Adelardo López de Ayala (1828 - 1879)

He was born at Guadalcanal, Seville on 1 May 1828, and at a very early age began writing for the theatre of his native town. The titles of these juvenile performances, which were played by amateurs, were Salga por donde saliere, Me voy a Sevilla and La Corona y el Fugal. As travelling companies never visited Guadalcanal, and as ladies took no part in the representations, these three plays were written for men only. Ayala persuaded his sister to appear as the heroine of his comedy, La Primera Dama, and the innovation if it scandalized some of his townsmen, permitted him to develop his talent more freely.