What is Commedia dell'Arte?
Commedia dell’Arte is a theatrical genre that was born in the 16th century in Italy and quickly spread throughout Europe, performing on streets, in courts and theatres.
The masks (half-mask leaving mouth and lower part of the face uncovered) create universal characters representing specific human characteristics, such as the old and miserable Pantalone, the smart servant Harlequin/Arlecchino, the silly servant Zanni, the mischievous servant Colombina, the pompous Doctor , the bold Captain, the young Lovers. On the stage, we see fixed types: immediately recognizable figures, embodying basic feelings, human vices and characteristics, living and transforming disputes and power dynamics between "the Servant" and "the Master". Through these characters, timeless situations get born and explored, fueled by love, hatred, power, money, betrayal, deception, revelations.
A universe of characters and situations, that are alive in our world today more than ever, gets stirred and revealed through the work with the masks.
The main characteristic of Commedia dell'Arte is its universality: a very clear physical code together with the non-language gibberish "grammelot" : Commedia dell'Arte is as easily accessible as universal.
The workshop
The 2-days workshop is an excellent opportunity to explore the potential of the body, to get an introduction and experience the work with the traditional Masks of Commedia dell'Arte through embodied and imaginative activities.
The work is based on the discovery of the world of Commedia dell'Arte, the study of the masks and the characters, the relationship between characters, between Servant and Master, experiencing the universality of this theatrical language.
The participants will have a possibility to experience a self-discovery work. We will explore what the specific Mask/character brings to us individually, to our body, to our emotions. Starting from the traditional fixed types we will create our own characters on stage. The strength of Commedia dell'Arte lies in utilizing and enriching the individual specificities and experiences of each person/actor. The strength of Commedia dell'Arte lies precisely in utilizing and enriching the specific experiences of each person / actor.
Wearing a Mask we can allow ourselves, our bodies, our voices to explore, we are free to do what we feel, to explore, to transform power dynamics and relationships.
The work
Starting with a specific physical training, the participants of the workshop will delve into the study of the Mask, through a practical and experiential work. The study of the individual characters (fixed types) will enrich the participants' imagery, allowing them to create their own character. Eventually the Mask will become an integral part of the actor's body and each participant will come to deal with the eternal paradox of the use of the Mask: "Becoming credible with the most fake object".
We will play with improvisation. The encounters of characters will allow us to discover the nature of the "canovaccio" - plot, a clockwork mechanism that is created on stage.
We will enter the wonderful universe that is the code of Commedia dell'Arte and participants will be able to create and experience a complete work on themselves, a "total work of actor", valuing their specific characteristics, giving creative expression to their own experiences and including any artistic element, such as mime, acrobatics, juggling, dance, singing or use of musical instruments.
The program
- Historical contextualisation of Commedia dell'Arte and its legacy in contemporary performance
- Physical training (specific for Commedia dell'Arte)
- Approach to the Mask
- Study of Scenic Space
- Attitudes of the fixed-types: the characters
- The Servant-Master relationship on stage
- Improvisation with Masks
The workshop is open to anyone and no previous performance experience is required.
