Commedia Dell'arte

Introduction

The Art Comedy (Commedia dell'arte) is the comedy made by professional actors, and is opposed to the commedia erudite text of which was written in full. Hence it is regarded as improvisational theater. In reality, each actor had a repertoire of phrases and jokes from which built his paper (Wadsworth 121).

The comedy of art comes about in the sixteenth century, when companies like "jealousy" begin to spread across Europe this type of theater, which was a Cannovaccio, i.e. a structure of predefined events, and what is improvised was the text itself.

The works were divided into three acts, had a definite plot and a series of archetypal characters within these two limits the actors could improvise. The subjects were usually love affairs, jealousy, etc. The proportion of text and gesture could vary depending on the country where the company was acting in foreign countries was less gags verbal and more visual (Smith 567).

In the comedy of art, all the characters wore masks, with the exception of the lovers. Yet the Commedia dell'Arte theater is a half mask, allowing the comedian to speak. In fact, in the commedia dell'arte companies had actresses, while at that time in British theater companies were formed only by men, who were the roles of women in transvestite (Segal 77).

Historical background

The commedia dell'arte was born with the first comedy in prose of Angelo Beolco, said Ruzzante , where each character spoke a different dialect. From there, each locality would have its own character. The performances took place first on trestles. The comic was primarily gestural (antics). In improvised comedy, the discourse is continually renewed, actors inspired the dramatic situation, the circumstances of time and place, were part they represented a work changing, constantly rejuvenated(Scott 980). As for the comic types, it is the same as those of Italian comedy: its masks and clowns meet there. First, there are four main types:Pant , Dr. , the Capitan , and Zannis , or servants, with their varieties of knaves or fools, schemers or cowards, then lovers, Horace, and Isabella; Finally, the following, as Francisquine or Zerbinetta(Schwartz 131).

Representation

Each actor adopting and maintaining a person in connection with his skills, embodied in his role, and to enrich his discourse, made it a fund according to their character traits. "The actors," said Niccolo Barbieri, study a lot and arm themselves with the memory of a great store of things: awards, conceits , declarations of love, blame, despair and delusions, in order to be ready on occasion, and their studies are related to the customs and habits of the characters they represent. Thus,Andreini has printed the bluster that retailed in his roles as Captain . Besides, the word goes with the action, and this is supported by the abundance of stage business(Maurice 560).

Most players were first class gymnasts capable of giving a blow with the foot, or run into the interior of the auditorium perilous ascents. Many were left to their initiative and verve of the actor's voice, his jokes(Kennard 450) ...