2.  Commedia dell‘ Arte, also known as "Italian comedy," was a humorous theatrical presentation performed by professional players.  Players traveled in troupes throughout Italy in the 16th century (1500’s).

3.  Performances took place on temporary stages.  Located on: city streets palaces occasionally in court venues  Comedic Elements: music dance witty dialogue trickery amongst characters

4.  The focus was placed on physical business rather than on spoken text.  Performance dialects were the same from region to region: il Capitano- Spanish il Dottore – Bolognese l'Arlecchino - utter gibberish Gromelot - gibberish with emphasis and intonation to make it sound like a real language Gibberish in Commedia Dell’ Arte

5.  The impact of Commedia dell’ Arte on European drama can be seen in French pantomime and the English harlequinade.  The ensemble companies generally performed in Italy, although a company called the comédie–italienne was established in Paris in 1661.  The Commedia dell’ Arte survived the early 18th century only by means of its vast influence on written dramatic forms.

6.  There were no elaborate scenery  Staging was minimalistic and the stages were frequently temporary outdoor structures.  Props included animals, food, furniture, watering devices, and weapons.  The character Arlecchino bore two sticks tied together, which made a great noise on impact. This gave birth to the word "slapstick."

7.  Was a highly disciplined art requiring both virtuosity and a strong sense of ensemble playing.  Players improvised comedy around a pre– established scenario.  Responding to each other, or to audience reaction, the actors made use of the lazzi, musical numbers, and impromptu dialogue to vary the happenings on stage.  Lazzi -special rehearsed routines that could be inserted into the plays at convenient points to heighten the comedy

8.  Masks forced actors to project their characters' emotions through the body.  All the fixed character types, the figures of fun or satire, wore colored leather masks. Their opposites, usually pairs of young lovers around whom the stories revolved, had no need for such devices.  Leaps, tumbles, stock gags (burle and lazzi), obscene gestures and slapstick antics were incorporated into their acts.

9.  The inclusion of music and dance into commedia performance required that all actors have these skills.  Frequently at the end of a piece even the audience joined into the merry–making.

10.  The audience was able to pick up from each character's dress by the type of person the cast member was representing.  For elaboration, loose–fitting garments alternated with very tight, and jarring color contrasts opposed monochrome outfits. Except for the inamorato, males would identify themselves with character-specific costumes and half masks.  While the inamorato (the lovers) and the female characters wore neither masks nor costumes unique to that personage, certain information could still be derived from their clothing.  Audiences knew what members of the various social classes typically wore, and also expected certain colors to represent certain emotional states.

11.  A Historical Overview A Historical Overview

12.  The actors of the commedia represented fixed social types. Ex: foolish old men, devious servants, young lovers.  Became the archetypes of many of the favorite characters of 17th– and 18th–century European theatre.  Each Stock Character is named.  Each Stock Character has a certain movement pattern and shape.  Brief stock character descriptions Brief stock character descriptions  Character shape Character shape

13. UPPER CLASSLOWER CLASS  Innamortai/ Inamoratae  Pantalone  Dottore  Arlecchino/Harliquino  Brighella  Capitano  Fontesca/Columbina

16.  Arlecchino is a shape shifting servant to Il Pantalone, Il Capitano or Il Dottore.  He tries to trick his patrons out of money, but usually fails.  He is very quick, acrobatic and limber.

17.  Very acrobatic and capable of a wide variety of movement.  Is always moving.  His knees are bent giving him a low center of gravity.  Despite his lowness, he should appear as though he could spring up into the air at a moments notice.  The elbows are bent and his hands are placed on his belt.  There is great lumbar curve and his chest is pushed out.  He never walks in a straight line. Instead, he walks in a zig-zag.  When Arlecchino sees something, his mask tracks it first. After he has taken in what it is, his body follows the movement of the mask and he's off.  Arlecchino example Arlecchino example

18.  The maid of one of the old men or the wife of Arlecchino.  Unmasked, but the eyes wide and well made-up.  Feels a need to look after Arlecchino, educate him in the hope that he too can break the bounds of being a fixed type.  She can be very affectionate to other characters as well, and her affections seem to flow through her physically, but she always holds something back.  As a result she is pestered by other men, especially Il Capitano and Pantalone.  She is always ready to help the Lovers, perhaps through natural sympathy with their plight.

19.  Often carries a basket  Usually has an apron, a basket, and a tambourine.  Stands with one knee bent, the other leg extended. Slight forward tilt from the hips to show best features. Tiny waist and wide hips.  Fast and nimble in order to escape unwanted attentions or butt in, then escape from a situation.  She is happy and carefree, yet when assigned a task moves with speed and efficiency.

20.  Brighella is the boss of Zanni and Arlecchino.  He will do anything to turn a quick buck  Usually a proprietor of a shop, he is never wealthy but is better off than the others.  He offers, and is asked to give advice to The Lovers.  Brighella is a very cynical and sarcastic character.  For the audience, he is witty, humorous and deceitful.

21.  Brighella's weight is placed on a bent leg.  The other is extended, lightly touching the ground.  His elbows are up with his hands spread out. Whether or not he is moving, his feet are constantly moving, dancing back and forth.  Like Arlecchino, his back is curved at the lumbar region. When Brighella walks, his head stays in place, but his legs come up to the side and his torso sways from side to side.  It is a very soft walk, similar to tip-toeing, the difference being that his legs are spread.  Brighella example Brighella example

22.  is a bragadocious, arrogant, egocentric man feigning machismo.  Behind this thick façade of manliness and courage, he is, in fact, a timid coward afraid of most everything.  He probably is not a Captain in an army, but because he moves around from city to city, he is able to pretend he has higher status than he really should.  Is feared by the townspeople only because he puts on a convincing show of intimidation.  Il Capitano is a coward.  Completely opposite from his façade, he is frightened all too easily by loud noises and creepy crawly creatures.

23.  Il Capitano tries to make himself seen at all times.  His feet and legs are far apart in order to make himself appear more mighty and strong.  His chest sticks out, puffed up with his shoulders broad.  He walks in large strides, lifting his leg up as far as possible and then placing it down mere inches from where it started.  His back is straight, and he prances with a bounce in his step.  Il Capitano's run is prompted by any loud sound, scary object or from being overwhelmed. When this happens, he drops everything, throws his head back, kicks his feet forward and howls is fear. Just like in his walk, he picks his legs up high, but puts them down close to where they started. . When he sees anything he deems a threat (particularly mice) he shakes down to a squat making himself as small as possible and whimpers.

25.  The Lovers are high status.  They are the sons and daughters of the old men characters with high social status.

26.  The Lovers stand firmly rooted, but light in the torso and head.  They take many breaths and seem like bubbles -- they could pop at any time.  They wobble rather than walk, floating from side to side.  One hand usually holds a prop of some type (ex: a letter one is swooning over or a handkerchief.  Their arms are never in the same position; they are always primping to make sure that they look their best.  The Lovers enjoy lamenting their situation and speaking pretentiously to each other about their love for one another.  Contact is rarely made in the courting/wooing and so the ceaseless, foolish exchange continues unabated.  Lovers example Lovers example

27.  Maintains his high position in society because he can make it seem as though he knows what he is talking about.  He blathers in fake Latin, on and on.  The lower class characters are awed by his "knowledge" and so he maintains his status.  Like all the old men, however, he is always shown up as a quack at the end of the play.  Il Dottore gives the other actors a break by taking up space and time to talk.  He is usually onstage for a long time, having to be removed either physically (while still talking) or after having been convinced that he should go in order to free up the stage.

28.  Stands with his great weight on the back of his heels and his stomach slopped forward, hands gesturing with every word.  Always walks when he talks.  Instead of in a straight line, he meanders in figure eights using tiny steps.  His weight makes it difficult for him to move fast.  His prominent stomach is the focus of attention.

29.  is rich and miserly  holds the highest social status in the commedia hierarchy.  He always has servants working for him.  Pantalone is deathly afraid of losing his money which, in turn, would cause him to lose his place in society.

30.  Hunches over the money purse on his belt protecting it from thieves or a daughter who might need money for a snack.  He shuffles across the stage, the motion of his legs very limited.  His knees are bent with the pelvis open spreading the legs.  Although Pantalone's body is old, his hands, feet and head are very expressive and quick. His hands are always moving, gesticulating each thought that comes to him

31.  Pantalone vs. Dottore Pantalone vs. Dottore