Commedia dell'arte means the Art of Comedy or Comedy of Profession.
Where did it come from?
Commedia was derived from actors in Italy during the 14th Century, and lasted till the 18th Century.
Provide an outline of what was happening in Italy and Europe at this time – focus on political / military events. Discuss how this impacted on the troupes.
Commedia dell'arte emerged in the 14th Century, and lasted for approximately 400 years. During this time, ports throughout the world had opened their doors to foreign trading, and this allowed for the flourishing and appreciation of the arts, culture and science. The renaissance was also greatly influenced by this, and helped culture flourish throughout Italy, and the Mediterranean.
Describe the living conditions for peasants in Italy at this time.
At the beginning of the renaissance, slaves were able to afford food and water. As the years went by, people became too enthusiastic about their futures, causing them to over-breed, resulting in larger families. The mixture of large populations with little money resulted in loss of land, leading to poverty.
Find images of upper class Italian citizens. What conclusions can you draw about their lifestyle and wealth?
Where was commedia played? Why was this preferred?
Commedia was performed at marketplaces, and at outside events. These were usually in town centres, or at a popular part of a town.
Why was commedia such a popular form of theatre at this time?
Commedia flourished and was highly successful as it provided a means of laughter and joy to those in poverty. The extremely talented actors travelled around Italy to provide sentimental memories, and in their place left room for future actors to do so again.
Explain why stock characters are used by contemporary script writers and why they continue to engage modern audiences.
Stock characters are used by script writers so they do not have to invent new characters, and they can develop an already known character by putting them into new circumstances and environments. Because audiences are able to see the new developments of these characters, they become more loveable and cherished as they are providing more entertainment for audiences.
- What does Commedia dell’Arte mean?
Commedia dell'arte means the Art of Comedy or Comedy of Profession.- Where did it come from?
Commedia was derived from actors in Italy during the 14th Century, and lasted till the 18th Century.- Provide an outline of what was happening in Italy and Europe at this time – focus on political / military events. Discuss how this impacted on the troupes.
Commedia dell'arte emerged in the 14th Century, and lasted for approximately 400 years. During this time, ports throughout the world had opened their doors to foreign trading, and this allowed for the flourishing and appreciation of the arts, culture and science. The renaissance was also greatly influenced by this, and helped culture flourish throughout Italy, and the Mediterranean.- Describe the living conditions for peasants in Italy at this time.
At the beginning of the renaissance, slaves were able to afford food and water. As the years went by, people became too enthusiastic about their futures, causing them to over-breed, resulting in larger families. The mixture of large populations with little money resulted in loss of land, leading to poverty.- Find images of upper class Italian citizens. What conclusions can you draw about their lifestyle and wealth?
- Where was commedia played? Why was this preferred?
Commedia was performed at marketplaces, and at outside events. These were usually in town centres, or at a popular part of a town.- Why was commedia such a popular form of theatre at this time?
Commedia flourished and was highly successful as it provided a means of laughter and joy to those in poverty. The extremely talented actors travelled around Italy to provide sentimental memories, and in their place left room for future actors to do so again.- Explain why stock characters are used by contemporary script writers and why they continue to engage modern audiences.
Stock characters are used by script writers so they do not have to invent new characters, and they can develop an already known character by putting them into new circumstances and environments. Because audiences are able to see the new developments of these characters, they become more loveable and cherished as they are providing more entertainment for audiences.