What are some key ideas in commedia dell arte?
The commedia dell’arte was a form of popular theatre that emphasized ensemble acting; its improvisations were set in a firm framework of masks and stock situations, and its plots were frequently borrowed from the classical literary tradition of the commedia erudita, or literary drama.
What is improvisation in commedia dell arte?
It was principally improvisation that made commedia dell’arte performance famous. Improvisation provided a unique theatrical interest. Both imitation and memory were regarded not merely as skills of copying and reiteration but as arts of invention.
What are the main themes and issues of commedia dell arte?
Conventional themes in Commedia dell’Arte include jealousy, love and old age, while plot elements typically involve young lovers (innamorati in Italian) kept apart by various influences, such as the objections of an older generation (miserly parents or grandparents) called vechi.
Why is improvisation important in commedia dell arte?
It was principally improvisation that made commedia dell’arte performance famous. Improvisation provided a unique theatrical interest. We can appreciate this most particularly by seeing it within the context of Renaissance culture and its rhetorical tradition, a tradition that depended upon imitation and memory.
What did commedia actors use as a basis for their comic improvisations?
Performers made use of well-rehearsed jokes and stock physical gags, known as lazzi and concetti, as well as on-the-spot improvised and interpolated episodes and routines, called burle (singular burla, Italian for joke), usually involving a practical joke.
Why is Commedia dell’arte still important today?
Commedia Dell’Arte contributed to the social environment of early modern Italy by re-emphasizing social standards, bringing the people of the city together regardless of class, religion or ethnicity and highlighting the importance of the street.
Which Commedia dell’arte characters did not wear masks?
Innamorati usually wore no mask, soubrettes/servettas usually wore no mask, and some zanni like Mezzetin, Scaramouch and Pedrolino have a longer documented tradition for going unmasked than they do for covering their faces.
How are characters like masks in commedia dell’arte?
Most of the characters wear masks, but even those without masks (e.g. the Lovers) treat their personas as masks. In Commedia, the characteristics of a character (such as a walk, a pose, or a gesture) are just like wearing a mask. After you choose a category, you need to choose a character.
What are the three themes of commedia dell’arte?
Every commedia actor has a number of lazzi in their repertoire. A lazzi is a physical comedic bit in the middle of the play, unrelated to the plot. The three main themes for Commedia are love]
When did the commedia dell’arte form in Italy?
Commedia dell’arte is an improvised comedic theatre form that flourished in Italy in the 1500’s. The exact origins of Commedia are fuzzy and hard to pin down. There is not much documented previous to the 16th century.
What does a lazzi mean in commedia dell’arte?
A lazzi is a physical comedic bit in the middle of the play, unrelated to the plot. The three main themes for Commedia are love, money and food in the extreme – so that means lazzi are also taken to the extreme. They are acrobatic, exaggerated, and sometimes obscene.