Commedia dell'arte

Commedia dell'arte

Commedia dell'arte – "comedy of skills": an improvisational style of theater 

When? It began in the 16th century 

Where? Italy

What? Actors worked from a basic outline (plots or "scenarii") and improvised the dialogue. The same stock characters were used and same scenarios (lazzies) 

Some history: 

• Its origins are unclear, but it is believed that is was influenced by Roman and Greek comedy and medieval traditions 
• Commedia dell'arte troupes (conformed of 10 to 15 members) traveled with everything they needed, including props, costumes and portable stages to perform outdoors. 
• Actors wore elaborate half-masks that exaggerated facial features to convey the personality of their character 
• It influenced writers and performers all over the continent, including Shakespeare and Moliere. 
• Women for the first time were allowed to perform 

The classic characters:

Il Vecchi 

• PANTALONE
• IL DOTTORE
• IL CAPITANO

*Usually Pantalone and Il Dottore work together (either friends or rivals), while Il Capitano is new in town 

Il Zanni 

• ARLECCHINO 
• BRIGHELLA
• COLOMBINA :  "Little dove". The wise-cracking maid, usually the smartest characters. Flirtatious and playful, she was usually the servant/best-friend/confidante to the leading lady and sometimes Arlecchino's girlfriend. 

Gli Innamorati 

• The lovers were known by several names: Flavio was popular for a boy and Isabella for a girl 

__________________________________________________________________________________

Colombina 

Costume: dressed in a ragged and patched dress appropriate to a hired servant. Unmasked, but uses heavy make-up around her eyes and always has them wide open. 

Appearance: Strong and attractive like a circus artist or petite and pretty. 

Relationships:  Carries a tambourine which she could use to fend off the amorous advances of Pantalone. She is sometimes Arlecchino's girlfriend. 

Actions: She is often the only functional intellect on stage. She aided her mistress (the innamorata) to gain the affections of her one true love by manipulating Arlecchino and counter-plotting against Pantalone, while managing the whereabouts of the innamorato at the same time. She is a flirtatious and impudent character, but she never looses her judgement 

Poses: 

A variation of the ballet positions with the body either erect or bent.  In Colombina’s case, a great display of cleavege should be incorporated into the poses as often as possible. (Tatiana Marciel)1.)  A cross between laying down and sitting, usually with one knee up and one leg extended flat.
2.)  Hip cocked outward, bust out, and hands extended behind back.
3.)  Leaning forward, hands together with arms extended accenting cleavage with the upper part of the arms.
4.)  Wrapping leg around a male performer.
5.)  Stand upright and "perky" and arms at sides and palms parallel to the ground.
6.)  Profile with weight shifted back on hip with arms folded under cleavage.

Stand: One knee bent, the other leg extended.  Slight forward tilt from the hips to show best features.  Tiny waist and wide hips (Rudlin).

Movements: All zanni movements, in any combination.  Movement continues during speaking, shifting balance from one foot to the other and moving the head sharply as if searching for someone other than the person being addressed.
Fast and nimble in order to escape unwanted attentions or butt in, then escape from a situation (Rudlin).

She is happy and carefree, yet when assigned a task moves with speed and efficency.  This is one of her strongest traits in being a good servant (Shane). 
Voice: Sharp and with pitch variations


Animal: Hawk or dove


Relation to audience: Flirts with them and gets close to them so that they can see her eyes. Strong relationship with the audience, almost confidential– as if she too could see that she is surrounded by fools. 


Personality: She is a woman of the world and understands more about life than the scholar or philosopher.  She is feminine, however it is usually an afterthought as her wit, sarcasm, and strength usually seem masucline in nature (Shane).

Like Il Capitano she is a lone figure, capable of appearing solo.  Often, in fact, the prologue is entrusted to her.  Although capricious and coquettish she is good at her job, careful with money, and will, with great reluctance, make an excellent housekeeper one day.  Although she is very sexually knowing she is sometimes a virgin, when it suits her (Rudlin).

Lazzi: 
1.)  She appears almost if not before her name is called, always being on step ahead of her master.  2.)  She finishes sentences for her master, which she sometimes uses in her favor.
3.)  When a situation gets out of control, she becomes the dominant voice to put everyone and everything back in its place.
4.)  She beats the male characters, sometimes even her master.
5.)  She requests other characters to tell her how important she is.
6.)  She can make her breasts and other parts of her body squeak

"Sitcommedia" 

modern examples of the classic stock character, Columbina:

Amanda from "Ugly Betty, Lilly Truscott from "Hannah Montana", Maddie from "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody"  

References: http://italian.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://shane%2Darts.com/Commedia%2DColumbina.htm

The informational packet gave out in class