Commedia dell 'Arte
A Brief History and Performance How-To for Middle- to High School Students
After
exploring this site through the options supplied below, you will have a
knowledge of many of the stock characters used in Commedia dell'Arte.
You are encouraged to choose a character to further study and rehearse
and use the scenarios on this site, and information you find elsewhere,
to complement what you, yourself bring to this theatrical tradition.
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History
Commedia
dell'Arte, Italian for play of professional artists, was a popular
form of entertainment in Italy during the Renaissance (the height of its
popularity was from 1550 to 1750). From Italy, Commedia gained great
popularity in other European countries, especially in France. Commedia
companies usually included ten actors--seven men and three women.
(It should be noted that this is at the same time as William Shakespeare
is writing his plays for an all male cast.) These performers played
for the public in open town squares. There were no scripts, only
written scenarios (in Italian, canovaccios) which
outlined the action. Using these sketches, the actors improvised
the dialogue and action, tailoring the show to that day's audience.
The actors in a Commedia troupe each focus on one character, who they play for the rest of their lives. These characters were stock types, meaning that the same characters appeared in every show. Each character had its own bit of lazzi, or business, which the audience would instantly recognize. Focusing on one character allows an actor to fuse his or her own personality with that of the individual they are playing. And, since the actors worked in close quarters for an extended period of time, they grew used to each others' portrayals. This allowed for easy improvisation and skillful comic interaction on the spur of the moment.
Commedia dell'Arte has had a distinct influence on comedy since its beginning. After its adoption in France, the effect was obvious in many plays, most notably those of Moliere. In his comedy Tartuffe, Moliere included the classic Commedia scenario involving a father arranging his daughter in a marriage to a man much older than she is. The daughter is, of course, already in love with a man her own age. Several of Commedia's stock characters are also present in Tartuffe, including the innocent lovers and the smart, wise-talking servant. These characters have also been adapted in other countries. One example of this is the still popular Punch and Judy show in England.
More recently, Commedia's influence can be seen in the Marx Brothers movies, where much of the action and dialogue is improvised. The brothers used standard lazzi and costumes, and fused them with their versions of the stock characters. Mainstream audiences of today can certainly recognize many of Commedia's stock characters in the cartoon The Simpsons. Homer, Bart, and Mr. Burns are all examples of these characters.