Surviving theatrical contracts throw light on the remarkable degree of theatrical activity throughout 17c Spain.In 1639 the Madrid notary Juan García de Albertos was appointed Escribano de la Comisión de las comedias — official theatre notary. His annual registers of contracts (protocolos) contain more than two thousand items related to actors and theatrical activity from 1634 to 1660. This exceptionally rich collection of documents offers a fascinating overview of theatrical life, in all its diversity, in Madrid and the surrounding area during the age of Calderón. Especially plentiful are the contracts for performances at festivities in towns and villages, both by professional companies and by local amateurs assisted by individual actresses and musicians hired in Madrid. This extraordinary degree of theatrical activity in even the smallest communities, almost entirely neglected hitherto, forces us to revise and expand our conventional picture of the Spanish Golden Age theatre. The collection also reveals in abundant detail the composition and working practices of acting companies, especially in the numerous asientos (actors' employment contracts), as well as transport conditions, costume hire, staging practices and repertory. The actors' convoluted and often precarious finances are an ever—present theme. The documents are accompanied by appendices and maps, and the extensive introduction provides an exhaustive survey of what can be learned from this remarkable source.CHARLES DAVIS was formerly Lecturer in Spanish at Queen Mary, University of London, and is currently a Ramón y Cajal Research Fellow at the University of Valencia. The late J. E. VAREYwas Professor of Spanish at the University of London and Principal of Westfield College.For description in Spanish see Volume II.Actividad Teatral en la Región de Madrid is published in TWO VOLUMES (I: ISBN 1855660628, II ISBN 1855660792) WHICH MUST BE PURCHASED AS A SET.