Commedia dell'Arte

The Commedia dell’Arte is a form of improvisational theater which originated in Italy in the 16^th century, quickly becoming a major influence on theater internationally. Shakespeare himself is known to have borrowed heavily from the Commedia in constructing his comic plot-lines and characters, as is Molière after him; indeed, most of the roguish servants who have appeared as characters in European plays since the 16^th century are in some sense derived from the zanni of the Commedia dell’Arte. The beloved character of Pierrot, and English Punch and Judy shows, are also taken from the Commedia; and much of the clowning and improv work done worldwide, to this day, has its roots in the Commedia tradition (physical theater pioneer Jacques LeCoq, for one, studied Commedia extensively during his eight years in Italy, before returning to France to start his famous school). Although the popularity of Commedia has declined over the past few centuries, it is still practiced as a pure art form in some places, and its impact can be seen everywhere.

Although Commedia is an improvisational form, performances always include the same set of stock characters, and follow one of a series of conventional plot-lines on standard themes such as love, jealousy, adultery, and old age. These plots are part of a tradition with a venerable pedigree: many of them can be traced back to the Roman comedies of Terence and Plautus - which were often themselves adaptations of more ancient Greek comedies. In performance, actors draw from an extensive repertoire of well-rehearsed stock jokes and physical gags, which are often mixed with dialogue that can be adapted to satirize current events or local customs.

A traditional Commedia company consists of eight men and two women, with each actor cast as one of ten stock characters. These characters include several zanni, or clownish servants (among them Arlecchino or Harlequin, his beloved Colombina, and Pedrolino or Pierrot); a pair of lovers known as the innamorati; a group of vecchi, or foolish old men (the most famous of whom is Pantalone); and a series of rogues and buffoons including the scoundrel Scaramouche and the disfigured Pulcinella (or Punch). In a typical Commedia performance, these characters will be immediately recognizable by their costumes and masks, which feature a variety of standard markers (for example, Arlecchino’s costume traditionally includes large diamond-shaped patches; and Pulcinella is often portrayed with a hunchback, a limp, or some other obvious physical deformity). All characters except for the fresh-faced, stylish innamorati traditionally perform in masks.

The most comprehensive training in traditional Commedia practice today is through the Scuola Internazionale dell’Attore Comico (the International School of Comic Acting, or SIAC) in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Run by Commedia master and renowned mask-maker Antonio Fava, SIAC offers a month-long course each summer in the history and practice of Commedia (including classes in mask, characterization, gesture and behavior, comic acrobatics, and improvisation). These classes culminate in a series of public performances throughout the town. No written texts are used during this course, and students of all linguistic backgrounds are accepted.

During the rest of the year, Fava travels widely, conducting mini-versions of this course throughout the world. More information on SIAC, Fava, and upcoming international workshops can be found on Fava’s website.

Scuola Internazionale dell’Attore Comico (The International School of Comic Acting)
http://www.commediabyfava.it/EN/mainsetsiac.htm
Contact: Dina Buccino
CP 404
42100 Reggio Emilia
Italy
Phone: (+39) 052-243-6768
Mobile: (+39) 338-586-3408
E-mail: info@commediabyfava.it

Further reading:

Fava, Antonio
The Comic Mask in the Commedia dell’Arte: Actor Training, Improvisation, and the Poetics of Survival

Grantham, Barry
Playing Commedia

Rudlin, John
Commedia dell’Arte in the 20^th Century: A Handbook

Rudlin, John with Oliver Crick
Commedia dell’Arte: A Handbook for Troupes

Note
The following are common misspellings of Commedia dell'Arte: Comedia, Comedy, Comeedia, Comeedia, Commadia, del, de, Art, Artae, Arta, Commedia del Farte