La Commedia

Welcome to the world of Commedia dell'arte, where the shows were made up and the scripts didn't matter! Back in the day when books were rarer than a unicorn, actors had to rely on their wit and improvisation skills to put on a good show. And boy, did they deliver!

Comedy through the art of improvisation was the name of the game. This type of theater evolved as a way to create a winning performance every time, following a relatively set structure and utilizing stock characters that the actors could specialize in playing. The better troupes were even patronized by nobility and funded by towns or cities during carnival time. Talk about fancy! And you know what's even cooler? Anyone could watch the performance for free. Donations were accepted, of course, but it was a "pass the hat" kind of situation. (Just like this website -- please donate if you find it useful!)

The commedia dell'arte was so successful that it infected all sorts of fancy-pants entertainment, like ballet and opera. That's right, even the hoity-toity folks couldn't resist the charm of slapstick and improvised hilarity. And let's not forget the influence it had on puppet shows, like the infamous Punch and Judy Show, starring commedia dell'arte favorites like Punch, The Doctor, and Scaramouche. This style of comedy was so contagious that it even shaped the way we tell stories in the Western world. Think about all those wacky sidekicks and cheesy love stories you see in movies and TV shows today -- they all owe a debt to the commedia dell'arte!

So, if you've got a knack for improvisation or a love for the stage, why not give Commedia dell'arte a try? We have techniques for makeup, mask making and how to play the roles. Who knows, you might just become the next Isabella or Dionisio and achieve fame and fortune beyond your wildest dreams!

The actual term "Commedia dell'arte" was coined in the mid-18th century. Even the best translation for the term is debated -- Altieri's dictionary of the era translates the word arte as art, science, skill, address, as well as cunning, subtlety, craftiness, or slyness. The term appears to reference its technical properties. Perhaps it is the "cunning comedy?" It should be noted that by this time, fully scripted shows featuring the stock characters had been around for hundreds of years, and mute pantomime variations were already being played. The older name for this type of theatre in English was simply Italian Comedy.

Commedia dell'arte is often portrayed as improvised street performance, but many early plays were actually performed at courts and theaters, and theatrical scripts that include the stock characters exist from the 16th century. The earliest documented record of commedia dell'arte style performances dates back to Rome in 1551, but these performances were likely lacking some of the traits we would expect to see now. 

One notable aspect of commedia dell'arte was that women played female roles, which was uncommon at the time. However, some critics opposed the presence of actresses, associating them with immoral behavior. Despite these criticisms, actresses became a regular part of Italian theater by the end of the 17th century.

Over time, commedia dell'arte performances became more structured and formulaic. Books written during the 17th century provided guidelines for acting and character portrayal, resulting in a more formulaic and stylized approach. In France, the Comédie-Italienne theater adapted the form, creating new masks and characters while removing some Italian ones.

During the 18th century, commedia dell'arte evolved further. The form began to incorporate more pantomime elements and emotional depth. Harlequin, a popular character, gained prominence during this period, with a contemporary account asserting he is "always made the hero of the piece."

In the 20th century, various theater practitioners were drawn to commedia dell'arte as they sought to move away from naturalistic theater styles which, mirroring the art scene of the time, had come to be seen as old fashioned and kitsch. This modernized form of the commedia tended to put emphasis on movement, masks and mimery over the humor and storytelling, and incorporated elements from other theatre styles like Japanese Noh plays.

Overall, commedia dell'arte is a theatrical tradition with ancient influences that flourished during the Renaissance, featuring masked stock characters and comedic performances.

Play Scripts and Stories

Commedia dell'arte is arguably the original romcom. The most traditional plots and stories of the commedia dell'arte are those in which the innamorati are in love and wish to be married, but a vecchio or several vecchi are preventing this from happening, leading the lovers to ask one or more zanni (eccentric servants) for help. Typically the story ends happily, with the marriage of the innamorati and all around forgiveness for any wrongdoings. There are countless variations on this story: examples in our library includes The Imaginary Invalid, The Barber of Seville, and Combat of the Masks. There are also many that diverge wholly from this structure: examples in our library include Trappolin Supposed a Prince, The Tomb of Master Andre and The Liar. In the earlier plays and scenari, it's not unusual that the show's inamorata is already married to the vecchio, as in Bragatto. In these cases the plot concerns the inamorato's attempts to seduce her or to prolong a relationship despite the marriage -- this would resemble medieval courtly love stories that were familiar to audiences of the time. In early commedia it's also not irregular for the inamorata to be a courtesan (similar to a prostitute but with higher expectations of both parties).

Many of the standard theatrical plot elements can be followed back to the ancient Roman comedies of Plautus and Terence, some of which were translations themselves of lost Greek comedies. Song and dance were widely used, and the first ever comic opera used the commedia characters. Performers made use of well-rehearsed jokes and stock physical gags, known as lazzi, usually involving a practical joke. Since the productions were improvised, dialogue and action could easily be changed to satirize local scandals, current events, or regional tastes, while still using old gags and punch lines. 

Perhaps due to actors mistaking the intentions of scenari that contained no dialogue, the commedia developed into a kind of mute pantomime in the 18th century. In English speaking countries, it came to be exclusively associated with this type of show until 20th century revivals.