Commedia DelArte (Comedy of profession/art) Is part of a form of theatre that originated in Italy.

Often assoiciated with masks, to create physical characters. Focuses more on the body than the facial expressions. It is mainly based from an unwritten script or improvised drama. One good exmple is how people see clowns today. This colorul and extremely theatrical art form is based on the interaction of traditional stock characters in improvised scenarios that facilitate a comic plot to arrive at a humorous climax. These Italian street performers, donning masks with exaggerated comic features to draw additional attention to themselves and complement their physical and acrobatic skills, eventually teamed up in troupes of actors often with a traveling stages to firmly establish commedia These commedia troupes performed for and were accesible to all social classes. Language was no barrier, with their skillful mume, sterotyped stock characters traditional lazzis (signature stunts gags and pranks, masks brad physical gestures improvised dialogue and clowning they became widley accepted wherever they traveled. In later years, the tradition spread all over Europe, evetualy adopting a major French infuelce where many of the scenarios were scripted into commedia delarte Actors, writers, compsers, painters and artists of all kinds have been inspoired by the work of this. Some most obvious infuences are by the work of Elizabethan dramatists, Moliere, Callot, Watteau, Cezanne, Picasso, Charlie Chapilin, The Marx Brothers, Early 20 th Centrury First Character: Arlechinno - A jester like character wearing like a clown or harliquin type costume. Usually an acrobatic and childlike. Second Character: Capitano - A caricature of the professional soldier - bold swaggering and cowardly. Columbina - Usually the servant of the Inamorata Pantalone - A Venetian merchent, rich and retired, mean and miserly with a young wife or an adventerous daughter. Pedrollino - A french Pierrot, is a type of character that is very simpleminded and a honest servant. He is usually a young and personable valet. Pedrolino functions as an unseccessful lover and a victim of the pranks that are done by his fellow comedians.

The clothes he normally wears consists of a white jacket with a neck ruff and large buttons down the front, loose trousers, and a hat with a wide, floppy brim. His loose and baggy clothes are hand-me-downs and too large for him. The sleeves are too long for him to reveal his hands. Unlike most of the stock characters on stage, he plays without a mask however, his face is whitened with powder. The small mask covering the eyes only, like a raccoon mask or Lone ranger/Zorro mask. Props that he might have in hand depends on the scenario he is in. Depending his role in it, he may be carrying props that reveal his intention, such as a flower, or a weapon if he is trying to intimidate someone. He uses youthful and fidgety, gestures and are usually huge but come off as small due to the large costume. Feet are in third position, not too much movement and stress on the knees. Elbows are bent, hands are kept up and active. He walks in direct, straight lines. Head moves like a chicken and elbows up. Walks in a straight line infuencing a chicken with his head pecking the ground until he arrives at his set destination and looks up. This kind stance leaves him vunerable and a potential for him to be suprised, shock, etc. Arms are loose and hanging along sides, legs stiff and straight Hands hidden in his long sleeves and arms up in the air as if a string puppet or marionette As a Peppe-Nappa double jointed poses or movements Imitating Capitano Feet open and arms folded with sleeves hanging down. He is always very energentic. As a Peppe-Nappa, performed with swift, double jointed movements.. As Pierrot he was known for his ability to execute sudden acrobatic turns. Zanni. Generally a likable simple character who sometimes imitated the Captain. Energetic, he pretended to be mute. No mask. Gordon In pieces where Pedrolino is in love with Franseschina, which were created by Flaminio Scala, there is a tenderness and sensitiveness more characteristic of the lovers in the aristocratic pastorals of the period than of the kind of companions and assistant to whom Pedrolino was accustomed. He was non-the-less a comic character. Duchartre When Franceschina deceives him outrageously he shoulders the blame and dissolves into tears of self-reproach for sins he has never committed. And when Pedrolino is induced by Harlequin to play tricks on Pantalone or the Doctor he is in evitably the only one ever caught or punished. Although he is often beaten by his masters, his hardshiops never have much effect upon his appetite. Lives in his own world in the world of Commedia, and is too embarrassed to face the audience. Shane His voice is light and lilting, in contrast to Arlechinno. It is very easy to make his inflections camp, but this is not correct and can create wrong assumptions in the spectator. Rudlin He was sometimes mute. - Gordon

Research: - Character Description - Physical Characteristics - Costume/Masks/Props - (Influences - animals) - History