Commedia dellArte and The Taming of the Shrew

1
Commedia dellArte and The Taming of the Shrew
2
What is Commedia dellArte ?

• An Italian form of drama beginning during the
  Renaissance and lasting into the eighteenth
  century, traveling troupes performed the commedia
  dell' arte (comedy of the artists). Commedia
  evolved from outdoor performances by jesters, and
  acrobats.

3
The Characters

• The company's ten or more actors each developed a
  specific type of character. Since all wore masks,
  their roles were eventually called masks. As in
  Elizabethan theatre female parts were originally
  played by men, but later played by females.
  Some of the stock characters include

4
The Lover

• THE LOVER, is always charming, dapper, and
  sometimes a bit ridiculous. His sole purpose in
  the script is to be in love. He must be young,
  good looking, courteous and gallant. The lover
  wore no mask. His costume is always in the style
  of the period.

5
The Captain

• THE BRAGGART CAPTAIN is bold and swaggering. He
  struts around in a splendid uniform, pursues the
  ladies, and often runs from battle. He is a
  thief, avoids the police, has a dangerous temper,
  and loves to bully people smaller than himself.
  He claims he is a nobleman but usually isn't.

6
The Lover and the Captain
7
Pantaloon

• PANTALOON, is a comic old merchant from Venice.
  He is always old, sometimes a rich miser,
  sometimes a poor man, sometimes a bachelor,
  sometimes a father of a family. If he is rich, he
  is a slave to his money. If he is married, his
  wife is usually young, often deceiving him. He
  loves to give advice. Often he is the recipient
  of blows from his servant. He is always duped by
  someone. Pantaloon's costume consists of long red
  hose, a loose black cape, Turkish slippers, and a
  red woolen hat. His mask is brown with a
  prominent hooked nose, and occasionally, with
  round glasses. He has a gray mustache and a long
  white beard.

8
The Doctor

• THE DOCTOR is a good friend of Pantaloon. Like
  his friend, he is old, an "eternal gas-bag" and
  miserly. His children and servants make fun of
  him. His costume reflects the time period and
  change as fashion changes. His black or
  flesh-colored mask covers his nose and forehead.
  His cheeks are smeared with red.

9
Pantaloon and the Doctor
10
Harlequin

• HARLEQUIN (Arlechino), is perhaps the best known
  commedia character. He is a comic servant who is
  lazy but energetic, stupid but clever, insolent,
  clownish, and ribald. He is shown leaping into
  the air, dancing, walking on stilts, tumbling,
  courting the Inamorata, striking a pose, or
  playing extravagant tricks. Harlequin's pants and
  jacket are covered with patches. Only later did
  these patches become blue, red, and green
  triangles joined with yellow braid. Eventually
  these became diamonds. To his hat is attached a
  fox tail characterizing him as "the butt of
  ridicule." He wears a black half-mask and black
  chin-piece.

11
Mezzetino

• MEZZETINO (Metzetin), is similar to the other
  servants. He is a singer, musician, and ready
  dancer. He can be both a deceived and deceiving
  husband, sometimes betraying the master by
  accepting bribes, other times serving with blind
  devotion. Metzetin is often shown in a
  loose-fitting costume, wearing a huge hat and a
  short cape, and carrying a wooden sword. His
  half-mask has a large nose and he wears a large
  false beard.

12
Harlequin and Mezzetino
13
The Inamorata

• The Inamorata was a role originally played by men
  in France and England, due to the "lewdness and
  adultery" associated with the women's roles.
  There were limited women's characters with the
  main one being the female lover (the Inamorata),
  called variously Isabelle, Columbine, or
  Zerbinette
• The clothing was generally that of the period,
  with the Inamorata wearing the richest garments.
  Instead of a mask, women wore a little black
  velvet loup to protect their beauty. These loups
  were worn both in the theatre and on the street.

14
The Inamorata
15
Characteristics of Commedia

• 1. improvisation basic plotlines were known but
  lines and action were improvised. It was often
  bawdy and coarse using the SLAPSTICK a stick
  used to beat characters made of two pieces of
  wood to make a slapping sound.

16

• 2. stock characters recognized by costumes and
  actions
• 3. mime and pantomime this characteristic
  helped to overcome language barriers
• 4. traveling companies

17
Commedias Influence

• Many writers and performers have been influenced
  by commedia dellarte.
• Charlie Chaplin
• The Marx Brothers
• The Three Stooges
• Perhaps WWF Wrestling ?
• Shakespeareespecially American Conservatory
  Theaters version of The Taming of the Shrew

18
Commedia/Shrew Correlation
19
Credits

• David Claudon
• www.davidclaudon.com/arte/commedia.html
• Music
• www.csupomona.edu/jcclark/emusic/renaissa.html