Literally means “Comedy of the Artists” (professionals/craft) Commedia Dell ‘Arte Implies performances by professionals rather than courtly amateurs Picture – Commedia Dell Arte’ troupe in a Flemish painting Literally means “Comedy of the Artists” (professionals/craft)

Masks – refers to the actual characters as well as the half masks (not covering the mouth) all but the inamorti (lovers) wore Mime and gesture were very important Actors were highly skilled. Could act, sing, play instruments, tumble, juggle, dance Lazzi – comic bits of business, well known by the audience, each character had specialties Scenario – “on the scenery” plotline was pinned to the scenery Italian – began in the mid 1500s - at its height in the early to mid 17th century (1600’s) – continued into the 1700’s often performed outdoors (town square) for the common people – made fun of the rich and boastfully intelligent, Karel Dujardin, Commedia dell'Arte show (1657) (Louvre). the companies also rented rooms and performed at court – very versatile, used scenery if available, but just as easily not Families

Improvisation and Stock Characters Masks – refers to the actual characters as well as the half masks (not covering the mouth) all but the inamorti (lovers) wore Mime and gesture were very important Actors were highly skilled. Could act, sing, play instruments, tumble, juggle, dance Lazzi – comic bits of business, well known by the audience, each character had specialties Scenario – Improvisation and Stock Characters Actors worked from a plot outline –improvising dialogue and action SCENARIO “on the scenery” plotline was pinned to the scenery Karel Dujardin, Commedia dell'Arte show (1657) (Louvre). Each performer always played the same character that had fixed attributes and costume

Mime and gesture were very important Actors were highly skilled. Could act, sing, play instruments, tumble, juggle, dance Lazzi – comic bits of business, well known by the audience, each character had specialties Scenario – “on the scenery” plotline was pinned to the scenery Masks – refers to the actual stock characters as well as the half masks (not covering the mouth) that all but the innamorati (lovers) wore Karel Dujardin, Commedia dell'Arte show (1657) (Louvre).

Lazzi – comic bits of business, well known by the audience, each character had specialties Scenario – “on the scenery” plotline was pinned to the scenery Mime and gesture were very important Actors were highly skilled. Could act, sing, play instruments, tumble, juggle, dance Karel Dujardin, Commedia dell'Arte show (1657) (Louvre).

How much did they actually improvise? Lazzi – comic bits of business, well known by the audience, each character had specialties Scenario – “on the scenery” plotline was pinned to the scenery How much did they actually improvise? Each actor played the same character throughout his career LAZZI (LAZZO) – COMIC BITS – were standardized to the point of being indicated in scenarios (hat lazzo) Lovers (INAMMORATI) kept notebooks with quotes from popular literature and poetry Scenes ended with memorized rhymed couplets Karel Dujardin, Commedia dell'Arte show (1657) (Louvre).

Stock Characters (Comic Prototypes) Lazzi – comic bits of business, well known by the audience, each character had specialties Scenario – “on the scenery” plotline was pinned to the scenery Stock Characters (Comic Prototypes) Masked Masters – Pantalone, Il Dottore, Il Capitano Servants (Zanni) – Arlechinno, Brighella, Pedrolino Unmasked Columbina Innamorati Innamorata and Innamorato The Young Lovers Karel Dujardin, Commedia dell'Arte show (1657) (Louvre).

Commedia Dell ‘Arte Stock Characters

The Masters - Pantalone (Pantaloon) the decrepit old man, hunched over and arthritic, bad eyesight, bad hearing, bad breath, bad teeth, a very rich man but very miserly, often the father of an inamorati, or a lecher that courted an innamorti Mr. Burns from the Simpsons

Il Dottore (The Doctor) – usually a doctor of law, sometimes of medicine, usually fat, quite pompous, loved to show off his knowledge and pontificate. Famous gesture of 2 fingers raised. A fool in spite of all his knowledge – mispronounces Latin words, usually Pantalone’s friend or rival Prof. Farnsworth from Futurama “”Please, old friend, don’t jump. Use another method that won’t damage your liver. Other people need it, you know.”

Il Capitano – Spanish Captain, The Captain the braggart soldier, very boastful and egotistical, loves to show off for the ladies, a coward, so a loner to hide his cowardice Puss in Boots from Shrek

Zanni – 2 to 4 per troupe Can be singular or plural Generic or the name of an actual mask (character) Bottom of the pecking order - slow witted servant(s) who often lost things going from master to master The longer the nose, the stupider the zanni Gives us zany in English

The Servants (Zanni) Arlecchino (Harlequin) the crafty servant, very witty, dressed in colorful patchwork, a graceful mover, always got the girl. Carried a bat or slapstick Scuttles from The Little Mermaid

Brighella Always the first Zanni – the boss. On the social scale an inn or shopkeeper, but this gives him high status within the zanni. Can be evil, doesn’t mind bloodshed Bender Bending Rodriguez from Futurama Knife prop which he uses to steal money bags Dresses in white with green

Columbina (Columbine) servant girl, flirtatious and attractive, a dancer, graceful, daughter or servant of Pantalone or a Lover April from Parks and Recreation Babs Bunny from Tiny Toons

Pedrolino (Pierrot) Simpleminded, a hopeless romantic, lovelorn, starstruck always reaching for what is just out of his reach (like the moon or the girl), in love with the impossible, unsuccessful lover, victim of the other servants pranks. played without a mask Smithers, Simpsons Michael Bluth, Arrested Development

Innamorati (Lovers) no masks witty, handsome, well-educated young men and women OR naïve and not too bright Dressed in fashionable clothes of the day More interested in “love” than their lover Fight or bicker, but always get back together Aware of the audience Flirt Ask for advice Show off Complain about their problems Men – Flavio, Silvio, Leandro Women – Isabella, Aurelia, Emilia Smithers, Simpsons Michael Bluth, Arrested Development

The Companies had their own set of fixed characters Stories revolved around intrigue, disguises, cross-purposes had one or two pairs of lovers – when there were 2 sets, the contrasts were emphasized sometimes Pantalone was a rival of the innamorato Il Dottore – Pantalone’s friend or rival Il Capitano – often the unwelcome suitor 1-4 zanni (servants) Arlechinno was the most popular A typical scenario - boy loves girl, girl's father disapproves, boy gets girl with the help of a clever servant or two Smithers, Simpsons Michael Bluth, Arrested Development