Insights into Italian Commedia dell'arte Traditions
A discussion on the unique characteristics of Italian commedia dell'arte, encompassing the challenges of dialects, minimalist staging with creative prop use, the art of improvisation, stock characters, and the iconic figure of Arlecchino. The performers' ability to improvise, employ comedic elements, and engage with the audience defined this theatrical form.
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There was a vast number of Italian dialects, so how would a touring company make itself understood? Apparently, there was no attempt made to change the performance's dialect from region to region. Even when a local company performed, much of the dialogue would not have been understood.
Props There were no elaborate sets in commedia. Staging, for example, was minimalistic rarely anything more than one market or street scene There were no elaborate sets in commedia. Staging, for example, was minimalistic rarely anything more than one market or street scene There were no elaborate sets in commedia. Staging, for example, was minimalistic rarely anything more than one market or street scene Props Prop There were no elaborate sets in commedia. Staging, for example, was minimalistic rarely anything more than one market or street scene and the stages were frequently temporary outdoor structures. Instead, great use was made of props including animals, food, furniture, and weapons. The character Arlecchino bore two sticks tied together, which made a great noise on impact. This gave birth to the word "slapstick."
The unique talent of commedia players was to improvise comedy around a pre established scenario. Responding to each other, or to audience reaction, the actors made use of the lazzi (special rehearsed routines that could be inserted into the plays at convenient points to heighten the comedy), musical numbers, and impromptu dialogue to vary the happenings on stage.
The characters had costumes, stock gestures and stage business which could be used to create a laugh. An important part of every play, given always to the most expert and popular actors, were the humorous interruptions (lazzi) which often had nothing to do with the play itself. It might be clever pantomimic acting, acrobatic feats, juggling, or wrestling. As Commedia progressed, each character developed a standard set of phrases and mannerisms that could be used when the actor s wit could find nothing better.
The actors of the commedia represented fixed social types. The following are the basic 9 stock characters:
Arlecchino the most famous. He was an acrobat and a childlike wit. He wore a cat like mask and motley colored clothes and carried a bat or wooden sword.
Brighella Arlecchino's crony, was more roguish and sophisticated, a cowardly villain who would do anything for money.
Il Capitano A caricature of the professional soldier bold, swaggering, and cowardly.
Il Dottore A caricature of learning pompous and fraudulent.
Pantalone A caricature of the Venetian merchant, rich and retired, mean and miserly, with a young wife or an adventurous daughter.
A whitefaced, moonstruck dreamer and the forerunner of today's clown.
Pulcinella A dwarfish humpback with a crooked nose, the cruel bachelor who chased pretty girls.
Wore no mask and had to be eloquent in order to speak the love declamations.
Columbina The servant of Inamorata was the beloved of Harlequin (Arlecchino). Witty, bright, and given to secrets.
Loyal, hardworking, dependable servant. In love with Columbina, who doesn t love him. The sad clown.
The audience was able to pick up from each character's dress the type of person he 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. The zanni (precursor to clown) Arlecchino, for example, would be immediately recognizable because of his black mask and patchwork costume. While the inamorato 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. Regardless of where they toured, commedia dell'arte conventions were recognized and adhered to.
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. Today in Italy handcrafted theater masks are still created in the ancient tradition of carnacialesca. .
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.
The impact of commedia dellarte on European drama can be seen in pantomime and harlequinade clowning. William Shakespeare and Moliere were the most famous writers to use the stock characters created in commedia dell arte.
