“Commedia dell’Arte”
Commedia dell’Arte was born in Italy in the 16th century and spread rapidly throughout Europe. In the world of Commedia dell’Arte the characters embody vices, defects, and basic feelings, thus becoming fixed-types. Their archetypal characteristics make them always current and present in nowadays world: the old miser and greedy, the young lover, the smart servant, the greedy for power, the slave totally subjected and powerless. Through these characters, timeless situations get born based on love, hatred, power, money, betrayal, deception and revelations. A universe of characters and situations, that are alive in our world today, more than ever.
“Commedia dell’Arte” today
In an increasingly technological world, human beings find themselves in a great need of occasions for human-centered social aggregation. Commedia dell'Arte is centered on human experience and on the work of the actor: through the theatrical metaphor, we can reflect on today's problems, on our personal urgency, on what we want to explore in order to create the change we hope in our own lives and in our society.
The “Servant-Master” relationship
At the beginning of Commedia dell'Arte, in the 16th century, the first performances were disputes between two characters: the servant and the master. The workshop will focus on this basic social conflict: where can we find power relationships in our lives today? How do they develop? Do they ever overturn?
We will act small scenes to explore this relationship. The aim is to search for the dynamics of power that we have in our lives and to play them through the characters.
Wearing a Mask we can allow ourselves to explore, we are free to do what we feel, even overturning power situations, mocking, transforming, changing them.
Each participant will be able to bring personal experiences in order to play this relationship, rediscovering the social, political and transforming aspect of Commedia dell'Arte and Theatre in general.
The work
- Historical introduction to Commedia dell’Arte
- Physical training (specific to Commedia dell’Arte)
- Approach to the Mask
- Attitudes of Fixed-Types (the Characters)
- Study of scenic space
- The Servant - Master relationship
- Improvisation
The workshop is an opportunity open to anyone to explore, to get immersed, to dive in the potential of the body and to rediscover childish fun. The work is based on the exploration of the world of Commedia dell'Arte and specifically on the relationship between Servant and Master, between “Power of Love and Love for Power”. Everyone will be able to face a self-discovery work that will bring into the game the specific characteristics of each. The strength of Commedia dell'Arte lies in the use of the specific experiences of each person/actor.
No previous experience is required, just willingness to explore, together with the group.
