Photo courtesy of:

http://www.darksidemasks.com/showcat.php?catid=21

Italian Renaissance

Theatre: Commedia Dell’Arte

Brief overview of Commedia Dell’arte

• Began in Italy around 1545• Began in the Renaissance as a result of a rise

in the middle class (merchants, scientists, artists, educated)

• Theatre moved away from religious morality/passion plays

• Art became more realistic, a move away from religious art, a focus on humans rather than gods. Secular.

• Means “comedy of the profession”

Commedia Dell’arte Performances

• Seldom used scripts; used detailed scenarios and Seldom used scripts; used detailed scenarios and improvised dialogueimprovised dialogue

• 700 scenarios survive today.700 scenarios survive today.• Setting is usually a street because they were usually Setting is usually a street because they were usually

performed outdoorsperformed outdoors (Markets, Carnivals) (Markets, Carnivals)• Most characters wore masks (the bigger the nose, the less Most characters wore masks (the bigger the nose, the less

intelligent the character! intelligent the character! ))• Evolved in into vaudeville and influenced animated Evolved in into vaudeville and influenced animated

cartoons, situation comedy, and even pro wrestling!cartoons, situation comedy, and even pro wrestling!• Root of Improvisational TheatreRoot of Improvisational Theatre

Stock Characters• Definition: a character who

displays the same character traits in many different productions.

• Examples today are: The brainy nerd; the peppy cheerleader; the “dumb blonde”; The “jock”

• Can you think of others?

• Some Commedia dell’arte Stock Characters follow in the upcoming slides!

Pantalone• Upper class• Middle aged or elderly

man• Generally the father of

young girl • Overly protective of

daughter and money• Has several servants

(zanni)• (think Mr. Burns on Simpsons)

Dottore

• Upper class• Pantalone’s arch-rival

or best friend• Law professor or

medical doctor• Lacks common sense/

absent-minded• Master of double talk

and jargon• Black coat

Capitano

• Working class• Boastful, cowardly

Spaniard who brags of battles never fought and romances never experienced

• Cowardly guard• Big, bold movements

to appear important

Harlequin (Arlecchino)• Either clever and wise-cracking clown, or a

buffoon• Clever schemer and prankster• Excellent at acrobatics: always moving.• Usually the servant to Pantalone, Dottore,

or Capitano• His mask looks a little like a cat's face. 

The eyes are small, round holes   The forehead is low, and the eyebrows are a little crooked with evil intentions.  The nose is not very big, since he is very intelligent.

Other Zanni• Zanni are clown-like servants!• Pulcinella: hunchbacked; “stupid”• Brighella: Thief and bully• Scaramuccia: mustached, sometimes clever,

sometime cruel.• Zanni's movements are very big, broad, and

exaggerated

Fontesca/Columbina

• Clever and high spirited• Flirtatious• The maid, often to the

Innamoratae• Often corresponded

with Arlecchino• Ballet-like movement• Carried a basket and

sometimes a tambourine

Young Lovers: Innamorati/Innamoratae

• Upper class• Speak a refined, flowery language:

– "My love for you makes all the diamonds on the earth look like grains of sand, and your beauty makes them all dull."

• Very concerned with appearance; beautifully dressed to the style

• Often spoke love poems which were memorized poems

• Overly dramatic

In action

Commedia dell 'Arte A Brief History and Performance How-To for Middle- to High School Students

d Performance How-To for Middle- to High School Students

http://www.american.edu/IRVINE/jenn/home.html

•Scenarios

These are some quick Commedia scenarios 1) Pantalone enlists Arlecchino's help in

getting a date with Lavinia, who doesn't know he exists.  Arlecchino gives him a lot of bad advice about his clothes and how he should

act.   2)  Capitano enters.  This is a new town to

him, and he has heard that a rich widow lives here.  He wishes to marry her, and asks Zanni

for his help in meeting her.

 3)   Isabella has received a letter from her lover, Ottavio, and has taken all of his

compliments the wrong way.  She sees him on the street, and sends her servant, Zanni,

to him with a verbal message.  Zanni, of course, gets the message wrong, and

Ottavio sends a message back to Isabella.  Zanni is sent back and forth with messages,

until the two lovers meet face-to-face.

 4) Alessandra tries to get her father Pantalone's permission to marry Fabian.

Pantelone has promised her hand to Capitano in exchange for a large dowry.

  5) Arlecchino has stolen some money from Pantalone.  When Pantalone realizes his

money is gone, he asks Zanni to fetch Dottore for advice.  When Dottore finally arrives, he gives Pantalone several medical diagnoses.

Thanks to the following for information and pictures:

• Commedia dell’^C^Arte http://www.flash.net/~trshane/columbina.htm, accessed 11/5/02. Info on Fontesca and picture of Columbina and “In action”

• Commedia dell 'Arte: A Brief History and Performance How-To for Middle- to High School Students http://www.american.edu/IRVINE/jenn/home.html, accessed 11/5/02 Info and pictures unless otherwise noted

• Theater: Preparation and Performance by Charlotte Lee and David Grote, Published by Scott, Foresman, and Co, Glenview Illinois, 1982.

• The Stage and the School by Harry H. Schanker and Katherine Anne Ommanney, Glencoe, New York, 1997.