, though it closes for a summer break from late July through the end of August. Guided group tours can be arranged in advance by phone. Visitors will also find free Wi-Fi on site and paid parking nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Teatro Valle-Inclán the same thing as Centro Dramático Nacional? Not exactly — it's one of two venues run by the company. The other, and the main one, is Teatro María Guerrero.

Why is the theatre named after Valle-Inclán? After Ramón María del Valle-Inclán, the Galician playwright known for the esperpento style; the renovated theatre reopened in 2006 with one of his own plays.

Was this always a theatre building? No. From 1926 it operated as a cinema, Sala Olimpia (later known as Cine Olimpia), and only became a theatre venue at the end of the 1970s.

How do you get to the theatre? The metro is the easiest option — both Embajadores (lines 3 and 5) and Lavapiés (line 3) stations are within a short walk of the building.