Teacher's Commedia Dell'Arte
Workshop Guide
Taught by Stephen La Frenie
mimeguy.com
Brief History of Commedia
From 1550 to 1750, commedia dell’arte dominated the stages of western Europe. Troupes of performers traveled from town to town entertaining audiences with their spirited, improvised comedies.
A familiar scenario or running order of scenes pinned to the curtain backstage would suffice for a skilled commedia actor. Such characters as Arlecchino, Brighella, Pantalone, Dottore, Capitano and Columbina became household names. So popular did the commedia become that it moved beyond Italy’s borders to neighbouring countries influencing the work of Shakespeare and Moliere.
The Classes
These classes deal with nine of the stock characters. It is emphasized that the students should find a modern reference for themselves in order to understand the energy and stock personality. For example; some students often relate Pantalone with Mr. Burns from The Simpsons. The female students are also encouraged to find the female counterpart rather than crossing sex and playing a male character.
The beginning warm-up involves the teaching of the seven levels of energy and vocal work.
Discuss which energy levels are essential for the Commedia work.
The students are given a chance to experience the masks after you have taken them through the initial exercises and improvise a short scenario using various lazzis which the students make up for themselves. Although some teachers prefer to use stock lazzi openings such as, an acrobatic entrance, it is better to allow the students to find their own personal physical "signature" for each character.
This work prepares the students to work with a scenario called, "Plot/Counter Plot." Pantalone wants something. He conspires with Il Dottore to get it through an evil plot. They commission El Capitano to carry it out. Arlecchino overhears this from a secret hiding spot and devises a counter plot to thwart them. He relates the plot and then counter plot to Brighella who then alters the counterplot to get what he wants out of the deal. He then tells Tartaglia the plot and his counterplot. Tartaglia then mixes the plot and counter plot up.
Although these classes can be taught to a class with small numbers in one session, it is best taught over a two or three day period. This allows the students to absorb the information and overcome their reluctance, or in some cases, fear of wearing the mask.
Commedia style half masks are available for purchase by teachers and should be ordered at least three weeks in advance of the workshop.
Introduction to "Commedia Level" Energy.
Commedia is a high energy theatrical form which requires consistent effort by the student.
Seven Levels of Energy
Objectives:
1)
Find the performance energy needed to play the Commedia masks.
2)
Discover which energy level and possibly which mask character best matches the
students own personality.
3)
Sustain and increase concentration and energy.
These following levels are my interpretation and taught from a
physical theatre point of view. Different theatre disciplines and teachers have
their own version.
These levels must be shown in the body at all times. The verbal
exchanges that come from them are less important for our purposes than the
physical exchanges.
Have the students stand neutral and explain the first level. Let
them do it and then call freeze. On freeze they come to neutral but do not drop
their focus or energy. Explain the next level and continue in this manner until
you have finished all seven.
1)
Barely
Sustainable
The key to this first level is to lose control of the hips
and spine. I can walk because I have control over my hips. I have control of my
head and upper body because I have control over my spine. Losing control over
your spine and hips move through the room allowing yourself to fall off balance
and regain it slightly. The hips will dictate which way you fall. If you fall to
the floor, how do you get back up on your feet? You have to cheat a bit with a
large class so that no one gets hurt but you can still find room to let go. You
do not talk at this level or interact because you only have enough focus to
catch your balance for brief moments.
2) Social
or Casual
The key to this second level is to have control over your hips and
spine but keep them loose. You have enough control to walk and turn your head,
etc.. However on this level you waste your energy and throw it away by being
loose and casual. It is also called "social" because now you can make
eye contact and communicate with other people although it is wasted energy. No
real thought goes into your voice or conversation. No real focus on what your
doing. Your mind wanders. You can try to run but it is wasted energy and soon
runs out of steam. Explore different levels now by sitting, picking things up
casually
3) Efficiency
The key to this third level is to have perfect control over your
whole body. You use just enough energy to do the job. You are focused and always
have something to do. You complete every task before moving on to another. Run,
crawl, skip, jump, etc. Move things around and if you need to adjust your
clothing or hair you do so with complete focus and precision. When you walk your
arms swing at the right speed to match your stride. Your speech and emotions are
efficient as well. Give only the right amount of emotion to a situation. You do
not move on to another exchange until the present exchange is complete. When it
is over you move on without second guessing or forgetting something. Everything
you do, all your actions are important from this level onward.
4) Action
The key to this fourth level of energy is to have total and
complete commitment to what you are doing. You give more than you need because
you are one hundred percent committed at all times. This is the level of
impulse. You are a person of action. The moment you decide to do something you
do it. This applies to your verbal and emotional exchanges. If you are angry you
are completely angry. If you decide to jump you jump without questioning why.
The challenge is to not edit your thoughts or impulses, when they occur to you,
do it! You are never at a loss for something to do. (Note: Safety and respect as always. Never manipulate another persons
body without, 1) Their knowing what is coming. 2) Their consent.)
5) Suspension
The key to this fifth level is to be completely aware of and in
control of your body, senses, impulses, and environment all at the same time.
Your body moves as one unit. You are aware of what your hands, legs, etc. are
doing at all times because you are focused completely. You can hear, smell, see,
and sense everything around you. Nothing escapes your awareness. Explore
different levels but do so without making a sound. This forces you to be aware
of how to shift your weight and how to become aware of which muscles must move
first to execute a move. Think of a cat on the hunt. It is aware of everything
and will not proceed until it knows it is safe.
Move around the room from point a to point b. Point b should be on
the opposite side from where you are. Figure out how you can get there and how
fast you can get there. Every knew level encompasses the previous ones so you
are in control and committed completely. Every level from here on up is vital.
Your activities and mind set must have a life or death quality. Failure is not
an option.
6) Dilemma
The key to this level is to second guess every impulse and decision
you make. The dilemma must be physically and emotionally expressed as well as
orally. Remember that everything is vital on these energy levels and failure has
dire consequences. Everything is important. Follow every impulse blindly and
then stop yourself. The example that I like to do with the students is that I
tell them that they were supposed to bring something to me and that they have
only one minute to go get it. Of course they do not know what it is and I reject
everything they present. I count down for them. "You have twenty seconds,
ten seconds, etc." They should take the urgency and sense of running out of
time seriously and build their frantic state as high as they can. (Note:
I am discovering more and more the use of inhalers by students. These higher
levels can trigger some shortness of breath due to their intensity. Students
should always have them ready and stop when they feel they have reached their
limit.)
7) Ecstatic
or Climactic
The key to this level is to bring a single action to a climax and
hold it there until you tell them to do it. This can be tying their shoe or
picking something up off the floor. This action must be vital to them and they
should be desperate to complete it. Their emotional state should be at its peak.
It is the ultimate moment before something has to happen. Push them and suspend
the moment for as long as possible constantly telling them that they must need
to complete this action. Then tell them to do it! Watch for the immediacy of the
release.
Notes:
While the class settles down and catches their breath you can discuss the following ideas.
The actor (as an actor and not playing a character) is always
on level #4, ACTION. She is committed
one hundred percent to everything and aware of everything. You need more energy
than necessary to play on stage so that it reads to the audience. The actor can
play casual and efficient but can not be themselves casual or
merely efficient. This applies to the higher levels as well. The actor can be in
a state of suspension as well as play it but can not be in a dilemma or be themselves lost in an ecstatic state on stage. They must be in control and aware of when
to exit or stop. Therefore the actor is always on the fourth level because she
must be ready, committed, and aware at all times. Students should apply this
state of readiness and commitment to their classes as well.
Character work and mask characters. The seven levels of energy can be used to form the basis of your character’s personality and physical gestures. Does my character have a "casual" energy or quality about them? Is she always in a "dilemma"? Is he a "climatic" personality, always building things to a climax or anti-climax? Although we practice and explore the higher levels of energy to the fullest, they can be applied with subtlety to a theatrical character
Commedia Dell’ Arte plays on the higher levels of energy. The lowest it can possibly be is level four, Action but should be played higher.
These are 9 basic Commedia Characters
2)
Pantalone
- An old miser. Pantolone is a patriarch/matriarch character who is extremely
wealthy and powerful. A hypochondriac who is always desiring to become more rich
and powerful.
3)
Dottore
- The Doctor. An old, pompous windbag who's treatments are often worse than the
condition. Loves to lecture and expound without making any sense.
4)
Capitano
- A Military figure. Arrogant and over-bearing but really an inept coward at
heart.
5)
Brighella
- A low or mid status servant. Big, strong, and loves to eat. He can either be
played crafty or dim witted. A regular servant in low status or a foreman
character in mid status, however in both cases he is often out for himself and
will try to get something for himself out of every situation.
6)
Tartaglia
- A low status servant or in some cases an accountant or lawyer. (White collar
worker.) Although he can be very eloquent when alone, he is a nervous wreck in
the company of other people.
7)
Isabella
- One of the lovers. Often the daughter to Pantalone. She is romantic and can be
naive but as the daughter of Pantalone can also be just as self-absorbed and
deceitful as he.
8)
Columbina
- Low status servant. She is a flirt and very intelligent. She is often the love
interest of Arlechinno.
9) Lelio - One of the lovers. He is a perfect counterpart to Isabella. He can be the son of one of Pantalone's rivals, someone who Pantalone does not approve of, or Pantalone's son.
Audience
'Takes' and suspended moments.
Objectives:
1) Share
reactions directly with audience.
2) Develop
timing.
The students work
in pairs. The improvisation involves giving a gift. One person gives the other a
surprise gift. The person receiving the gift first reacts to the idea of getting
an unexpected gift. They give that reaction to the gift giver and then hold it
and share it with the audience by looking at them with the reaction. Then back
to the gift giver. Then they open the gift and see what it is. They react to
seeing the gift and repeat the previous procedure with the new reaction. They
can either silently mime or tell the audience what the gift is. Let the class
work all at the same time as a warm up and then have them demonstrate to the
class.
Next have them
react to the gift and then give the opposite reaction to the audience and then
return the original reaction to the gift giver.
Next you can play
a variation on the telling a secret or rumour game. In a circle one person
begins by telling the person next to them either a secret or rumour. The person
receiving the news gives their reaction directly to the class and then gives
that reaction to the next person in the circle and tells them what they heard.
When it gets back to the original person they react to the fact that their
secret is out or reacts to the changes in the rumour.
Notes:
1) Be simple when
miming the gift. The reactions are more important in this exercise than showing
what the gift is. If it is easier to verbally say what it is then use words.
2) Encourage them
to play with the length of the suspended moment or take to the audience to see
what works and what doesn't.
3)
The reactions should be physically overreacted.
Exercise
#2
Character
relationships
Objectives:
(Including the ones in
Exercise #1 above.)
1) Learn how the
different character energies work off one another.
2) Discover which
character is 'your' character.
3)
Gain an understanding of stage balance and positioning when playing with another
character.
Review
the characters from Class #1. Then work with the improvisations below.
"The
examination." - Pantalone and Dottore.
"The secret
rendezvous." - Lelio and Isabella / Arlecchino and Columbina.
"The
seduction." - Capitano and Columbina.
"Kitchen
duty." - Brighella and Arlecchino / Columbina and Tartaglia.
"The
threat." - Brighella and Tartaglia / Capitano and Lelio.
"The proposition." - Capitano with either Brighella, Arlecchino, or Pantalone.
Now play with more than two characters. The following improvs are done with entrances and exits. The character giving the instructions always exits before the new character enters. For example, Pantalone gives instructions to Arlecchino then exits before or as Columbina enters and so on. Tartaglia is left trying to remember or mixing up the instructions while repeating them to the audience.
"The instructions." -
A)
Pantalone to Arlecchino to Columbina to Brighella to Tartaglia.
B) Lelio to Isabella to Columbina to Arlecchino to Tartaglia.
Notes:
1) Use the
audience takes from exercise #1.
2) Remind them to
over act. Commedia is very broad, physical action. Avoid being too intellectual.
3) Commedia
Dell'Arte is not politically correct theatre. It was and is, very crude, sexual,
and political. Allow the students as much lattitude
as is permitted in your school and your own personal teaching philosophy.
4) Keep the
characters' relationships and social status in mind.
5) Always arrange yourself so that you are never talking upstage to someone. This will be important for when the masks are on.
Wearing
the Masks.
Objectives: (In
addition to the ones in classes one and two.)
1) Become
comfortable with a close fitting mask.
2) Understand the
size of play needed for the mask.
3)
Develop proper breathing.
The students work
in groups of six. They try on the masks and make them comfortable on their
faces. They line up with their backs to the audience giving each other as much
elbow room as possible. When they are ready you tell them to turn. The
characters turn and create an exaggerated pose for the audience. Then tell them
to move. The characters begin to move around and talk all at the same time. When
you call freeze they return to their poses. Then one at a time they talk and
move around solo when you call them.
After
everyone in the class has had a chance to experience a mask you can play with
the character encounters from Class #2 or your own variations.
Notes:
1) Even though
these are half masks some students will feel claustrophobic under the mask.
Remind them to breathe deep to avoid hyperventilating.
2) Remind them to
talk out to the audience and remember their stage positioning.
3) All their
reactions should be overreactions.
4) They should
put the mask on with their backs to the audience and turn their backs when
taking the mask off.
5) Never place a
mask face down after taking it off.
6) Encourage them to say anything while doing the first exercise even if it is repeating what they remember from the previous class.
Exercise #2
After everyone in the class has had a chance to experience a mask you can play with the character encounters from Class #2 or your own variations. They should play with their personal character 'signatures' and use them for their entrances and exits.
"The examination." - Pantalone and Dottore.
"The secret rendezvous." - Lelio and Isabella /
Arlecchino and Columbina.
"The seduction." - Capitano and Columbina.
"Kitchen duty." - Brighella and Arlecchino / Columbina
and Tartaglia.
"The threat." - Brighella and Tartaglia / Capitano and
Lelio.
"The proposition." - Capitano with either Brighella,
Arlecchino, or Pantalone.
Now play with more than two characters. The following improvs are done with entrances and exits. The character giving the instructions always exits before the new character enters. For example, Pantalone gives instructions to Arlecchino then exits before or as Columbina enters and so on. Tartaglia is left trying to remember or mixing up the instructions while repeating them to the audience.
"The instructions." -
A) Pantalone to Arlecchino to Columbina to Brighella to
Tartaglia.
B) Lelio to Isabella to Columbina to Arlecchino to Tartaglia
Notes:
1)
Use the audience takes from the previous class.
2) Remind them to over act. Commedia is very broad, physical
action. Avoid being too intellectual.
3) Commedia Dell'Arte is not politically correct theatre. It was
and is, very crude, sexual, and political. Allow the students as much lattitude
as is permitted in your school and your own personal teaching philosophy.
4) Keep the characters' relationships and social status in mind.
5) Always arrange yourself so that you are never talking upstage to
someone.
6) Remind them of their character's personal signature gesture or
movement when entering and exiting.
Plot
/ Counter Plot.
Use
this class to play with the following improv as a preview to having the students
write their own Commedia piece.
Objectives:
(Including the ones in Class #3 above.)
1)
Develop and maintain good listening skills.
2)
To enjoy simplicity.
This
is a variation on the "instructions" improv from Class #2 and is
played in groups of six. Pantalone wants something. He plots to get it with the
help of Dottore. They hire Capitano to carry out the plot. Arlecchino over hears
the plot from a secret hiding spot. He devises a counter plot to ruin
Pantalone's plans. He enlists the help of either Brighella or Columbina. They in
turn enlist the help of Tartaglia who is left alone on stage to mix it all up.
Lazzis are essentially entrances and exits where your personal signature is
played out. Then the scene occurs. The scenes breakdown like this;
Pantalone enters
talking about something he/she wants. Arlecchino is hiding and spying on
Pantalone. (More money, power, etc.) Pantalone tells us what it is and then
tries to think of a way to get it. He can't quite figure it out so he calls for
Dottore who enters. Pantalone tells Dottore what he wants and asks for help in
getting it. Dottore comes up with a plot to get it. (This should be a diabolical
plot in which someone gets hurt.) They call for Capitano who enters. Pantalone
explains what he wants and tells Capitano the plot. Capitano boasts about how
simple it will be. Pantalone and Dottore exit satisfied that they have the
perfect plan. Capitano continues to brag to the audience. Arlecchino distracts
and tricks Capitano into leaving. Arlecchino then comes out from hiding and is
upset about the plot. Arlecchino repeats the plot to the audience and tells them
how horrible it is and then comes up with a counter plot to foil Pantalone's
plan. He needs help so he calls Brighella or Columbina who enters. Arlecchino
first explains Pantalone's plot then his counter plot. The other servant is
equally horrified at the plot and then happy at the counter plot. They agree to
help. They repeat the counter plot to Arlecchino who then exits satisfied that
he has the perfect plan. Brighella or Columbina then repeat the counter plot to
the audience but change it a little so that they get something for themselves
out of the deal. (More meals, better work position, etc.) They call Tartaglia
who enters nervously. Brighella or Columbina first tell Tartaglia the original
plot and then their version of the counter plot. After Tartaglia repeats the
counter plot correctly Brighella or Columbina exit satisfied that he/she
has the perfect plot. Tartaglia is left alone on stage and tries to remember
the counter plot but can't. Tartaglia mixes both plots together and then exits
satisfied that he has the correct version.
Notes:
1)
Keep the plot and counter plot as simple as possible.
2)
Listen and remember what you are told. Accept the plot and do not block
the improv. This is key to keeping it simple.
3)
Remember that the comedy is in the characters' reactions and their
physical play not necessarily the dialogue.
4) If the student is stuck for a 'signature' then give them suggestions that are physical. For example; Pantalone enters counting the money in his money bag by either singing or doing the 'money' dance. He/she enters complaining of an ailment such as a trick knee, back pain, etc. Arlecchino enters always announcing himself the same way or jumps through the door or cartwheels, or runs into the room and passes the person who calls him forcing him to stop and look around thinking that no one is there. Brighella enters always eating something. Each character has something that is based in their personality.
