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2nd. INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP:

COMIC BODY AND COMMEDIA DELL’ARTE (80 hours)

Directed by Marco Ziello and José Gabriel Campos

 

HISTORICAL PRESENTATION:

 

Commedia dell'Arte began in Italy in the 16th century and with it professional theater. Actors use masks, physical types, and specific gestures to portray a variety of characters. It begins with a canovaccio, a series of specific events, the structure from which actors improvise the text using their character, a lazzo (comic idea or gag), songs, acrobatics, etc.

 

Some well-known characters of this genre are: Arlecchino, Pulcinella, the old Pantalone, etc. Its influence is visible in the works of great authors such as Shakesperare, Moliere, Goldoni, Lope de Rueda, Lope de Vega, Tirso de Molina and Cervantes, among others.

 

Nowadays Commedia dell'Arte is strongly recommended for professional actors. 

 

 

THE WORKSHOP:

 

The workshop is aimed at those who wish to discover a comedy that comes from the body and not only from words, knocking down those psychological barriers that do not allow us to be free in the process of creation. Commedia dell'Arte will provide actors with technical knowledge on the use of gesture, mask, improvisation and comic timing.

 

The workshop will be held in the morning and afternoon. It is divided into five main parts:  

 

  1. The art of Playfulness 

  2. Technique

  3. Practice

  4. Improvisation

  5. Canovaccio


The art of Playfulness:  The aim to put the body on alert, open and in good predisposition for working and creating. Actors will also work on the relationship with audience, timing and rhythm, complicity, theatre as a game, etc.

 

Technique: Movements and gestures of the "fixed types" of Commedia dell'Arte.

 

Practice: Actors will work on the behavior of the characters, situations in which they find themselves. By doing so actors will enrich their repertoire of lazzi (gags).

 

Improvisation: This is one of the key points of Commedia dell'Arte. Improvisation has three objectives:

  • Training

  • Creation 

  • Complicity

 

Canovaccio:  The actors are given the opportunity to put into practice everything they've learned. They will work on a short story with all characters.

 

SUBJETCS OF THE WORKSHOP

  • Anthropology of the Comic Body

  • What is Commedia dell'Arte

  • The use of the Mask and its meaning

  • Fixed Types and Characters

  • Function of the Characters

  • Technique and Gestures

  • I lazzi

  • Improvisation

  • Canovaccio

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1st PART - 17th - 21st July 2017 (40 hours)

  • servants or II zanni (Arlecchino, Truffaldino...)

  • Lovers or Innamorati

  • Captain or Capitano

  • Old Men or Vecchi

  • Final show

​​

2nd PART - 24th - 28th July 2017 (40 hours)

  • Further technique of II zanni, innamorati, vecchi, captain.

  • La signora â€‹

  • I zanni (Brighella, Scapino...)

  • Infarinato

  • Servetta (Colombina...)

  • Slapstick or Batocio

  • Final show

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Note: It will be necessary to wear to comfortable clothes and shoes. All languages are welcome to the workshop, since it is one of the basic pillars of Commedia dell'Arte: multilingualism.

 

WORKSHOP

Actors from all nationalities are welcome to the workshop, since multilingualism is one of the basic pillars of Commedia dell'Arte.

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