Transcript Slide 1
The Origins of Theatre Commedia Dell’Arte Ancient Greeks Italian Renaissance • Late 1300s to about the 1600s • Period of great cultural change and achievement • Transition between Medieval and Early Modern Europe • Rekindled interest in Greek and Roman • Thought • Literature • Art Two form of comedy in Italy: • Commedia erudite – Academic or Learned comedy • Private performances • Commedia dell’ Arte - Popular comedy • Professional and open to the public Origins of Commedia dell’ Arte • Before 16th century not much is known • Fragments from letters and diaries indicate its existence before the 16th century • First mentioned in history in the 1560s • Two playwrights of Roman comedies are credited for influencing Commedia dell’ Arte: • Titus Maccius Plautus: 254 BC – 184BC • Publius Terentius Afer (Terence): --159 BC Commedia dell‘ Arte • “Comedy of professional artists" acted by professional companies using vernacular dialects and plenty of comic action • Improvised Comedy • The first known commedia dell'arte troupe was formed in 1545. • 1550 – 1700 (most popular between 1575 and 1650) Contents of Commedia dell’ Arte • Improvisation • Masked fools • Acrobatic tricks • Intrigue plots • Satire • Music Place & Performance • Drum announces the actors’ arrival to a city • Performances held almost anywhere: • In town squares or at courts • Indoors or outdoors • On improvised stages or in permanent theatres Traveling troupe’s makeshift stage Themes • Adultery • Jealousy • Old age • Love Scripts • Rough storyline: summarisation of the situations, complications and the outcome • Also called scenario • Actors perform spontaneously by improvising their dialogues • Thus, details differed at every performance Actors • Usually 10-12 actors per troupe • 7-8 male; 3-4 female • One actor rarely played more than one character in the lifetime. (except where the Young Lover grew older and developed a beer belly!) They perfected the role • Performances were spontaneous; thus each actor must be quick and witty to respond appropriately Stock Characters • The same characters appeared in every play • The most essential part of Commedia • Identified by costumes, masks or props • Divided into 3 categories: • Lovers (Innamorati) • Masters • Servants (Zanni) Lovers (Innamorati) •Most realistic roles •Young and handsome (Did not wear masks and dressed in latest fashions •Were children of the masters •Come in obvious pairs - Masculine and feminine versions (Flavio and Flavia or Ottavio and Ottavia) •Dressed in similar colours •Often required to sing, play an instrument or recite poetry •Lust, romance, vanity, and little sense were usually their characteristics Masters • Pantalone •Elderly Venetian merchan t and the father of one of the lovers •Obsess ed with money •Mean Masters •Il Dottore •Pantalone’s friend or rival •Possessed a high profession such as lawyer or doctor •Loved to show off his “supposed wisdom” through his speeches in Latin •In reality, was gullible and easily Masters • Il Capitano • Originally was a lover, but over time transformed into braggart and coward • Boasted of his prowess in love and war • Costume: a cape, sword, and feathered headdress •Typically an Servants (Zanni) • 2-4 per troupe—at least one clever and one stupid • Most prominent are: • Fantesca or Columbine (female maid) • La Ruffiana • Cantarina and Ballerina • Arlecchino (Harlequin) • Male servant, usually went by the name Brighella, Scapino, Mezzetino, or Flautino • Pulcinello Servants • Fantesca (female maid) • Normally young, witty, and ready for intrigue • Had her own affair while assisting the mistress with hers • La Ruffiana • An old woman, either the mother or a village gossiper • Whore • Shady • Cantarina and Ballerina often took part in the comedy, but for the most part their job was to sing, dance, or play music. Servants •Arlecchino (Harlequin) •Also known as: Truffaldino and Trivellino •Originally of minor importance, he soon became the most popular •Was both cunning and stupid, aevolved from a suit with irregularly placed •Costume: stunning acrobat multicolored patches into one with a diamond-shaped red, and dancer green, and blue pattern, a rakish hat above a black mask, •Could usually be and a slapstick found in the middle of any intrigue •Illiterate, but pretends to read Servants • Another male servant, usually went by the name Brighella, Scapino, Mezzetino, or Flautino • Harlequin’s partner • Thrives on double dealings, intrigue, and foul play • Cynical liar and a thief—would do anything for money • Sleazy, seductive, and often cruel • Witty, libidinous, and often cruel • Costume: mask with a hooked nose and moustache, a jacket and trousers ornamented with a green braid Servants • Pulcinello • A Neopolitan • Had various functions • Servant • Host of an inn • Merchant • Had a huge hooked nose, a humped back, and wore a pointed cap • Cruel bachelor who chased pretty girls • Ancestor of the English puppet Punch Lazzi • Stage business • Humorous interjections which had nothing to do with the play itself such as: • Humorous remarks • Acrobatics • Juggling • Wrestling Lazzi • Each actor has a notebook filled with wellrehearsed comic action such as: • Sententious remarks • Figures of speech • Love discourses • Rebukes Lazzi Used to: • Fill up time • Occasionally amuse the audience • Create a change of pace Different forms of Lazzi: • Weeping and laughing • Fear • Knocking at the door • Fight Influence of Commedia dell’ Arte • The art form flourished throughout Europe. Outside Italy it had its greatest success in France as the Comédie-Italienne • In England, it was adapted in the harlequinade and the Punch-and-Judy show • Moliere—French playwright during 17th century • Shakespeare’s plays such as “The Tempest” • The silent treatment of mime • Beaumarchais’ Le Barbier de Seville