Commedia dell Arte

1
Commedia dell Arte

• Topsy Turvy Day from Disneys The Hunchback of
  Notre Dame

2
Commedia dellArte

• An improvised acting form
• Flourished in Italy and through western Europe
  from the middle of the sixteenth century to the
  middle of the eighteen century

3
Primary Characterisitcs

• Stock Characters
• Improvisation

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Scenario

• A brief outline of the dramatic action
• From the scenario the actors improvised their
  dialogue and action

5
Actors

• Relied on their wits and imagination to improvise
• Adapted to the various spaces in which they
  performed
• Adapted to the audiences for which they performed

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Characters

• Two general categories
• Straight characters
• Exaggerated characters
• Recognized by
• Costumes
• Masks

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Straight CharactersThe Innamorati (lovers)

• The norm
• usually young
• dressed in fashion of the times
• unmasked
• action centered around a problem involving them
• often 2 or more pairs in a scenario

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Exaggerated Roles

• Can be divided into two
• different types
• The Servants
• The Masters

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Most Common Master Roles

• Pantalone
• Il Capitano
• Il Dottore

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Zannithe servants

• Most common
• most varied
• employed by masters or lovers
• served to complicate the plot
• ranged from stupid to clever

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Most famous zanni

• Arlecchino
• Brighella
• Colombina
• Pulcinella
• Pedrolino

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Commedia Troupe

• Professionals who shared the profits
• Usually 8-12 actors
• A typical company included 2 vecchi (old men, 2
  zanni, 2 innamorati, a Capitano, and 2 support
  players

13
Scenarios

• The scenario provided
• an outline of
• the principal action of the play
• the plot
• the complications
• the conclusion

14
Lazzi

• Even though the primary dialogue was improvised,
  actors developed a series of set phrases and
  comic lazzi (routines) which they would use at
  appropriate times during performances or to keep
  the audiences attention.

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Lazzi then and now

• The Dentist - Pantalone Beats Pedrolino
• Willy Coyote Road Runner
• Three Stooges
• Stooges Pie Fight
• Abbott Costello Niagra Falls
• Tweety and SylvesterI tawt I tah

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Conventions of Commedia dellArte

• Conventions are common practices that are
  accepted and understood by audience and
  performers
• Improvisation
• Stereotypical characters
• Predictable behavior
• Contemporary setting
• Episodic structure