Play Scripts
Plays are fully scripted shows featuring commedia dell'arte characters. Though they are now considered somewhat less traditional than the improvised scenari, there were published play scripts featuring the stock characters before there were published scenari. These free theater scripts are particularly useful for beginners, or for those who don't have a stable troupe of actors who know the arte, as well as being valuable resources for those who wish to study the behavior and speech of the characters in period texts.
To encourage production of commedia shows, all of these plays are free to be used for performance by anyone, without royalties. Plays and translations which are under copyright are only to be used for performance and may not be republished. You can even record your performance and sell that, but do not republish the text; and whatever you do, please remember to credit the authors and translators.
Musical notes (🎶) indicate at least one song is written into the script. Odds are, especially for older shows, that songs would have been expected to transpire between scene and act changes whether they were scripted or not. (In a theatre or temporary stage without a curtain or artificial light, this was the normal way to signal the end of an act.)
Plays are listed below chronologically. Translated plays are listed under the century belonging to the play they translate (so a 20th century translation of an 18th century play will be listed in the 1700s &c.)
1500s
Nicolo Machiavelli. Old Nicomaco intends to marry off his adopted daughter Clizia to his servant Pirro, with the expectation he will be able to bed her himself at his leisure. But his wife and son have other ideas. An early example of the Italian comedy and its Greek influence. 🎶
Anonymous. Enter the world of Jack Juggler, a mischievous jester seeking revenge against his nemesis, Jenkin Careaway, in a thrilling game of wit and trickery where nothing is as it seems and laughter reigns supreme. A late-medieval play in the early commedia style, and arguably the original Gaslight.
Giovanni Sinibaldi da Morro. Camillo loves the cruel beauty Lavinia, wife of Pantalone, and enlists his servant Giovan Farina to help woo her. Meanwhile Pantalone's servants, Bragatto and Agnesina, navigate their own love affairs.
Orazio Vecchi. (In Italian.) The first ever comic opera, featuring the beloved commedia characters. Presented in Google Books view with the original music. 🎶
1600s
Anonymous. Apparently conceived as a knockoff of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream, the play script concerns several lovers in difficulty, and the fairy's love-potion replaced with the inept Doctor's love-powder. Albertus the Merchant is an obvious Pantalone variant. 🎶
Miguel de Cervantes. A poor, love-struck soldier is determined to win against his rival, an assistant sacristan, in this one-act comedy. 🎶
Richard Brome. In the vibrant streets of Venice, Fabritio and Flavia plot their escape from arranged marriages, as they are both in love with others. Meanwhile, a mysterious and alluring courtesan, known as the Novella, captivates the attention of curious onlookers, with her virginity up for auction. 🎶
Aston Cockayne. Trappolin is banished from Florence for being a pimp; but it seems that he is given a second chance when a mysterious conjureman offers him the power to return in the guise of the Florentine Duke, Lavinio. 🎶
Moliere. Angélique is in love with Cléante and wants to marry him, but her father Argan, who is a hypochondriac, wants her to marry instead the son of a doctor so that he'll be able to get free medical treatment. It's up to Toinette, the housemaid, to ensure that Angélique can marry who she wants. 🎶
Moliere. In their fathers' absences, Octave has secretly married Hyacintha and Léandre has secretly fallen in love with Zerbinette. On returning, both fathers announce they have other marriage plans for their sons. Scapin, after hearing many pleas for help, comes to their rescue. Thanks to many tricks and lies, Scapin manages to come up with enough money from the parents to make sure that the young couples get to stay married. But, no one knows who Hyacintha and Zerbinette really are.
Edward Ravenscroft. Can the wise and witty Scaramouch bring about peace in this uproarious tale of love, artistry, and absurdity? Find out in this delightful theatrical romp filled with laughter and merriment. A 17th century remix of Moliere's plays, made for the English stage.
Aphra Behn. Doctor Baliardo, a Neapolitan philosopher, has so applied himself to the study of the Moon, and is enraptured to such an extent that he has come steadfastly to believe in a lunar world, peopled, ruled and regulated like the earth. This wholly fills and absorbs his every waking thought, and, in consequence, he denies his daughter Elaria and his niece Bellemante to their respective lovers -- the Viceroy's two nephews, Don Cinthio and Don Charmante -- as being men of men of mere terrestial mould. 🎶
Eustache le Noble. The elderly Gerontes seeks the hand of Isabella, and he enlists his servant, Harlequin, to assist; but confusion arises when Harlequin's twin brother unexpectedly arrives in town. 🎶
Claude-Ignace Brugiere de Barante. In this one-act play, Arlequin wants to marry Colombine, but cannot properly do so when her father has so recently died. 🎶
Peter Anthony Motteux. Pantalone's greed has ruined young Cynthio and prevents him from marrying Isabella. To teach Pantalone a lesson, Mezzetin, Colombina and others conspire to make him think he is being haunted by devils.
1700s
Carlo Goldoni. In Venice, Beatrice disguises herself as her dead brother to collect dowry money, aiming to help her lover escape and marry her. Truffaldino meanwhile navigates the chaos of serving two masters, leading to a tangled web of mistaken identities and romantic complications that ultimately culminate in the reunion of Beatrice and her lover.
Carlo Goldoni. Florindo loves his mentor’s daughter, Rosaura, but is too shy to admit this to her. Meanwhile, the lying son of Pantalone comes to town and begins taking credit for all of Florindo’s anonymous gifts to her, and at the same time spreads rumors that damage the marriage prospects of both Rosaura and her sister Beatrice. The 18th century Importance of Being Earnest. 🎶
Carlo Goldoni. In this heartwarming romantic comedy, witness the transformation of the grumpy Geronte as he overcomes his own disagreeable nature, leading to a series of unexpected twists and turns involving love, deception, and a grand feast, culminating in a delightful union of two young hearts.
Scriblerus. Doctor Balvard has gained considerable influence in the country of Barataria, and plans to force an inadequate diet of French cuisine and macaroni on its inhabitants.
Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais. Count Almaviva has come to Seville out of love for a girl he met in Madrid; but he finds that her guardian, Doctor Bartholo, is intending to marry her himself. With the help of the barber Figaro he tries to prevent the arranged match. 🎶
1800s
John Davidson. Scaramouch desires to have Bacchus himself star in his latest theatrical piece; meanwhile the schemings of Silenus interfere both with Scaramouch and with would-be lovers Ione and Sarmion. 🎶
1900s
Karl Vollmoeller. The very affecting history of the cruel Princess Turandot and the handsome Prince Calaf, who seeks her hand despite that she has executed all her prior suitors. 🎶
2000s
Talia Felix. Lucrezia and Cornelio seek to be married despite Lucrezia's engagement to Doctor Baloardo. However, Captain Sangre y Fuego desires the girl for himself. 🎶