Alfonso Paso, a Spanish dramatist of considerable renown, was born on September 12, 1926, and passed away on July 10, 1978. Throughout his illustrious career, he penned over a hundred plays, predominantly light comedies infused with a touch of black humour and tragedy, as well as police dramas and examples of what he referred to as "social theatre". Paso's plays were distinguished by their intricately crafted complexity, original situations, and well-developed characters.
As a member of a "theatre dynasty", Paso was born in Madrid to Antonio Paso y Cano, a renowned playwright and librettist, and Juana Gil, a talented actress. Initially, he pursued a career as an aeronautical engineer, but ultimately abandoned it to study Philosophy and Literature, graduating in 1952 and specializing in American History and Archeology. He later delved into the fields of Medicine and Psychiatry, before switching to journalism, a profession he would continue until the mid-1970s.
Paso's personal life was marked by his marriage to Evangelina Jardiel, the daughter of Enrique Jardiel Poncela, and the birth of his daughter, Paloma Paso Jardiel, who would also go on to become an actress. Although he did occasionally work as an actor, his lasting legacy stems from his work as a writer.
