NYPL Digital Collections [PD-US]
Commedia dell'arte
1550-1750
Introduction
Commedia dell’arte is a theatrical genre that emerged from the urban centers of Renaissance Italy in the sixteenth century. It also signaled the beginnings of modern acting in Western culture and altered European notions of comedy and humor. Commedia dell’arte is important as its style and stock characters underpin the development of modern comedy and pantomime. This guide explores the development of the genre, its distinctive style, and the traits of the stock characters.
Terminology
- Il Capitano: the Captain; one of the stock characters.
- Innamorati: the lovers; one of the categories of stock characters.
- Slapstick: slapstick is a style of physical comedy, often involving chases, silly and exaggerated movements and activities, and simple practical jokes. It can also represent violence in an over-the-top, comical guise.
- Stock characters: the same stereotypical characters that usually appeared in every play.
- Vecci: old men or masters; one of the categories of stock characters.
- Zanni: servants; one of the categories of stock characters.
Key Dates & Events
- 1510 - 1571 - Life of Andrea Calmo
- 1576 - 1654 - Life of Giambattista Andreini
- 1707 - 1793 - Life of Carlo Goldoni
- 1712 - 1785 - Life of Pietro Chiari
- 1720 - 1806 - Life of Carlo Gozzi
Context & Analysis
Itinerant commedia ensembles first appeared in Northern Italy and Bavaria around 1550 and quickly swept through Europe. The huge popularity of the troupes induced civic authorities in France and Spain to ban or restrict their performances. Commedia dell’arte was considered by the authorities to be irreverent and obscene, and troupes were liable to pop up when least
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Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher