ished ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁murder ). ▁ ▁Lor ca ▁described ▁the ▁play ▁in ▁its ▁sub title ▁as ▁a ▁drama ▁of ▁women ▁in ▁the ▁villages ▁of ▁Spain . ▁The ▁House ▁of ▁Bernard a ▁Al ba ▁was ▁Lor ca ' s ▁last ▁play , ▁completed ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁June ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁two ▁months ▁before ▁Lor ca ' s ▁death ▁during ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Civil ▁War . ▁The ▁play ▁was ▁first ▁performed ▁on ▁ 8 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁at ▁the ▁Aven ida ▁Theatre ▁in ▁Buenos ▁Aires . ▁The ▁play ▁cent ers ▁on ▁the ▁events ▁of ▁a ▁house ▁in ▁And alus ia ▁during ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁m our ning , ▁in ▁which ▁Bernard a ▁Al ba ▁( aged ▁ 6 0 ) ▁w ield s ▁total ▁control ▁over ▁her ▁five ▁daughters ▁Ang ust ias ▁( 3 9 ▁years ▁old ), ▁Mag dal ena ▁( 3 0 ), ▁Am elia ▁( 2 7 ), ▁Mart i rio , ▁( 2 4 ), ▁and ▁Ad ela ▁( 2 0 ). ▁The ▁house keeper ▁( La ▁Pon cia ) ▁and ▁Bernard a ' s ▁elder ly ▁mother ▁( Mar ía ▁Jose fa ) ▁also ▁live ▁there . ▁ ▁The ▁deliber ate ▁ex clusion ▁of ▁any ▁male ▁character ▁from ▁the ▁action ▁helps ▁build ▁up ▁the ▁high ▁level ▁of ▁sexual ▁t ension ▁that ▁is ▁present ▁throughout ▁the ▁play . ▁Pe pe ▁" el ▁Rom ano ", ▁the ▁love ▁interest ▁of ▁Bernard a ' s ▁daughters ▁and ▁su itor ▁of ▁Ang ust ias ,