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KS3 Drama – Masks – Part 1

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KS3 Drama Masks – Part 1

This is a 5-slide excerpt from Boardworks KS3 Drama

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Commedia dell’arte

The best known of all European masked theatre forms is the Italian comedy known as commedia dell’arte. Commedia dell’arte (‘comedy of art’) originated in Venice in the 16th century. It went on to become popular all over Europe and has influenced many other forms of drama.

Traditionally the masks of commedia dell’arte were made out of leather and covered half of the actor’s face. Each character had their own distinctive mask, which helped to identify them. The masks typically have broad, comic features, deep grooves and exaggerated noses.

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Commedia dell’arte: the characters

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Commedia dell’arte: lazzi

The actors who performed commedia dell’arte in Venice did not use full play scripts. Instead they developed comic routines known as lazzi, which they combined with improvised scenes to make their performances.

The leader of the group, the capocomico, would write a list of scenes and lazzi before the performance. The acting would be a mixture of mime, clowning, acrobatics, improvised speech and dance.

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Commedia dell’arte: perform your own lazzi

Try performing the following lazzi for two actors, taking on the roles of Pantaloon and Harlequin. It is best performed as a mime with muttering and sounds but no words.

A hot day. Pantaloon is tired. He tells Harlequin that he is not to be disturbed, and falls asleep.

Suddenly Harlequin stops. He takes a swipe at the air and catches the fly in his hand. He listens to it. Pantaloon watches.

The fly lands on Pantaloon and Harlequin tries to hit it, waking up Pantaloon in the process. Pantaloon chases after Harlequin.

A fly lands on Harlequin. He slaps at it several times and watches it as it flies around. He becomes angry and starts to stalk the fly.

Harlequin puts the fly in his mouth and swallows. He runs off buzzing, chased by Pantaloon.