Commedia dell'arte

Commedia dell'arte is a style of theater characterized by improvised dialogue and a standard set of stereotypical characters. Literally translated as "comedy of professional artists," the style first appeared in Italy in the sixteenth century and quickly spread to Europe. A number of theater companies rose to prominence during the height of Commedia dell'arte's popularity, with many garnering international celebrity and performing for royal courts. The movement was particularly trendy in France, where its imagery became a favorite theme among eighteenth-century French artists. Performances most often took place outdoors on makeshift stages, with actors having to rely on various props instead of fixed stage scenery. Plays styled in the Commedia dell'arte featured a basic plotline off of which actors improvised their lines. The only scripted parts of the performances involved music, acrobatics, and fighting. Though Commedia dell'arte's popularity waned by the beginning of the nineteenth century, its influence on modern theatrical entertainment can still be seen in contemporary theater, film, and television.

Background

Commedia dell'arte began as a fun group activity for members of local guilds, which were places where tradespeople could gather to partake in dramatic entertainment. These groups often performed comedic shows on the streets, in the market square, or as a part of a carnival tour. Initially, actors simply marked off a space on the ground where crowds could easily see the performance. As the crowds grew larger, groups began building raised platforms so more people could see and hear. This early form was characterized by long-nosed masks, acrobatics with music, and limited props and scenery.

Commedia dell'arte thrived in Italy in the 1500s, though the term was not officially used to describe the art form until the eighteenth century. Commedia dell'arte's exact origin is a subject of debate, but scholars believe the core tenets of the art form were solidified in Italy between the 1550s and 1650s before flourishing throughout Europe. Commedia dell'arte performers traveled all over, carrying their props, costumes, and other necessities in wagons and carts. The troupes normally performed on an outdoor, temporary stage or simply in the town square. Up until the 1560s, all characters in plays were customarily played by men. The mid-sixteenth century saw the advent of female actors. As the style continued to evolve and grow in popularity, distinct troupes of actors began emerging across Europe. Many, such as the Gelosi, Confidenti, and Fedeli, would go on to earn international fame.

As Commedia performances grew in popularity, plays moved from the street to the stage, with Italy even providing a venue specially erected for Commedia events. Commedia actors became renowned for their improvisational skills, and the most successful players could play any given stock character on demand. The seventeenth century is considered the golden age of Commedia dell'arte, with the style having spread all across Europe. Commedia troupes regularly performed in front of high-profile audiences. In France, the Commedia dell'arte became the favored form of entertainment in the court of Louis XIV.

The imagery of Commedia dell'arte began cropping up in the art world soon after it became an international sensation. Artists depicted Commedia actors in paintings and engravings to document the meaning and purpose of the theatrical style, often utilizing the various stock characters for their own interpretative motives. Prior to these depictions, the only available documentation of Commedia dell'arte performances was the written plotlines of each performance. Few written plotlines were published prior to 1700, which is why the true origins of the style remain a subject of debate. Commedia dell'arte's prominence dwindled over the next few decades as theater companies began to reject improvisation in favor of formulaic performances. Commedia dell'arte was banned from its country of origin in 1797 after Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Italy. The leader sought to subdue the politically motivated Commedia performances that were regularly critical of the French regime. The art form was not revived in Italy until the late 1970s.

Overview

The Commedia dell'arte was identifiable by several key features. Commedia performances always involved a set of stock characters and adhered to a basic plotline. Plotlines regularly included scenarios involving young lovers, adultery, marital jealousy, or the servant outwitting the master. Performances also occasionally acted out ancient mythology or comedies. Early spectators referred to the Commedia dell'arte as Commedia di Zanni because it commonly featured the "Zanni" character—an archetypal, simple-minded fool motivated primarily by physical and carnal needs. Commedia dell'arte developed multiple comedic stock characters, many of which were a response to the economic and political climate of the time. Examples include the "il Magnifico" character, created to mock wealthy landowners and greedy merchants and act as the primary antagonist of the Zanni. In contrast to the Zanni's long-nosed mask, il Magnifico masks were usually hook-nosed with wrinkles and pursed lips.

The next stock characters to appear were the "il Dottore" (the doctor) and "il Capitano" (the captain). These character types were highly recognizable to the audiences of Renaissance Italy. The doctor character was an arrogant swindler who peddled "cure-all" potions and tonics. The captain was usually depicted as a military man whose main dialogue centered on the battles and victories he participated in. Following the arrival of women actors, the term "Prima Donna" emerged to describe the dramatic and demanding nature associated with the lead female actors of Commedia dell'arte, a phrase that endured for centuries after its introduction.

The golden era of Commedia saw the creation of some of the style's most enduring characters. The Zanni characters Arlecchino (later known as Harlequin) and his maidservant lover Arlecchina (later known as Columbine) were commonly featured in the darker storylines that had emerged in Commedia scenarios. This period also introduced Pierrot, the sad clown, to audiences. Harlequin, Columbine, Pierrot, and the il Magnifico character Pantalone became the central characters of the Harlequinade theatrical genre that would develop in England. These characters would later inspire other theater forms, such as vaudeville and pantomime. Commedia dell'arte continued to influence comedy over the next few centuries, and many of the stock character traits established by the Commedia can still be seen on the modern stage and screen. In the twenty-first century, active productions and workshops of Commedia dell'arte continued to provide modern performances and educational programs across the United States and worldwide.

Bibliography

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Green, Martin, and John Swan. Triumph of Pierrot: The Commedia Dell'Arte and the Modern Imagination. Pennsylvania State UP, 1993.

Hale, Cher. “What You Need to Know About Commedia Dell'Arte.” ThoughtCo, 4 July 2019, www.thoughtco.com/what-you-need-to-know-about-commedia-dellarte-4040385. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Henke, Robert. Performance and Literature in the Commedia Dell'arte. Cambridge UP, 2002.

Katritzky, M. A. The Art of Commedia: A Study in the Commedia Dell'Arte 1560-1620 with Special Reference to the Visual Records. Rodopi, 2006.

Meagher, Jennifer. "Commedia Dell'Arte." The Metropolitan Museum of Art, July 2007, www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/comm/hd‗comm.htm. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Shimko, Rob. “A Brief Overview of Commedia Dell’Arte.” Alley Theatre, www.alleytheatre.org/shows-and-events/further-reading/the-servant-of-two-masters-further-reading/a-brief-overview-of-commedia-dellarte. Accessed 7 Dec. 2024.

Smith, Winifred. The Commedia Dell'arte: A Study in Italian Popular Comedy, Volume 3. Columbia UP, 1912.