Comedia Workshop

Comedia Del'arte

The 5 characters that we looked at were:

Pantalone

Il Dottore

Capitano

Pedrolino

Arlecchino

Columbina

My experience:

My experience with these 6 characters was good because it showed me how these characters' characteristics are often used in modern day theatre/tv shows. For example, Pantalone has a characteristic of being greedy, and in everyday performances, there is often a character who is greedy.
By acting out these characters out, it taught me how I can attempt to be any character in a show, and it also showed me how I can invent a character in my head by just listening to the characteristics of these characters which could be useful to make my roles in a play to be unique without having someone/something to tell me how to act it out.

Pantelone - Showed me how to combine 2 very different characterisics (deluded, greedy) by showing to lead with the stomach but looking deluded by changing the eyeline.

Il Dottore - I found this the toughest character to act out because I found it hard to look slightly clueless although he is someone who believes that he thinks he knows everything.

Capitano - This was my favourite character to try to act because he walks around in a silly way but he doesn't realise it. His walk reminded me of Pizocca's walk.

Pedrolino - In my head, Pedrolino's character was very innocent with big eyes who wither looked at the floor, to show that he's lonely, or up at the sky to show how he dreams to be united with his true love.

Arlecchino -

Columbina - I struggled to play this femenine character because she had many complex characteristics for me to practice.

Which character did you choose and why?

I chose the character of Colombina. I chose this character because I chose to face a challenge because I hardly play a very femenine character.

Strengths and weaknesses of your improvisation:

My improvisation was set in a church where there were 2 people getting married by a corrupt priest while there was a drunk man and a thief/'love-sick' boy watching the wedding. I think that the idea was a good idea and we all worked well together to think of ideas. The majority of our group delivered good performances and tried to stay true to their character's characteristics whereas some of the group struggled to become the character. Unfortunalty, I struggled to become Columbina becuase I was not given many lines to deliver in so I have set myself the target to practice becoming a flirtatious and overly-femenine woman, even when I don't have many lines, who looks at other people under her eyelashes.

Comedia Del'arte

Commedia Del’arte  - Stock Characters

All plays involve comic business or ‘Lazzi’  often actors would build up repertoire of tricks.

“Each character is a representation of the rest of their social class.”

Pantalone 

Status: high, top of the pecking order. Pantalone IS Money. His orders are obeyed.

Stance: an old man’s stoop with restricted movement of legs which are together toes turned out

Description - lecherous old fool, greedy and deluded  (Mr Punch). Old in body, but hands flutter and gesticulate continuously. Animal, Chciken or turkey.

Il Dottore

Status: A bachelor or widow. High.

Stance: Weight back, belly forward, hand s gesture in front.

Description: A bumbling quack who doesn’t know a thing about medicine, pompous windbag (e.g Captain Mannering). Not actually inetellectual.

Capitano

Status: Pretends high status, a loner

Stance: Chest pushed forward, puffed out, feet apart (trying to take up a lot of space).

Description: a complete coward and a fake (Basil Fawlty) with a huge nose, likes to strut around, somehow he is in charge! Ofetn does Pantalone’s dirty work.

Pedrolino

Status: low, the youngest son of the family

Stance: moves in direct straight lines, upright. Hands in pocket or on hips

Description: (developed into Pierrot) – a lowly son or servant who dreams of love, has a white face on account of working in the kitchen (flour) downtrodden (Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel). Often beaten or abused by father or employer.

Arlecchino (Harlequin)

Status: Low, A servant

Stance: a lowered position as if caused by carrying heavy loads, and upward energy, feet and toes turned out, wide stance

 Description: A cunning servant who still retains the devils horn, mischievous deliberately mixes up his masters orders, agile and acrobatic part monkey part dog (Shakespeare’s Puck). Quick Physically, slow mentally.

Columbina (un masked)

Status: Low, a servant usually a ladies maid.

Stance: Hands on hips, small steps, slight tilt forwad from hips.

Description: (damsel in distress) a servant, often the subject of love interest. Animal dove.

Other Characters may not wear masks e.g.  ‘The lovers’, often these characters are quite straight and the subject of the plot rather than the ‘entertainment’  (see Hermia, lysander, etc in Midsummer Nights Dream)

Casting

1.  WHO AM I?  

(All the details about your character including name, age, address, relatives, likes, dislikes, hobbies, career, description of physical traits, opinions, beliefs, religion, education, origins, enemies, loved ones, sociological influences, etc.) 

Hello there. My name is Alfonso but you can call me Judge. I am 53 years old and I live in Italy with my serving girl Pizocca; we're not married, oh gosh, I can't see a woman without having to go to the toilet every few minutes. She's not the most attractive of women so I've got her to simply do the chores for me. I don't like to keep in contact with my relatives since I only have about 2 cousins left. I love to read in my parlour with my cat, Pizo (Some people may think that I named him after Pizocca but that's clearly absurd! I have white thinning hair that flops over my head and wrinkles that frame my face.

2.  WHAT TIME IS IT? 

(Century, season, year, day, minute, significance of time) 

It is summer in 16th centenary Italy. I am writing this before I go and do my job so I am apologetic if this seems a bit rushed.

3.  WHERE AM I? 

(Country, city, neighbourhood, home, room, area of room) 

I'm sitting in my parlour in the front of my house where I am waiting for my food to be bought in by Pizocca. Oh that woman is probably still in bed. I'm considering having a bottle of rum for breakfast if she doesn't get here quickly!

4.  WHAT SURROUNDS ME? 

(Animate and inanimate objects-complete details of environment) 

In my front garden, I can see the flowers growing from the ground next to the bright green trees. There is a breeze coming from the window above me... Why hasn't Pizocca closed that window? Where is Pizocca? My cat has just jumped off my lap... I would go and find him but I have to get ready for work.

5.  WHAT ARE THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES? 

(Past, present, future and all of the events) 

I am a lonely old man who is just looking for some friends. I hate to admit it but i don't really have many friends. Hard to believe, right? I'm trapped in a courtroom all day and then I go home to be trapped in here too. I used to have friends and family who used to come over but they don't bother anymore. Maybe Pizocca told them never to come back again. Maybe she knows my true feelings. Maybe she's seen underneath my disguise that I can't be in the same room with an attractive woman for more than 10 minutes because I don't want her to get the wrong idea. Or maybe just being a bit paranoid.

6.  WHAT IS MY RELATIONSHIP? 

(Relation to total events, other characters, and to things) 

The only person who is the closest thing to a friend I have is Pizocca. She's acting a bit strange recently... I don't know what's been happening. I'm quite high up in where I live so maybe she's finally realised that and wants to please me in hope that she'll get higher up in our community. Oh I don't know anymore, I'm not good with women.

7.  WHAT DO I WANT? 

(Character's need.  The immediate and main objective) 

I want to concentrate on my job but there's a part of my that loves Pizocca. I will never tell her but I think I love her. There's a part of me that knows that I want her and that I need her but then I need to keep our acquaintanceship purely professional. One day, I will win her over.

8.  WHAT IS IN MY WAY? 

(The obstacles which prevent character from getting his/her need) 

I need to keep our relationship purely professional or my job, along with hers, could be at stake. What do I do? Keep my job or sacrifice it to be with her?

9.  WHAT DO I DO TO GET WHAT I WANT? 

(The action: physical and verbal, also-action verbs)

I need to keep things low key so nobody will ever suspect anything, and then one day she'll fall deeply in love with me and we'll sort out how we can be together.

Forever.