Commedia Dell Arte Essay, Research Paper

Drama, Commedia dell Arte Assignment.

Commedia dell Arte, the known name for a group of professional actors who would travel together around Europe. These professional actors helped nurture and grow some of the worlds most commonly used acting styles and ideas. They defined and set the standard of skills that an actor needs to develope and use in drama. They also created succesful character personality s, that are still used in the world of theatre in today s modern world. If it were not for these actors the standard of theatre could ve never reached the level of what it is today.

The actors would travel the countryside and visit towns and perform I the Village Square. Often the play would be about political issues or problems that were currently happening in the village at that present time. But the usual topic is that of the two lovers, not being able to marry, in an epic tale of jealousy or pride, similar to that of William Shakespeare s Romeo and Juliet.

These Lovers were played by younger people, who did not were masks like the other characters. These masks symbolised a certain character, and their personality traits. This was used to help the audience maybe gain knowledge of what is happening and understand the story better, by the way one character might seem vein and self indulgent because of his stride and speech. Which would work with his large nose to show that he is not what he thinks he is, but still sees himself above the common person.

Commedia dell Arte, is seen as possibly being one of the most successful types of theatre that has been put together, with the right number of characters with the right amount of range in their personality s to cook up many multiple performances of which to entertain people. Many performing artists similar to that of Commedia dell Arte, have shown their similarities and skill in using character traits and personality s to create theatre. But none have probably come as close to that of the American television situation comedy of Sienfeld.

Sienfeld, could be seen as a mirror image of a modern day Commedia dell Arte. Its quirky characters and mostly pointless plots have captivated people of all sorts, around the globe. It shows so much style and contrast, of similar proportions to that of Commedia dell Arte, that it is almost the same show just being redone in different times and circumstance.

The Soup Nazi , episode is a classic example of the simple idea being exploited for extreme and bizarre use. The comical idea of a cook who specialises in soup, who is shown as a hard case, and referred to as a Nazi, because of his strict and stubborn ways in which he treats his customers. This idea that at first seems odd and maybe boring becomes hilarious with the crazy personalities of the characters and their even crazier antics.

Arlecchino, Pantaloon, Pulcinella, Brigella, Tartaglia, El Capitano and Doctor Balazone. They are all invented characters that are used for more specific tasks. And because of the characters being used over and over again in different situations the audience get a better idea of how they get on with other people, in their relationships with the other characters, so it feels like you know them. The masks are another object of the great style of this theatre, the masks would create an illusion, of the characters as if they were real and you were there.

The quality of these characters such as their actions and personalities show through in the characters on Sienfeld. They all seem to play the servant characters and like to take the mickey out of other people, especially higher figures of authority or rank. The most obvious characters coming through that of Commedia dell Arte into Sienfeld, would be Pulchinella, as Kramer, Arlecchino as Jerry, Brigella George and Columbina or Rosetta as Elaine. But all Sienfeld characters also boast a little of every character from Commedia dell Arte.