COMMEDIA DELL’ ARTE - 23. 7. - 30. 7. 2023

The  Commedia  dell'Arte  (also  known  as  Commedia  all’Improvviso)  laboratory  is  intended  as  the discovery  of  a  theatrical  code  which  includes  the  use  of  expressive  half-face  masks,  a  particular acting  style,  vocality,  rules  and  actor-audience  relations.  The  laboratory  is  however  not  intended as  a  strict  attempt  at  philological  recovery  of  a  genre  which  may  seem  otherwise  outmoded.  The strength  of  Commedia  all’Improvviso  is  represented  by  its  particular  characters  (Pantalone, Arlecchino,  Zanni,  Dottore,  Brighella,  innamorati,  capitani  etc.)  who  represent  archetypes  of human  society  which  can  be  found  in  every  culture  and  in  any  period.

LABORATORY:

The  “maskwork”  involved  in  the  Commedia  dell'Arte  represents  a  milestone  in  an  actor's  work, as  it  holds  all  the  tools  and  principles  of  the  art  of  acting.  This  type  of  work  requires  a  great  deal of  involvement  on  the  part  of  the  actor,  who  is  also  required  to  have  good  physical  ability.

The  Commedia  dell’Arte,  with  his  work  on  types,  on  the  expressiveness  of  the  body,  on  the  use of  the  mask  and  with  its  canovaccio,  represents  a  unique  opportunity  for  an  actor’s  training. Such  training  teaches  the  actor  to  combine  realism  and  artifice,  ‘natural’  gestures  with  the expressiveness  of  the  mask,  and  to  transform  this  creative  game  into  the  audience’s comprehension  and  enjoyment.

The  first  phase  will  be  devoted  to  physical  and  vocal  training  with  a  targeted  use  of  body language,  expressiveness,  quality  of  movement,  vocality  and  rhythm.

STRUCTURE:

1. Historical  Introduction:  the  birth  and  evolution  of  the  Commedia  dell'Arte ,  its  masks  and  their function,  iconographic  and  literary  sources  ,  the  Commedia  dell'Arte  today  (photographic  and video  material  will  be  used).
2. The  mask:  A  series  of  exercises  will  explore  the  following:  propulsion  points,  the  mask  as  a  tool and  its  use/functionality,  the  physicality  of  the  mask,  search  for  a  mask’s  own  voice,  the concepts  of  riporto  and  a  parte.
3. Traditional  and  modern  characteristics:  The  unique  characteristics  of  the  Commedia  dell’Arte will  be  studied  together  with  the  intentional/emotional  world  of  the  following  masks:  Dottore, Pantalone,  Zanni,  Arlecchino,  Brighella,  la  Serva,  Capitano,  gli  Innamorati,  Strega.  Their  study will  include  an  in-depth  analysis  of  their  posture  and  social  relations.  The  next  step  is  the allocation  of  the  best-suited  mask  to  each  of  the  participants  in  order  to  develop  individual characters.
4. Canovaccio:  through  improvisation  exercises  on  a  theme,  using  the  classic  patterns  of  dramatic construction,  an  original  canovaccio  will  be  developed,  which  will  be  presented  as  a  final  project open  to  the  public.
5. Festival: performance

Matteo Spiazzi (IT)

Matteo Spiazzi is a theater director and pedagogue. After graduating from the Academy of Dramatic Art "Nico Pepe" in Udine, he specializes in commedia dell'arte, contemporary masks and physical theater. He is the author and director of several shows that have entered the repertoire of various international theaters, including the Russian National Academic Theater "Gorkij" in Minsk (BLS), the State Puppet Theater in Minsk (BLS), Kuressare Linnateater (EST), Slupsk Puppet theater (PL), Maribor Puppet Theater (SLO), Moscow Nations Theater (RU), Kyiv Academic Drama and Comedy Theater (UA), Kyiv National Academic Operetta Theater (UA). He collaborates as a pedagogue at various drama academies and universities, including the "Nico Pepe" Academy of Udine, the Viljandi Tartu University Dramatic Art Academy (EST), the Prague Dramatic Art Academy DAMU (CZ), the National Academy Dramatic Art of Minsk (BLS), Kyiv Academy of Dramatic Art (UA), Kyiv Academy of Art and Culture (UA), Karpenko Karpenko Kary Academy of Art of Kyiv (UA).