Theatre & performanceLesson 3 of 5 in the course Theatre history

Commedia dell’arte: History, Companies, Characters, and Performance

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Commedia dell’arte was a popular professional theatre form that began in Italy and spread across Europe. This lesson introduces its defining features and explains how performers combined familiar characters with flexible, partly improvised stories.

Commedia dell’arte flourished from the 16th through the 18th centuries. It was also called Italian comedy, commedia alla maschera, and commedia all’improvviso. The word arte refers to the actors’ professional craft: performers were trained specialists rather than simply amateurs staging a written play.

All flashcards

What was commedia dell’arte?
A professional Italian theatre form popular from the 16th through the 18th centuries, known for stock characters and performances combining scenarios with improvisation.
What is a stock character?
A familiar, standardized stage type whose identity is conveyed through traits such as a name, costume, mask, and social role.
What is a scenario?
A sketch or plot outline that sets important events and stage movements, while leaving performers room to develop dialogue and action.
What is a lazzo?
A comic joke or routine, often familiar to the actors and sometimes rehearsed, that could be incorporated into a performance.
What is pantomime in this theatrical tradition?
Expressive action performed without spoken dialogue; it was especially associated with Arlecchino, later known as Harlequin.

Quiz questions

  1. During which broad period was commedia dell’arte especially popular?Answer: From the 16th through the 18th centuries
  2. Which combination helped audiences recognize a commedia stock character?Answer: Familiar name, costume, mask, and social role
  3. What is a scenario in commedia dell’arte?Answer: A plot outline that establishes key events while allowing improvisation
  4. Which four groups are identified as the principal commedia dell’arte character groups?Answer: Zanni, Vecchi, Innamorati, and Il Capitano
  5. What does the term lazzo refer to in commedia dell’arte?Answer: A familiar comic routine or piece of business

Based on the Wikipedia article Commedia dell'arte, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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