Commedia dell'Arte

Since the birth of theatre, comedy has often been at its best when reaching
directly to the people for whom it was conceived and performed. Popular
comedy, as this genre is often referred to, has survived and evolved
through the ages, adapting to the tastes, costumes and mores of the times,
progressively incorporating new elements, and exploiting successfully new
media.

A notable offshoot of this long tradition, the Commedia dell'Arte, was born
in the Italy of the 16th century, and spread very quickly all over Europe,
playing a crucial and significant role in the evolution of theatre in
various western countries. Shakespeare, Moliere and Goldoni are but a few
examples of the many playwrights influenced by this style of theatre.
The Commedia dell'Arte appealed to the hearts and souls of the common
townspeople. Itinerant actors donned colourful masks and improvised their
lines while portraying characters that personified the public virtues,
secret vices, petty jealousy and hidden desires of the men and women of
their times. The simple plots, the stock characters, and above all the
actors' skilful improvisation established the Commedia dell'Arte as a genre
that has survived and progressively evolved, and that, in its latest
adaptation, can be found today in theatres, movies and television.

Main Features and Characters of Commedia dell' Arte:

Characters:

Arlecchino (Truffaldino)

Arlecchino was one of the first characters of the Commedia dell'Arte. His
family history stretches back to the original devil masks, as
shown by the shape of a carbuncle on his forehead. The French adopted
Arlecchino and changed his name to the more familiar Harlequin. Arlecchino
is the numbskull clown/slave who gave the world slapstick comedy . He is
either completely stupid, or has the wit and cunning of a seven year old
brat. He is a master of disguise, extremely agile and acrobatic. He always
enjoys what he sees- for him everything is a game. He does not think of the
future and quickly forgets what is out of sight. He acts first and then
thinks, if he thinks at all. Flinching is  a second nature for Arlecchino,
he is always watching out for blows . His movements are jerky and
defensive. He moves in a zigzag skip, almost like a dance.

Arlecchino's costume consisted  originally of breeches and a long jacket
laced in front, covered with random patches of tatters in different colours
to denote poverty. It wasn't until the 17th Century that the patches took
the form of blue, red and green triangles arranged in a symmetrical
pattern. At the end of the 17th Century, the French transformed the
triangles into lozenges, and the jacket was shortened. In his belt was the
slapstick that he proudly wore like a sword.

Brighella

Brighella is the most disturbing character of the Commedia dell'Arte.
Murder and theft are second nature to him, the dagger being a substitute
for the slapstick. The audience accepts his evil and comic rascality
because it is broad and aimed at his favourite enemy, the aristocracy.
Brighella is a man of great charisma but no conscience. He is always on
hand if there is intrigue afoot. He will attempt anything, no matter how
unscrupulous, with ingenuity and wit. On the prowl, he has the grace of a
tiger; when cornered, the cunning of a rat; and he possesses the skill and
agility of a monkey. He sings, plays the guitar and knows how to dance.

In the 18th Century Brighella lost his lust for adventure and tended to
keep his knife in its sheath. Brighella's costume, at first, consisted of a
cap, loose-fitting white shirt and baggy trousers, common to all comics. As
the character matured, though, his jacket and trousers were tailored to
become a servants' livery, and were decorated with green braids.

Capitano (Captain)

Spain dominated Italy under the rule of Charles V from 1520 to 1559.
Commedia dell' Arte performers found a perfect way to ridicule their
oppressors by portraying the Captain as a Spaniard. This bombastic fellow
is extravagant in his outward appearance, only to hide his poverty and
insecurities. He is full of fanciful boasts about the men that he has cut
and carved, and the fair hearts he has slain. He is vain about his supposed
good looks and is convinced he can conquer any lady he chooses; but his
pathetic cowardice is without limits. Even the slightest glimpse of
Arlecchino with his slapstick sends the Captain into a frenzy of fear. The
Captain struts  boldly, chest out and head high, eager to show off his long
legs and handsome figure. But when frightened, a run on the spot with arms
and legs flapping is a common sight.

The Captain's costume consists of tight red and yellow trousers, a loose
yellow shirt, often made of silk, a short flowing red cape and a plumed
hat. The Captain is never without his long sword, an ironic symbol of his
supposed valour and courage.

Dottore (Doctor)

The Doctor is a pompous, Latin-spouting academic from Bologna. In the
mistaken belief that erudition commands respect, the Doctor has dedicated
his life to learning everything, but he understands nothing. The Doctor
takes himself very seriously, meddling in everyone's business, forever
prescribing and explaining. He is constantly misquoting classic quotations,
and is fluent in his native tongue, either an obscure foreign language, or
gibberish. With his "gift of the gab", the Doctor can talk his way out of
any situation; much like a politician. This superficial character sways as
he walks with short steps, symbolically affecting a daintiness that is not
his. He shares some qualities with his good friend, Pantalone: he is old,
easily falls victim to the pranks of his servants and wages countless,
unsuccessful amorous adventures with young ladies.

Originally portrayed as a physician, this character was later played as a
lawyer, astronomer, mathematician or logician. In keeping with the dress of
the real professors of the University of Bologna in the 16th Century, the
Doctor's costume is black with white collar and cuffs, covered with a large
black cape. A black skull cap fits over the mask covering the actor's hair.
Eventually a very wide brimmed hat was introduced and became part of this
characters' traditional attire.

The Male Lover

Like the women, the male Lovers do not wear masks as they have no
particular character. Their sole purpose is to be in love. These youthful,
sentimental, scheming and handsome gentlemen are experts in the art of
courtship and are prolific writers of sonnets. They love and despair, are
suspicious and jealous. There are usually two sets of Lovers to keep the
romantic interest alive.

The Lovers always wear the latest fashions of the day. Popular Lovers were:
Flavio, Lelio and Ottavio.

Magnifico

The origins of Magnifico's character can be traced back to the Roman comedy
writers of 200BC, Plautus and Terence. Magnifico became a full fledged
character in the early 1500's alongside Arlecchino. Little is known of him,
though it is certain that he came to embody the distinct characteristics of
a magician and man of wisdom. As with most men of wisdom, Magnifico is
shrouded in mystery. It is thought that his brief appearances throughout
the history of Commedia dell'Arte reflect his elusive appearances through
history as Merlin, or the Tarot Magician, or possibly even Mandrake. So it
was that Magnifico came to possess the powers to travel through  time, to
construct worlds anew and to offer solace to those in need.

Created to represent the symbolic nature of his influence, Magnifico's
garments and setting were researched from the Tarot, scant etchings and
artists'
impressions of the 16th century. His inner purity and equilibrium, and the
fire of his purposeful activity are reflected in the colours of his
garments. The
staff represents his flaming will with which he controls the four elements
symbolised by the sword (air), the cup (water), the wand (fire) and the
coin
(earth). Using these tools and his timeless wisdom, Magnifico can conjure
powerful magic to transform fear and ignorance into laughter and
compassion.
This is Magnifico's eternal quest.

Pantalone

Pantalone is the retired Venetian merchant. He is portrayed either as a
bachelor, constantly making a fool of himself with young girls; or as a
married man with a grown family, trying to marry his daughter to a man of
wealth, yet without providing her with a dowry. Pantalone is cheap,
ridiculous and gullible. So sensitive to the value of money, he is an
abject slave to it. But no matter how careful he is with his purse, he can
easily be duped, particularly by his servant who, more often than not, is
Arlecchino. Despite his anger and frustrations, Pantalone is a peace loving
man with a gentle heart who could never bring himself to kill anyone. This
may be due to his being a descendant of Magnifico. Although Pantalone is
arthritic and his body is stooped with age, he
can still display baffling outbreaks of agility  induced by his fury. A
ridiculous back fall is his reaction to bad news. He takes his pratfalls
with all the vigour of youth and then immediately returns to the posture of
old age with asthmatic panting.

From the early 1500's, Pantalone's costume has been tight-fitting red
trousers, a loose white shirt and a tight-fitting , short, red jacket. He
often wears a black cape lined in red, with wide elbow length sleeves and a
black skull cap. Pantalone's  belt always holds  a money pouch and a
dagger, improperly worn between his legs for its comic effect.


Pulcinella

Pulcinella (Punchinello) is a selfish, schizoid rascal who combines
empty-headed folly with cruelty. Without any morals or scruples, Pulcinella
will concoct outrageous schemes to satisfy his animal-like lust and
gluttony. As Pulcinella is the direct descendant of two characters from the
Roman theatre, Bucco and Maccus, he has a dual personality and constantly
changes to suit one or the other of his predecessors. On occasion, several
Pulcinellas will perform on stage together, indicating the extent of his
schizophrenia. In spite of the confusion of identity, Pulcinella is
self-sufficient, quick and witty, yet he is also coarse, vulgar, obscene,
dishonest and debauched. Pulcinella was not only popular in Naples, his
birth place, but also  in England, where Pulcinella's name became
Punchinello, which eventually spun off  Punch, of  Punch and Judy.

Pulcinella is very easily recognisable. His physical appearance began with
a broad hump on his shoulder and a pot-belly. As his character evolved so
did the hump, until he was doubly humped, with an extended belly to balance
his carriage. Pulcinella is well-known for his bizarrely-paced, bent,
rooster-like gait and hen-like voice. Pulcinella's costume is typical of
the Zanni (see further down) set: loose-fitting white shirt and trousers
with a conical hat. The only exception is that his sleeves cover his hands,
symbolising his hatred of physical labour.

The Women

Whether they be servants, daughters, wenches or lovers, the women never
wear masks. This is mainly due to the fact that, as women were barred from
the stage for so long, female roles were not developed to any great extent.
However, some of the women that were eventually developed in the Commedia
dell' Arte became characters in their own right.

These included Colombina and Isabella. Colombina is often portrayed as
Pantalone's servant wench who has frequent affairs with Arlecchino,
sometimes becoming his bride.

Isabella, on the other hand, is often seen as Pantalone's daughter. She
enjoys courting male Lovers, but Pantalone is determined to marry her off
to the
highest bidder, always against her will.

Until the Renaissance, when no expense was spared on magnificent and
intricate dresses,  women's costumes, especially those of the servants,
were simple and inexpensive.

The History

The Commedia dell' Arte masks originated from the days when numerous fairs
were organised in conjunction with popular and religious festivals to mark
seasons changes, celebrate the harvest and invoke the blessings of
benevolent nature and the Gods.

Commedia dell' Arte originated in the market places and the Italian streets
of the early 1500's. Street performers began donning masks with exaggerated
comical features to draw attention to themselves and to complement their
acrobatic skills. The characters they created became affectionately known
as Zanni. It wasn't until two Zanni performers teamed up that Commedia
dell' Arte really took root, and by 1550 it had become a firmly established
genre.

The first two characters, Arlecchino and Brighella were portrayed as
belonging to the servant class. The performing troupes were accessible to
all social classes and the subject matter was always contemporary. With the
mask concealing their identity, the performers could ridicule any aspect of
society and its  institutions. No-one was safe.

Ironically, the more trouble the troupes were in, the more popular and
successful they became. Even though troupes travelled away from their
homeland,
language was no barrier. Skilful mime and Zanni antics conveyed the story
lines to audiences throughout Europe. So strong was their influence , that
performers from other countries began to imitate the Zanni style. The
French, in particular, heartily adopted the Commedia dell' Arte, which they
called "Italian Comedy". Its popularity knew no limits, until the Gelosi
troupe finally took its insulting frivolity too far and all Commedia dell'
Arte troupes were banned for 30 years. However, this did not stop  writers
in France, like Moliere, from scripting scenarios and plays, which, in
return, influenced the development of Commedia dell' Arte in Italy.

Commedia dell' Arte continued to be a pervasive influence in theatrical
arts. The reliance on stereotyped characters, masks, broad physical
gestures,
improvised dialogue and clowning represented the very essence of  theatre.
Without the ingenuity of these crazy Italians, Shakespeare may not
have been inspired to write "As You Like It", "Twelfth Night, "The
Tempest", "Merchant of Venice", and "Much Ado about Nothing". This comic
tradition continued through vaudeville, and its influence can be seen in
the likes of Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers, Buster Keaton and Harold
Lloyd. Even today slapstick humour is evident in the work of John Cleese,
Rowan Atkinson, the Young Ones, Doug Anthony All Stars, Mel Brooks, Gene
Wilder. The list goes on and without doubt will continue to do so.


Companies

As travelling performers, the Commedia dell' Arte actors had to ensure
their independence. They would travel with family and pets; and all the
necessary equipment and appurtenances, including curtains, backdrop,
costumes and stage properties, were transported by cart.

These carts were designed to be quickly and easily transformed into
performance stages, complete with storage and backstage areas. Actors
entered through splits in the curtain. The height of the cart was designed
to allow the audience furthest away a comfortable view. Scenes of public
squares, meeting places and streets in perspective view were commonplace in
backdrop designs.

During the Renaissance, Italians developed a taste for lavish and
extravagant productions. This contributed to the birth of Opera, which
employed all kinds of mechanical devices and bizarre settings, as well as
ballets, concerts and farces. The Commedia dell'Arte was often used within
the performance or as an interlude. Involvement in the Opera greatly
influenced the colour and fantasy of Commedia dell' Arte. Elaborate stage
settings, mechanical
devices, fountains and fireworks became an integral part of performances
during the 17th Century.

Scenarios

Commedia dell'Arte began as spontaneous improvisations, and it remained
largely faithful to that tradition. The plot outline, few lines of set
dialogue, or
specific stage instructions, are scribbled on paper and simply pegged in
the wings for the actors as an aid to memory, and guide to improvisations.
Today
only a handful of the original scenarios exist. Those that remain are
unremarkable and would seem inane if produced on a modern stage. They
belong to
the period in which they were written. More to the point,  there was no
intention of them lasting longer than the performance night,  and they were
often burnt. However, fifty scenarios of Flaminio Scala (from the Gelosi
troupe) were published in 1611 and have since been translated into English.
The principal value of this collection lies in the fact that it represents
the best of the repertoire of the most famous of all Commedia dell' Arte
troupes.

Improvisation

Improvisation has been the single most important unifying element
throughout the history and the multitude of transformations of the Commedia
dell'Arte. It is the real thread that runs through this type of theatre,
even with Italian comedians using radically different techniques,
especially after they emigrated abroad.

Improvisation as a unifying force in theatre from the mid 16th century to
the late 18th century demonstrates a great continuity that establishes it
as a unique type of theatre, with is own style and genre. The techniques of
improvisation, that Italians master so well, has been developed from one
generation to the next and is the key to the Commedia dell'Arte, like a
manufacturing secret.

If improvisation was the key to the development of a new form of theatre in
the 16th century, why is it that Italian comedians started playing "all'
improvviso"? Can the play of the comedians be considered improvised? These
questions bear directly on the fundamentals of the history of theatre. The
Commedia dell'Arte was born out of a vulgarisation of erudite theatre,
which typically only served as a pretext for showing-off the art of an
actor on his inspired days.

Commedia dell'Arte comedians managed to elevate vulgarised theatre, up to
then considered a low level activity and to present it to the ruling class,
the aristocracy and royalty. The comedians even got successfully involved
in battles against the powerful catholic moral of those days, the
Counter-Reformation. It is thus that the mask, already used at the medieval
carnivals, becomes an instrument, a tool, as that used by a craftsman. The
Commedia dell'Arte converted the actor into an artisan of the theatre, who
transformed everyday things into tools of stage craft. The "Kenton" were
like
toolboxes, carefully guarded by each comedian, containing gags, scenes and
"lazzi" that they could use when the moment came to improvise and that they
transmitted from one generation to the next. If artistic expression arises
out of adapting reality, a search for a public and the need to cultivate
its tastes, then the Commedia dell'Arte serves this purpose very admirably
with its personification of universal types, its parody and direct
language.

The world of the Commedia dell'Arte can always be reduced to basic
situations: conflicts between generations, the struggle for power, romantic
intrigues and differences in social levels, love, sex, hunger. The old rich
miser today becomes a narrow minded bourgeois (the modern Pantalone) and
Harlequin, lost amongst the pots and pans in a 16th century kitchen, can
today get himself hopelessly entangled in electronic gadgetry. To what
extent is there a "Commedia dell'Arte - type" in each of us, and in the
people around us?