As I was absent from my first lesson of our new unit,
Commedia dell’arte, I took it upon myself to do some research in order to be
prepared and have some understanding of what I am now going to be working on in
my double performing arts classes. During this lesson, the others in my class
made themselves their masks which I will have to do when next possible.
Commedia dell'arte is a colourful and extremely theatrical
art form based on the interaction of traditional stock characters in improvised
scenarios that facilitate a comic plot to arrive at a humorous climax. The
subject matter is chosen (taking into consideration the audience that they are
performing to), the characters are then conceived and named (their relations to
one another also being determined) and then the situation/scenario is clearly
outlined, all beforehand.
Commedia dell'arte (comedy of artists) originated in the
streets and market places of the early Italian Renaissance, although its roots
can be traced as far back as far as Ancient Greek and Roman Theatre. Italian
street performers, donning masks with exaggerated comic features, to draw additional
attention to themselves and complement their physical and acrobatic skills,
eventually teamed up in troupes of actors often with traveling stages to firmly
establish Commedia as a genre in its own right by the mid-1500's.
These Commedia troupes performed for and were
accessible to all social classes. Language was no barrier, with their skillful mime, stereotyped stock characters, traditional Lazzi's (Lazzi are gags / stock jokes that can be added into the performance to ensure the comic action keeps pace. Additional, interesting information I found about Lazzi's, here > Lazzi's ), masks, broad physical gestures, improvised dialogue and clowning became widely accepted wherever they travelled. In later years, the
tradition spread all over Europe, eventually adopting a major French influence
where many of the scenarios were scripted into Commedia-style plays.
.
The Commedia dell'arte employs basic stock characters > fictional people who are amusing, predictable, and two-dimensional. It was not
uncommon for an actor in a Commedia dell’arte troupe to play the same stock
character for most of his or her career.
Traditional Commedia, is not about realism or creating well-rounded, three-dimensional characters, so most of the roles only have a couple traits to them around which the whole personality is defined. They rarely ever have any complex or sympathetic reasons for their behavior, and anything they do or feel, they do or feel to extremes. Most of the characters in Commedia can be cast into one of three groups, Innamorati (meaning Lovers), Zanni (Clowns)- or though this is often cast as one character in its own right and Vecchi (meaning Villains). Here in order of class / authority are the better acclaimed characters in
Commedia dell'arte;
Pantalone - The master. He is a senile, wealthy Venetian
merchant who is always being cuckolded. In many story lines, he attempts to
control his daughter and protect his money from thieving servants, but of
course he is thwarted. He is dressed almost always in red with a large,
red-nosed mask.
Il Dottore - The Doctor, Pantalone’s middle-aged neighbor
from Bologna. He’s pompous and claims to be educated, although he doesn’t
really know anything, and speaks in a comical fake Latin. In Commedia
performances, he is either Pantalone’s devoted friend or bitter enemy, and he
is always jealous of Pantalone’s success. Sometimes he is the father of one of
the lovers. He is often costumed in black, with a black mask and white doctor’s
collar.
Inamorati - The young lovers / The first actor and first actress. They are usually the daughters and sons of the Vecchi (Pantalone or The Doctor) and thus enjoy a high status in society, but brought low by the hopelessness of their infatuation. They almost always have the play’s dilemma - do they follow their hearts or obey the wishes of their parents? They more serious than the other characters, and do not wear masks. They both wore the latest fashion so were seen to be dressed well.
Columbina (also “Columbine”) - The only female servant character, often employed by the Inamorati to help them convince their feuding parents to let them marry. Although she is impudent, she is also very charming and cunning, and one of the few genuinely intelligent characters onstage. She is Arlecchino’s female opposite, and they are often romantically involved Arlecchino - is often a servant to Pantalone, but becomes a second Zanni if Brighella is present . Columbina usually wears slightly ragged, but still smart and fashionable clothes.
Il Capitano - The Captain, an arrogant Spaniard. He is a
bombastic braggart who intimidates the townspeople with his warrior bravado,
but he is usually less brave than he’d like everyone to think. He was often the butt of the jokes and the
target of the Lazzi. He is always colorful and elaborately overdressed,
sometimes with goofy-looking feathers in his hat.
Brighella - A coarse, scheming, low-level merchant. Brighella has power over Harlequin and Zanni. He is thieving, mean-spirited, and occasionally violent, especially to characters who are lower in station than he is often equipped with a slapstick. His outfits are white with green trim and he wears a green mask.
Harlequin - By far, the most popular (and famous) character
to come out of Commedia dell’
arte. Literally, “Harlequin,” he is Pantalone’s
witty prankster of a servant. He uses agility and acrobatics to get out of
sticky situations; failing that, he always carries around a slapstick with
which to hit people. He wears a multi-coloured, triangular-patterned outfit and
a black mask with a blunt nose.
Zanni - Zanni is at the bottom of the pecking order. He is a comic servant who dresses in baggy, white clothing originally made up of flour sacks. He is a nervous and scared character but often comes off as bold due to his stupidity.
Websites I have & will use for research:
