Act 1

ACT ONE: Street outside Flavio’s house

SCENE ONE: Pantalone, Flavio, Lavinia*

Flavio and Lavinia are in love and wish to be married. However, Lavinia’s father, superstitious Pantalone, refuses to let the marriage occur because Flavio’s family home is said to be haunted. Flavio and Lavinia plead, insisting that the hauntings are only a rumor, but Pantalone won’t hear it. He leaves.

SCENE TWO: Flavio, Lavinia*

The lovers lament their situation. Flavio promises to come up with a solution. Lavinia is called away by her father, offstage.

SCENE THREE: Flavio, Mezzetino

Flavio goes to his house and calls for his servant, Mezzetino, and tells him that he intends to sell the house to appease Pantalone. Mezzetino is ordered to make up a For Sale sign and post it in front of the house. Mezzetino tries to change Flavio’s mind, without success.

SCENE FOUR: Mezzetino, alone

Mezzetino admits to the audience that the reason he doesn’t want to move is because he has set up a side business, without Flavio’s knowledge, of giving “haunted house” tours during the night. He makes more off of the tourists than he does as Flavio’s valet, and doesn’t want to lose the extra income.

SCENE FIVE: Mezzetino, Flavio

Mezzetino calls Flavio back, telling him that he has a plan to win Pantalone over without selling the house. Since both Flavio and Mezzetino know that the house isn’t really haunted, they will invite Pantalone over to see this, and at the same time show off Flavio’s fabulous wealth, hopefully impressing Pantalone sufficiently. Flavio agrees, and Mezzetino goes off to announce the invitation.

ON TO ACT TWO

*When this was performed for Commedia dell'Arte Day 2011, it was discovered these two scenes staged better in reverse, i.e. Scene 1 is the lover's lament, then Scene 2 is Pantalone's entrance and complaints which end with him taking Lavinia away.