Scaramouche, Pierrot, Harlequin, and Columbine—I’m pretty certain that you must have heard these names at least once in your life.
They belong to the theatre and long-ago traditions that don’t exist anymore, at least not in the same way. Having introduced Carnevale in last week’s blog post, and thus the typical masks and costumes of this merry period, I couldn’t just stop and not delve deeper into these classic Shrovetide disguises.
As I already wrote, you may know them with their famous French honorifics, but long before they were adopted by France and the rest of Europe, you’ve guessed it, they belonged to the Italians only.
When we think about nowadays actors, Hollywoodian stars, and extremely popular artists both in the theatre and in the movies, we probably imagine someone good-looking and incredibly rich.
Obviously, cases vary from person to person; however, in the 21st century, these types of artists tend to be revered all around the world. Yet, long ago, at its roots, the situation was completely different.
If we have to thank anyone for having the opportunity to become an actor and get paid for it, gratitude and credits must go to Commedia dell’Arte and all the marvellous artists who centuries ago fought for what we have today.
It was during the 1500s that this form of professional theatre was born in the Italian Peninsula, then exploding in the rest of Europe and especially France, and it was known by many different variations of its name, like Commedia alla Maschera (Comedy in Mask) or Commedia all’Improvviso (Improv Comedy).
What distinguished this innovative style from the typical theatrical play was that the actors had no script; they recited, improvising their parts, only following a Canovaccio—which was a scenario consisting of a list of fixated acts and schemes—leaving all the rest of the play details to the actors themselves.
What marvelled the public the most about this new way of acting, however, was not merely the improv that happened on the stage.
It introduced several more key innovations to performance and dramatic storytelling, innovations that forever changed the course of history.
First of all, they used what are defined as “stock characters”—crystallised archetypes of personas, each with distinctive traits, costumes, and, of course, masks. We have the young lovers, the severe elders, the sly servants, and so on. These disguises were worn by most performers to exaggerate their character’s expressions and help the public to identify them. It included the typical Carnevale ones like Arlecchino, Colombina, Pulcinella, and lots more. This is because Commedia dell’Arte was a physical comedy, and that means that the actors’ aspect was extremely relevant on the stage. The people needed to be able to recognise each role by simply looking at them, for they needed to be discernible by appearance, personality, way of speaking, and behaviour. It influenced all future masked performances, even mimes and modern superheroes, and it had a direct impact on the circus and silent film comedians like Charlie Chaplin.
What made these artists even greater, however, was that they weren’t dilettantes. They were true professionals with a great deal of experience behind them. Commedia dell’Arte essentially helped them establish professional theatre companies with touring troupes, shifting away from purely amateur performances and setting the foundation, as I said before, for modern acting. The actors engaged directly with the audience, and if before the 16th century the theatre was mainly for the rich and nobles, seen mostly at court, with Commedia dell’Arte it became for anyone.
It was recognised as a profession through and through, and if anyone desired to attend a play, they necessarily had to pay. Therefore, once again, if we have to thank anyone for having the opportunity to become an actor and get paid for it, gratitude and credits must go to Commedia dell’Arte and all the marvellous artists who centuries ago fought for what we have today.
But that’s not all.
One of the most amazing innovations they brought is that these companies were formed of both men and women. Before the 1500s, most European theatre traditions prohibited women from performing. Female roles were usually played by young men. That’s why their inclusion in Italian troupes marked a major moment, establishing acting as a legitimate occupation and paving the way for their presence in theatre across all of Europe. The Church was not at all happy for this sudden change; nevertheless, it was an outstanding turning point for gender representation in the performing arts.
So, for a couple of centuries, this new, wonderful way of making art was known in all of Europe with its Italian honorific, as well as the characters’ original names. It dawned in the Italian Peninsula with Carlo Goldoni’s theatrical reform, but in the rest of the world it lived through France, forever transmuting what had once been known as Italian personages into French ones.
I am kind of salty about it, since it is my people’s culture, but let’s focus on something else.
Why is it then called Commedia dell’Arte? Great question with a great answer. In this case, “Arte”—art—literally means “occupation”. Thus, signifying a performance done by actors who are true professionals.
Though centuries have passed since Commedia dell’Arte first graced the streets and courts of my country, its influence is still felt in theatre, film, and comedy today. Its roots may be in the Italian Renaissance, but its spirit never faded. If you pay enough attention, dear reader, you’ll notice the echoes of its masked characters living on in myriads of things, like the beautiful loving figures of Arlecchino and Colombina up above, proving once again that art is as timeless as ever.
Up, Harlequin and Columbine by Franz Xavier Leyendecker (1916)
Sources:
La Commedia dell’Arte: Genesi d’una società dello spettacolo by Roberto Tessari (2013)
Le Maschere del Teatro e della Commedia dell’Arte
Le Maschere di Carnevale Italiane (e da dove vengono i loro nomi)
The Library of the Unseen 
Penny for your thoughts…