The Origins of Theatre

Ancient Greeks

Commedia Dell’Arte

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•Pantalo

ne•Elderly Venetian merchant and the father of one of the lovers•Obsessed with money•Mean and miserable •Costume: tight-fitting red vest, red breeches and stockings, soft slippers, a black ankle-length coat, a soft, brimless cap, a brown mask with a large hooked nose, and a scraggly grey beard

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 tricked•Dressed in academic cap and gown of the time

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 unwelcome suitor to one of the young women

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, a stunning acrobat and dancer•Could usually be found in the middle of any intrigue•Illiterate, but pretends to read

•Costume: evolved from a suit with irregularly placed multicolored patches into one with a diamond-shaped red, green, and blue pattern, a rakish hat above a black mask, and a slapstick

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 well-

rehearsed comic action such as:• Sententious remarks • Figures of speech• Love discourses• Rebukes

LazziUsed 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