1. Italian Renaissance Theatre 1400 - 1600
Commedia dell’arte
Italian Renaissance Theatre

2. Italian Renaissance
A rebirth of cultural advancement and activity (after the “Dark Ages” of Medieval Europe)
During this time, the power shifted from the church to the merchant class.
Subject matter began to include earthly as well religious themes
Patronage – artists being supported by wealthy individuals (patrons)

3. Commedia dell’arte Influences
Trace back to early Roman street theatre
Public performances; partially improvised
Troupes settled in cities, but moved locations within the city
“borrowed” story-lines from the Classics
Called Neoclassic theatre
Rediscovered Aristotle and other Greek/Roman writers

4. Commedia dell’arte Influences
Verisimilitude – “true to life”.
Neoclassicists felt that theatre should be based in everyday, human events.
The Three Unities –“rules” that forced Neoclassic playwrights to
stay “true to life”.
The unity of time stated that all action in the play must take place within 24 hours.
The unity of place stated that all action must take place in one location.
The unity of action stated that there must be one plot with no distracting secondary stories.
The 3 unities were pretty much ignored in England and Spain.

5. Commedia dell’arte Terms to know
- “play of professionals”
Scenario
- Standard plot outline
Intermezzi
- short “in-between” shows
Lazzi
- bits of comic business
Stock characters
- characters who remain the same in many different plays

6. Commedia dell’arte Conventions
Stages
Sometimes performed on the street or in a public square with no set
Also performed in theatres or music halls with wide variety of set
Helped develop the PROSCENIUM
ARCH (picture frame) theatre style
that is still the standard today
Karel Dujardins , 1657

7. Commedia dell’arte Conventions
Scenarios
Political or social satire; themes of love, old age, jealousy and adultery
Comedy for the “everyman”
Most performances, the performers would agree on a basic scenario, the characters involved and the eventual outcome… everything else was left as improvisational material.
Sample Scenarios:
A - 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 to act.
B - Alessandra tries to get her father Pantalone's permission to marry Fabian.

8. Commedia dell’arte Conventions
SET – no standard set was used… playing space could be a plain street, a pageant wagon, a ballroom or dining hall
Created backdrops that gave the illusion of depth to the scene; backdrops could change if needed

9. Commedia dell’arte Conventions
PROPS
The battacchio (called a “slap stick” in English)
a club-like object composed of two wooden slats produces a loud smacking noise, though little force is transferred from the object to the person being struck. Actors may thus hit one another repeatedly with great audible effect while causing very little actual physical damage. Typically carried by Brighella
The origin of the modern term “slapstick comedy” comes from this Italian device (think Charlie Chaplin, the 3 Stooges)
Characters carried other misc. props befitting their occupation & station
Many characters had signature props. For eg: female lovers carried fans, male lovers carried handkerchiefs & a posy

10. Commedia dell’arte Conventions
Costumes & Masks
Actors wore stylized versions of modern (Renaissance) clothing
stylized theatrical costumes can exaggerate some aspect of a character
Specific colors/patterns/cuts were used to portray characters' age, gender role, profession, social class, personality
Each stock character had his/her own “stock” costume & mask

11. Commedia dell’arte Conventions
Actors (CALLED PERFORMERS)
Skills needed: acrobats, dancers, musicians, singers, orators, quick wits, politically savvy (satire)
An actor often portrayed an individual character for so long that they were known by the character’s name, not their own.
WOMEN ALLOWED ON STAGE!!! Only place accepted until late 17th Century England
Acting companies that stayed & traveled together, approx people
I Gelosi – famous commedia acting company, all family: Francesco & Isabella Andreini

12. Commedia dell’arte Influences
Here are just some of the ways Commedia has influenced the world since the Renaissance…
English vocabulary: "pants" from Pantalone, "zany" from the Zanni, Harlequin from Arlecchino.
“Romeo & Juliet” = a translation of Flaminio la Scala's collection of scenario (published in 1611) (taken from the argument, or introduction to the play): There lived in Florence two gentlemen called Pantalone and Gratiano. They were of old and noble families, and bore a long hatred for each other ... (can you guess what’s next?)
Moliere used stock characters in his plays.
Modern screenplays: follow common scenarios, use stock characters (teen films)
TV shows: scenarios & characters (“The Simpsons” and many others)