The Guiniguada Theatre

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Cultural spaces · Subcategory: Theaters · Year: 1938 · Authors: Antonio Cardona Aragón

Plans for the Guiniguada Theatre were drafted in July 1938 and designs were by architect Antonio Cardona Aragón. It has undergone different modifications throughout its history. In the "Avellaneda" building, laid out  specially for cinemas, houses, two business premises and two offices, Antonio Cardona wavers between the academic-regionalism of the elevation, with classist stylistic touches on the porch, and expressionist rationalism for the Hernández Guerra opticians, set on the ground floor of the building. The original project was based on a classic theatre design within all the offices, houses and business premises in the building, although it was given a concert hall layout, as it had a orchestra pit and a stage on a reduced scale. A cinema was also incorporated into it, with a screen built into the back of the stage, large enough for the film shows of the time, and a projection cabin above the amphitheatre. It was called the Cine Avellaneda right from the start, with reference to the promoter behind the project. 

At the beginning of the 1990s, given the lack of proper theatre sites in the city, and as part of the Autonomous Government property, it was adapted to theatre use (the frescos by Fernando Álamo and Juan José Gil also date from this time), while keeping the cinema going too. 

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