MASKSComenius Project “Lost in Time”Istituto Superiore “E.Majorana”Palermo (Italy)

Masks are familiar and vivid elements in many folk and traditional pageants, ceremonies, rituals and festivals, and date back to ancient origins. Normally part of a costume that adorns the whole body and embodies an important tradition both for the religious and social life, masks and puppets are often integrated in theatre plays.

Here are some of the ancient masks characteristic in Greek theatre (700 BC). In Athens, in the Dionysus’ worship , classical masks used to create a sense of dread in the audience causing serious panic, especially since they had intensely exaggerated facial features and expressions.

In his comedies, the Roman playwright of the Old Latin period, Plautus, revolved mostly around daily life and average people. In his popular farces we find improvisation, the use of masks and clownish stock-characters such as

the servant (Servus), the ancient (Senex), the maidservant ( ancilla) , the vainglorious soldier (miles gloriosus).

The “Commedia dell‘ Arte” is a form of improvisational Italian 16th century theatre . The actors used to wear masks and the stories were often about cunning people. Hunger, love and money were the main themes. The most famous characters are Pantalone, Arlecchino, Colombina, Pulcinella, Scaramuccia, each region having its own representative mask.

Punch or Pulcinelle, became and is still the stock character in Neapolitan puppetry. He wears a white and black mask representing the opposites of life and death.

Arlecchino or Harlequin, is a crafty servant figure, a thief, a liar and a trickster. He always quarrels with his master and he is obsessed with money to get food in order to satisfy his enormous appetite. His costume is made up of colourful patches and the hare-tail on his cap indicates his cowardice.

Columbine, a very pretty and affectionate servant comes from Venice. She wears a ragged and patched dress and a white cap on her head. She usually does not wear a mask on her face.

Peppe Nappa is one of the most popular Sicilian masks. He wears a very simple bright blue suit with large sleeves and a hat. He is a lazy servant and a sluggard; a good-for-nothing person only interested in food.

“Opera dei Pupi “

The original stylistic and figurative structure of these Sicilian puppets tells the epic and chivalrous spirit of the clashes between the knights of Charlemagne and the Moors. They represent the thirst for justice of the less fortunate social classes. In 2001 the “Opera dei Pupi” was placed on UNESCO's Immaterial Heritage of Humanity.

According to Pirandello, a Sicilian playwright and Nobel Award, life is a stage on which each of us acts out a drama with him/ herself as a hero.

In fact his assumption ”all the world is a stage and all men and women merely players” is still effective.