Commedia dell’Arte: the actor and the mask

The mask: a creative tool at the service of emotions

The  workshop  explores style, techniques, stylistic influences on world theatre, contemporary developments of Commedia dell’ Arte. The rigorous training is based on the traditional techniques and comic repertory of the Italian Commedia: half – mask stock characters, verbal and physical improvisation, lazzi (comic routines), creation of canovacci (plots), grammelot (the invented language of the masks ), storytelling, solo and ensemble text work. The techniques are combined with a system of exercises developing physical and emotional awareness  as a  major instrument for the development of the actor’s imagination and interpretative skills and  the key to form, style, emotions in contemporary  theatre practice.

Commedia dell’Arte half masks

Zanni, Arlecchino, Brighella, Dottore, Capitano, Pantalone – the  universally known Italian half – maskes stock characters –  are a phenomenal instrument for theatrical play and training. They introduce the artist to a very precise physical definition of character through the play of urgency and survival: passions and states are pushed to the extreme, style demands a very high level of stage presence. Through covering the facial expressions, the Commedia dell’Arte  character masks encourage the actor to bring everything back to the body in a highly stylized  and dramatically theatrical way, while staying “true and real”:  gestures are amplified, as are space, presence, dramatic expression, emotions.

The art of improvisation and storytelling

The unique improvisation and storytelling techniques of  the Italian masked comedians provide actors  with strong professional theatre tools to create original characters and their own dramatic material.

Program

Part 1
Historical context of Commedia dell’ Arte: early theatre and masks (Greek, Roman, Medieval); the golden age of Commedia in Italy and France; Goldoni and Commedia dell’Arte; Commedia dell’Arte and contemporary theatre practice.

Part 2

• Movement techniques – individual and ensemble
• The extra – ordinary body of the mask: techniques, language
• The ages of the masks; status ; the animals; the families
• The rhythm and space of Commedia dell’ Arte: individual and ensemble exercizes
• The Italian Commedia techniques: “riporto“, “a parte”, “mask and contre – mask“, “ping pong”
• Grammelot: the international language of the masks
• Improvisation techniques with and without masks
• Lazzi  repertory: physical and verbal comic business
• Stock masked character types: Zanni, Arlecchino, Pulcinella, Brighella, Pantalone, Capitano, Dottore
• Unmasked character types: Innamorati (female and male lovers), female servants (Colombina), Signora
• The storytelling mask: techniques, repertory past and present
• Monologues, dialogues, contrasti  of traditional Commedia
• Scenari: study of the structure of traditional Italian scenari

Part 3

• Creation  of original scenari
• Development of a scenario into a fully staged show
• Contemporary Commedia dell’ Arte