Jardiel Enrique Ponce (Madrid, October 15, 1901-ibid, February 18, 1952) was a Spanish writer and playwright. His work related to the theater of the absurd, moved away from the traditional mood approaching another intellectual, implausible and illogical, breaking with traditional naturalism prevalent in the Spanish theater of the time. This earned him being attacked by a large part of the criticism of his time, and his mood struck the most sensitive feelings and opened a range of comic possibilities that were not always well understood. To this must be added the subsequent problems with Franco's censorship. However, over the years he has not only increased his figure and his works are represented today, having been also numerous films based on them. He died of cancer, largely ruined and forgotten, at age 50