commedia dell’arte and the taming of the shrew

1、Commedia dell’Arte and The Taming of the Shrew,,What is Commedia dell’Arte ?,An Italian form of drama beginning during the Renaissance and lasting into the eighteenth century, traveling troupes performed the commedia de

2、ll' arte (comedy of the artists). Commedia evolved from outdoor performances by jesters, and acrobats.,The Characters,The company's ten or more actors each developed a specific type of character. Since all wore m

3、asks, their roles were eventually called masks. As in Elizabethan theatre female parts were originally played by men, but later played by females. Some of the stock characters include:,,THE LOVER, is always charming, d

4、apper, and sometimes a bit ridiculous. His sole purpose in the script is to be in love. He must be young, good looking, courteous and gallant. The lover wore no mask. His costume is always in the style of the period.,The

5、 Lover,,THE BRAGGART CAPTAIN is bold and swaggering. He struts around in a splendid uniform, pursues the ladies, and often runs from battle. He is a thief, avoids the police, has a dangerous temper, and loves to bully p

6、eople smaller than himself. He claims he is a nobleman but usually isn't.,The Captain,The Lover and the Captain,,,PANTALOON, is a comic old merchant from Venice. He is always old, sometimes a rich miser, sometimes a

7、 poor man, sometimes a bachelor, sometimes a father of a family. If he is rich, he is a slave to his money. If he is married, his wife is usually young, often deceiving him. He loves to give advice. Often he is the recip

8、ient of blows from his servant. He is always duped by someone. Pantaloon's costume consists of long red hose, a loose black cape, Turkish slippers, and a red woolen hat. His mask is brown with a prominent hooked nose

9、, and occasionally, with round glasses. He has a gray mustache and a long white beard.,Pantaloon,,THE DOCTOR is a good friend of Pantaloon. Like his friend, he is old, an "eternal gas-bag" and miserly. His chil

10、dren and servants make fun of him. His costume reflects the time period and change as fashion changes. His black or flesh-colored mask covers his nose and forehead. His cheeks are smeared with red.,The Doctor,Pantaloon

11、 and the Doctor,,,HARLEQUIN (Arlechino), is perhaps the best known commedia character. He is a comic servant who is lazy but energetic, stupid but clever, insolent, clownish, and ribald. He is shown leaping into the air

12、, dancing, walking on stilts, tumbling, courting the Inamorata, striking a pose, or playing extravagant tricks. Harlequin's pants and jacket are covered with patches. Only later did these patches become blue, red, an

13、d green triangles joined with yellow braid. Eventually these became diamonds. To his hat is attached a fox tail characterizing him as "the butt of ridicule." He wears a black half-mask and black chin-piece.,Har

14、lequin,,MEZZETINO (Metzetin), is similar to the other servants. He is a singer, musician, and ready dancer. He can be both a deceived and deceiving husband, sometimes betraying the master by accepting bribes, other time

15、s serving with blind devotion. Metzetin is often shown in a loose-fitting costume, wearing a huge hat and a short cape, and carrying a wooden sword. His half-mask has a large nose and he wears a large false beard.,Mezzet

16、ino,Harlequin and Mezzetino,,,The Inamorata was a role originally played by men in France and England, due to the "lewdness and adultery" associated with the women's roles. There were limited women's ch

17、aracters with the main one being the female lover (the Inamorata), called variously Isabelle, Columbine, or Zerbinette The clothing was generally that of the period, with the Inamorata wearing the richest garments. Ins

18、tead of a mask, women wore a little black velvet loup to protect their beauty. These loups were worn both in the theatre and on the street.,The Inamorata,The Inamorata,,Characteristics of Commedia,1. improvisation: basic

19、 plotlines were known but lines and action were improvised. It was often bawdy and coarse using the SLAPSTICK– a stick used to beat characters made of two pieces of wood to make a slapping sound.,,2. stock characters: re

20、cognized by costumes and actions3. mime and pantomime: this characteristic helped to overcome language barriers4. traveling companies,Commedia’s Influence,Many writers and performers have been influenced by commedia

21、 dell’arte. Charlie ChaplinThe Marx BrothersThe Three StoogesPerhaps WWF Wrestling ?Shakespeare—especially American Conservatory Theater’s version of The Taming of the Shrew,Commedia/Shrew Correlation,Credits,David