COMMEDIA DELL’ARTEYear 9 Drama: Making – Forming and Performing

INTRODUCTION

Elements of Commedia have made their way into almost every theatrical form from the writings of Shakespeare, to opera, puppet theatre and pantomime, to the work of the Marx Brothers and Rowan Atkinson. The fast pace and improvisatory nature of Commedia dell’Arte, along with its use of stock characters, make it incredibly accessible to a young audience.

Focussing on Presentational, non-realist drama, students will be introduced to Commedia dell’Arte as a historical form of presentational drama.

Throughout this unit, students will be able to develop skills of drama language; voice and movement in the process of shaping the elements of drama to interpret this form or performance and characterisation. Students will develop contextual knowledge of how drama conventions are applied and recognise the impact Commedia dekk’Arte had on later styles of presentational drama.

PRESENTATIONAL DRAMAThis term, students will be introduced to Presentational drama through the style of theatre, Commedia dell’Arte. Students will be encouraged to think differently about prior performance styles explored and create meaning through non-realist performance styles. In studying Commedia dell’Arte, students are able to explore an approach to Presentation performance through a larger than life physical acting style that relies on exaggeration and broadness of gesture tinged with light-hearted, comedic values.

Individual Making: Forming TaskWorking in role as playwright you are to write and present an original concept as a multimodal pitch, combining spoken word with a digital presentation that includes moving or still images. Your vision will outline an original Commedia dell’Arte scenario of your making, starring two-four stock characters and showcasing your understanding of the style of theatre.

Individual Making: Performing TaskAs a group, you will then select a concept and enact the Commedia dell’Arte scenario created. You will use conventions of Commedia dell’Arte to do so, inspired by the chosen concept. You will be assessed individually.

COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE: HISTORICAL CONTEXTCommedia dell’Arte, also known as “Italian comedy”, was a humorous theatrical presentation performed by professional players who travelled in troupes throughout Italy in the 16th century. Commedia troupes included women and children, at a time with males had traditionally played all roles; a development that would influence modern acting conventions. The traveling Commedia troupes consisted of 12 or so professional performers and each specialised in a single character.

In spite of a range of dialects spoken throughout Italy at that time, there was no attempts made to change the performance’s dialect from region to region. Even when a local company formed, much of the dialogue would not have been understood. Regardless of region, il Capitano would have spoken in Spanish, il Dotorre in Bolognese, and Arlecchino in utter gibberish. The focus was placed on the physical business rather than on spoken text.

COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE: HISTORICAL CONTEXTPerformances took place on temporary stages, mostly on city streets, but occasionally even in court venues. Music, witty dialogue and all kinds of mischief contributed to the comic effects. As a result, the art form spread throughout Europe. Commedia conventions and characters found their way into other theatre traditions, such as the British “panto”, which flourished from the 18th century, American clown routines, minstrel shows and in the French character Pierrot (an icon of early 20th century with his evocative white face and silent gesture) and in Bip (the white-faced clown created by the legendary French mime, Marcel Marceau).

COMMEDIA: PERFORMANCE CONVENTIONSPROPSThere were no elaborate sets in Commedia. Staging, for example, was minimalistic – rarely anything more than one market or street scene – and the stages were frequently temporary outdoor structures. Instead, great use was made of props including animals, food, furniture, watering devices and weapons. The character Arlecchino carried a battacchio, two thin strips of wood tied together, which made a great noise on impact. This gave birth to the word “slapstick”, and went on to define a style of physical comedy.Today, we refer to slapstick as humorous, exaggerated violence and extreme physical comedy.

https://www.britannica.com/art/slapstick-comedy

COMMEDIA: PERFORMANCE CONVENTIONSSLAPSTICKWhat is slapstick comedy?• Boisterous comedy• Light and humorous drama• Involves an enormous amount of

exaggerationSlapstick comedy sees characters:• slip on items on the ground• trip over low-lying props• walk into unseen objects• accidentally run into characters• be hit by moving objects held by other

performers• sit on chairs removed beneath them for

another purpose.Slapstick’s humour centres on its physicality and violence. Slapstick characters should be kept simple, stereotyped and even caricatured for comic effect.

The conventions of slapstick comedy include?• Improbable situations• Practical jokes• Chases• Unrealistic action• Extreme physicality• Comical trips or collisions• Pratfalls• Exaggerated violence

Examples of slapstick comedy include:• The Marx Bros, • The Three Stooges and • Laurel and Hardy

Barney Oldfield's Race for Life(1913), Mabel's New Hero (1913), Mabel at the Wheel (1914), Tillie's

Punctured Romance (1914), Dough and Dynamite (1914), W. C. Fields

shorts The Dentist (1932), The Pharmacist, and The Barber Shop

(both 1933).

VIDEO FOOTAGE HTTPS://THEATRENERDS.COM/TRACING-MODERN-COMEDY-TO-COMMEDIA-DELLARTE/SLAPSTICKThe very famous I Love Lucy chocolate factory scene relies on physical comedy, where Lucy and her best friend Ethel can’t keep up with the speed of the conveyor belt producing the chocolates they are tasked with wrapping, and come up with “creative” ways to try and fix their conundrum.

If you want more of Lucille Ball, check out “Vitameatavegamin,” where Lucy accidentally gets drunk filming a TV commercial, or “Lucy’s Italian Movie,” where she wrestles a local Italian woman in a grape vat!

The Three Stooges embody the “lowly” trickster/servant with their slapstick routines as they pinch, slap, poke, swing, fall, and break things on a minute-to-minute basis. A famous scene is where they attempt to fix a doorbell, but end up pulling Moe through a wall attached to the electrical wires. Laurel & Hardy did very similar gimmicks.

“Acrobatics” & Pratfalls:Saturday Night Live, and in movies and TV shows, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Chevy Chase are known for their career-spanning pratfalls. They fall and trip and slip and fail to get up to great comedic effects. Pratfalls fall under the lazzo category “Acrobatics,” and there is a specific ladder lazzo that involves falling” from a ladder or wall after being shaken off, shot, or gravitationally abandoned” which can include “desperate attempts not to fall,” and “pratfalls over furniture.” See Steve Martin doing pratfalls in his Pink Panther movies, The Jerk, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Chevy Chase’s early SNL sketch with a

ladder is a classic, and his Clark Griswold is a serial pratfall specialist. Martin Short All three doing classic Commedia physical humour together in The Three Amigos, like in this trailer:

Modern Physical Comedy “It” figures:James Cordon One Man, Two Guvnors creates an internal fight with himself that becomes physical. His Tony performance of this scene is amazing and explains his wide appeal and current fame. The show launched him to everyday household fame, and now he’s got the Late Show and that wonderful series of in-the-car lip syncs with other celebrities, including Adele, Justin Bieber, Lin Manuel Miranda and other B-way celebs.

Zach Galifianakis is known for his oddball characters in movies and his own web show “Between Two Ferns” and the TV series Baskets. “On Physical Comedy” is a strange but hilarious casual scene he appears to have recorded on his own, where he is talking seriously about the art and craft of comedy being text-based, yet his chair keeps breaking under him in the oldest Commedia joke in the book. When he gives up and continues from the ground, comics Patton Oswalt & Brian Posehn make an appearance to ridicule him–but they’re wearing only towels and their junk is censored out with the infamous black bar! Plus, the physical comedy of their height different keeps the silliness going. ( A bit of language in this one)

COMMEDIA: PERFORMANCE CONVENTIONSA reminder, slapstick comedy sees its characters:• slip on items on the ground• trip over low-lying props• walk into unseen objects• accidentally run into characters• be hit by moving objects held

by other performers• sit on chairs removed beneath

them for another purpose

Also keep in mind the conventions of slapstick comedy:• improbable situations

• practical jokes• chases• unrealistic action• extreme physicality• comical trips or collisions• pratfalls• exaggerated violence

COMMEDIA: PERFORMANCE CONVENTIONSIMPROVISATIONIn spite of its outwardly chaotic spirit, Commedia was a highly disciplined art requiring both virtuosity and a strong sense of ensemble playing. The unique talent of Commedia players was to improvise comedy around a scenario. Responding to each other, or to audience reaction, the actors made use of the lazzi (special rehearsed routines that could be inserted into the plays at convenient points to heighten the comedy), musical numbers and impromptu dialogue to vary the happening on stage.

PHYSICAL THEATREMask work forced the actors to project their characters’ emotions through the body. Leaps, tumbles, stock gags (lazzi), obscene gestures and slapstick were incorporated into their acts. Use of mime, acrobatics and music were also used.

THEMESLove, money or food were the base of almost every scenario.

COMMEDIA: PERFORMANCE CONVENTIONSLazziLazzi are comedic physical “bits” or moments within a Commedia story. They are added to performances to highlight a character. Traditionally, Commedia performers would have lazzi memorised so they could insert them whenever needed. Audiences would instantly recognise lazzi because they were physical, familiar and funny.

How can you put together a lazzi?Every Commedia character’s lazzi will be different, even in similar situations. For example, let’s say a character opens up a door and another character jumps out and yells “boo” –this is a lazzi of surprise.• A servant like Arlecchino might gasp and leap away into a back somersault.• A master like Pantalone might clutch at his heart and pretend to have a heart attack

from the shock.

All of these reactions are recognisable and specific to the character. The most important thing is that the reaction has to be specific and over the top, with multiple steps. Pantalone can’t just drop to the ground – he might first start by:• jumping back, pausing and posing with a look of terror, • then grab his heart then start shaking, • then fall to the floor, • then call for help and go into great detail about the pain and fear he’s experiencing. Task: try creating the lazzi of surprise as Pantalone.

COMMEDIA: PERFORMANCE CONVENTIONSLazzi - activityWhen creating your own scenarios, have the character do something mundane – brushing their hair, reading the newspaper, eating a piece of fruit – then SOMETHING HAPPENS! Their hair gets caught in the brush, they read something shocking in the paper, they choke on a little piece of fruit.

When creating a lazzi, actors should come up with 5-7 reactions that occur one after another, getting more and more ridiculous, Try this for example, with the hair-brushing scenario, the character might react the following way:1. They realise the brush is stuck.2. They try to gently untangle the brush, with no effect.3. They pull on the brush harder, with visible pain.4. They yank on the brush with both hands, panting from the effort.5. They lay on the floor, pull on the brush with their hands and feet.6. They call for a friend to help, the friend enters but still can’t pull the brush out.7. With the final pull, the brush comes free and either flies across the room, or takes the

hair with it or doesn’t come free and the character is resigned to leaving the brush stuck in their hair forever.

Remember, all movements are reactions have to be exaggerated. Don’t forget details like facial expression and verbalisation. Your turn! Give the above lazzi a go!

SAMPLE LAZZI ACTIVITIES – TRY OUT THE FOLLOWING • Sit on a basket of eggs• Slip on a banana skin• Trip on a rug• Squirt water in your eye at a fountain• Brush your teeth with hand lotion• Carry a pie and fall into it• Drop ice-cream into your lap• Spill hot coffee in your lap• Sit on a cactus• Look into a hose and get squirted• Laugh and bite your tongue• Rinse your mouth with aftershave• Trip on your shoelace• Get your tie caught in an electric

blender• Hold sour milk in your cheeks while

scrambling to find a place to spit it out

• Miss a nail while hammering and hit your thumb

• Kick yourself in your shin while dancing

• Pick a rose and get pricked by a thorn

• Step on a tack• Slide down a pole and get splinters• Spray under your armpits with extra-

strength hairspray• Get soap in your eyes and search for

a towel• Spill the bubble bath as you bathe in

a tub• Walk barefoot on hot pavement• Kick a soccer ball, which turns out to

be a bowling ball

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERSThe characters of Commedia dell’Arte can be broken up into four main categories.1. The Servant – Arlecchino2. The Old Men – Pantalone, il Dottore3. The young lovers – Isabella, Flaminia, Flavio4. The boasting Captain – Il Capitano

MasksEvery character bar the lovers were masked. Note: performers should not touch the mask when they are wearing it. A mask should be placed on and taken off with the actor’s backfacing the audience.

CostumesThe audience was able to pick up from each character’s dress the type of person they were representing.

Music and dance was also included.

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERS - ARLECCHINOThis first class will be done without masks so that you can explore the characters without being intimidated by the masks. Once you have a feel for the characters and the way they move then it will be a lot easier to play the masks later.ArlecchinoA low status servant. Arlecchino is hyperactive and a prankster who is constantly becoming carried away with the moment he is in. Because of this, he can appear to be foolish but has the ability to outwit everyone.Arlecchino is always highly animated, waving arms and gesticulating with hands when speaking in a coarse manner with erratic body movements thrown in! Arlecchino is known for his acrobatic feats, including hand-stands and flips. He is constantly ravenously hungry and can be quite coarse by farting, burping and resounding snoring.Arlecchino's usual role is that of a faithful valet or servant, but in this context he is also the clown, the acrobat providing lots of comic relief! As soon as this character appears on stage there is always lots of laughter at his absurd actions and words, alternating between flashes of brilliance and plain idiocy. You can't predict which will manifest itself at any time! This is overlaid with wit and charm, as well as scheming to meet his own objectives.While undertaking errands for his master or pursuing a pretty lady (or both!) he gets into all manner of strife. He employs every technique he can to achieve his objectives, including pretending to be a soldier or a woman. His absent mindedness is legendary and he can be looking for the chair he is sitting on or completely side-tracked by a pretty lady, money or food! All the while, his boundless energy is causing his supple body to undertake somersaults, handstands, cartwheels and all sorts of acrobatic feats! Understandably, he was loved by audiences.Arlecchino wears a cat-like mask and a colourful patched costume.

Walk: Standing in neutral Commedia position (feet shoulder width the part, moving feet out on a 45-degree angle, knees bent, arms loose) slide one foot out straight – should be to the side. Arms light and often moving a lot as Arlecchino is a servant and does lots of work. • Arlecchino STANCE• Arlecchino JUMP• Arlecchino WALK FORWARD (flicking legs out to each side)• Arlecchino BACKWARDS WALK (flicking legs out each side but moving backwards and shaking hands)• Arlecchino SNEAKING WALK (like they are getting pulled up by a string then lowered when lifting opposite hand to opposite leg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJEwuurzDe4 – 3.46 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUnaNTfTzuM beginning - 10sec&3.05, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FR9QxtLNzE

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERS – OVER TO YOU!1. As Arlecchino, come up with an exaggerated pose that suits the

character.2. Whilst in that pose, begin to talk like the character.3. Now, more around the room as the character. Find the character’s

pattern, shape, body movement.4. Create a ‘stylized’ walk for the character. 5. Combine both the walk and the pose to produce a special ‘signature’

movement. 6. Refine this ‘signature’ movement. You will use when you enter scenes.Notes:• Reminder, you are encouraged to stay above the level of energy 4.• Arlecchino walks with bent knees and has a low center of gravity. He is

very acrobatic, has his elbows bent, hands placed on hips and appears as if he is about to spring up. Arlecchino is always moving. Arlecchino is sneaky. He never walks in a straight line, instead he walks in a zig-zag. He steps to the left, then center, then right, then center, then left etc. Arlecchino’s agile, quick body doesn’t match up with his slow mental processing.

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERS - PANTALONEhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJEwuurzDe4 – 3.18

An old miser. Pantalone is a patriarch (or matriarch, then called Pantalona) character, who is extremely wealthy and powerful. A hypochondriac who always desires to become more rich and powerful.He is greedy and unwise and constantly has people attempting to Steal his gold from him. He is old and retired, but still physical.Pantalone's character is generally an old merchant, often wealthy and esteemed, or at other times he can be completely ruined, yet always an old man in every detail, with business skills. His mask typically highlights his physical characteristics including a hooked nose and prominent eyebrows.Walk: Shoulders forward, hips tucked under, legs move a lot but very little movement, hunched to protect money on belt, neck out forward. If he gets chased, he will often move his legs double speed but doesn’t cover any more distance than his normal pace – almost running on the spot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUnaNTfTzuM 11 seconds, 3.27

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERS – OVER TO YOU!1. As Pantalone, come up with an exaggerated pose that suits the

character.2. Whilst in that pose, begin to talk like the character.3. Now, more around the room as the character. Find the character’s

pattern, shape, body movement.4. Create a ‘stylized’ walk for the character. 5. Combine both the walk and the pose to produce a special ‘signature’

movement. 6. Refine this ‘signature’ movement. You will use when you enter scenes.

Notes:• Reminder, you are encouraged to stay above the level of energy 4.• Pantalone’s back is bent and legs are slightly apart. He walks with small,

stiff steps. His hands are out in front of him. He leads with his forehead (like a chicken) and is mean. Pantalone believes everything can be bought.

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERS – IL DOTTOREhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJEwuurzDe4 – 2.25The Doctor. An old, pompous windbag whose treatments are often worse than the condition. Loves to lecture and Expound without making any sense. The Doctor feigns having abundant knowledge, when in all Actuality he is all talk. He is rather fat (during Commedia times this meant one was wealthier). Il Dottore is always well-groomed and usually dressed in the traditional style of a medieval doctor, with a huge black suit, often with a large doctor's cap. He wears a mask over half of his face that highlights his bulbous nose.Walk: stomach out, sways side to side due to large belly.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUnaNTfTzuM 25sec, 3.41

Shape. Emotion. Language.

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERS – OVER TO YOU!1. As Il Dottore, come up with an exaggerated pose that suits the

character.2. Whilst in that pose, begin to talk like the character.3. Now, more around the room as the character. Find the character’s

pattern, shape, body movement.4. Create a ‘stylized’ walk for the character. 5. Combine both the walk and the pose to produce a special ‘signature’

movement. 6. Refine this ‘signature’ movement. You will use when you enter scenes.

Notes:• Reminder, you are encouraged to stay above the level of energy 4.• The Doctor leads with his belly. He moves as if he is weighed down by the

knowledge he has . Due to this, he walks on the back of his heels. It’s hard for him to move fast. Il Dottore wants all of the stage space for himself and he takes up room with his gut and his words. Il Dottore never stops talking; he believes he is an expert on anything and everything.

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERS – IL CAPITANOhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJEwuurzDe4 – 2.08A military figure. Arrogant and over-bearing but really an inept coward at heart. Il Capitano is a proud, narcissistic and deceitful characterwho is a braggart soldier. He dresses in a bright and colourful uniform. This is usually a suit with multi-coloured stripes and gilt buttons (containing a thin layer of precious metal, such as gold or silver, on their surface). He also wears a feathered cap and a large sword with several rust marks or even some cobwebs!Il Capitano’s part usually involves him boasting of great exploits of war, but he is also the subject of pranks and jokes from the other characters. He sometimes responds to this by unsheathing his sword, but the only blood that is ever spilt is his own!

He typically wears a long pointy moustache, carries a sword which he never uses and is incredibly cowardly in his actions. Il Capitano is courageous with his words, but cowardly in his actions.Walk: Monkey who wants to be a Gorilla so he opens up his body like a body builder to look bigger. Strides across the room and will always finish with a grand turn.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcmCFNK-KAk

COMMEDIA: STOCK CHARACTERS – OVER TO YOU!1. As Il Capitano, come up with an exaggerated pose that suits the

character.2. Whilst in that pose, begin to talk like the character.3. Now, more around the room as the character. Find the character’s

pattern, shape, body movement.4. Create a ‘stylized’ walk for the character. 5. Combine both the walk and the pose to produce a special ‘signature’

movement. 6. Refine this ‘signature’ movement. You will use when you enter scenes.Notes:• Reminder, you are encouraged to stay above the level of energy 4.• The Captain is full of swagger yet is a piteous coward. Completely

opposite from his façade. He is frightened all too easily. When he sees anything he deems as a threat, he shakes down to a squat, making himself as small as possible and he whimpers. He brags about his fierceness in battle but is terrified of confrontation. He wants to be seen at all times, craving attention and showing off at all times. He strides across the room, chest out and will always finish with a grand turn.

WEARING THE MASKS

1. Students work in a group of four.2. Wearing a Commedia character mask, students are to line up with their

backs to the audience giving each as much elbow room as possible.3. When students are ready, each student will be cued to turn and

approach the audience in character, moving around the space.4. Each character is to begin moving around and talking at the same

time.5. When the teacher calls “freeze”, students return to their signature pose.6. One at a time, students will be cued to move around the space

individually.7. All students are to participate in this activity.8. Students then explore and play with different character encounters and

scenarios including lazzi.

COMMEDIA SCENARIOS – OVER TO YOU!1. The examination – Il Dottore (or Arlecchino disguised as a dentist) fools Pantalone into

thinking that rotten teeth are causing his obnoxious breath. Using oversized or ridiculous tools, the Doctor extracts two or more good teeth from Pantalone’s mouth.

2. With a drawn sword, Il Capitano chases Arlecchino away. They remain on stage in a stationary position as they mime running, each slightly out of reach of the other.

3. Pantalone enlists Arlecchino’s help in preparing for a hot date. Arlecchino gives him a lot of bad advice about his clothes and how he should act.

4. Arlecchino is very hungry. Every time he is about to eat his dinner, his master gives him a new task to complete.

5. Il Capitano comes to a foreign city with his servant, Arlecchino. He brags about how he has fought in a war. Il Capitano then sees a mouse and both he and Arlecchino as scared away.

6. Arlecchino finds himself in Pantalone’s parlour and becomes very curious. Suddenly, Pantalone enters the parlour and begins to prepare to count his money. Arlecchino, wants to steal some of Pantalone’s money. When Pantalone begins counting his coins, Arlecchino begins to shape shift, turning himself into “furniture” in the room. Pantalone is suspicious and does take the time to investigate but cannot (perhaps initially) see anything.

Notes• All action should be exaggerated. Commedia is very broad, physical action. • Commedia is not politically correct. It was and is very crude and political. Within reason,

keep this in mind.• Keep the characters’ relationships and social status in mind.• Always arrange yourself so that you are never talking upstage to someone. This will be

important when the masks are on.• Remember to use your character’s personal signature gesture or movement when entering

and exiting.

COMMEDIA SCENARIO Learning goal: students will use this lesson to interact with the following improvisation as a preview to writing their own Commedia piece.Pantalone wants something. He plots to get it with the help of Dottore. They hire Capitano to carry out the plot. Arlecchino over hears the plot from a secret hiding spot. He devises a counter plan to ruin Pantalone’s plans.Lazzi of poor sight. Speaks in the direction of the last person to speak. That person moves but Zanni continues to talk to them as if they are there.

Lazzi of poor hearing. Can't understand what people are saying to him, or repeats back gross misinterpretations.

Lazzi of wandering out of the playing area aimlessly and quickly reappearing in another part of the playing area which he could not have possibly gotten to.

Poses: Crouching with elbows on knees and chin in hands, collapsing completely in a puddle, sleep standing up, feet splayed and bent forward at the his with elbows slightly raised.

Arlecchinno pretends to catch flies in their flight, to tear off their wings and eat them with apparent relish.Il Capitano blows up his cheek with air to intensify the effect of the slap he receives.Arlecchino waits on the Doctor, seated at a table. Before placing the plates before his master, he wipes them on the seat of his breeches, or produces a cap full of cherries from the same place.Pantalone has a comic “heart attack” reacting to bad news. His servant, Arlecchino must save/revive him.As Il Capitano or Pantalone you are shuffling down the street ogling the girls. You react to a few beauties. You try a few quick moves without success. Be inventive. Finally, you walk into a lamp post.