Whole idea of Mask is that when you wear a mask, everybody was on the same plain. (status didn't matter)
Helps you understand yourself better.
Character mask
- 16th Century
- Masters of improvisation - rooted in physical training
- One stock character per actor (archetypes) - elements of character that we can all relate to and universally understand
- Actors would improvise around scenarios embellish basic plot outline with physical routines know as LAZZI
- Virtuoso linguistic digressions (verbal riffs of standup comedians) - using sounds in ways that people recognise the meaning even gramalot
- A model for improvisatory and movement orientated performance
- Actor centered theatre (acrobatics, body training, improvisation, ensemble, stagin techniques)
- Street psychology
- Through comedy, we can glimpse tragedy (Charlie Chaplin)
- Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, Marx brothers
- Le jeu of Lecoq
4 Principles
- Stillness
- Awareness of your partners on stage
- Communication with the audience as individuals
- Ability to express feeling and thought through body
Characters
Pantalone - chicken - about suspicion, middle aged, rich, greedy, miserly, protective of money, paranoid about losing his possessions, vain, old man wanting to hide his old age, a father who competes romantically with his son, husband deceived by a young wife, an overly protective father guarding his young daughter from suitors. Large nose (leads by his nose)
Dottore - pig - elderly gentleman, friend/rival of pantalone, originally a law professor, later a medical man lacking common sense, ancestor of absent minded professor, master of double talk and jargon, stutterer like priest in princess bride. Studies alot but understands nothing
Arlecchino/Harlequin(zanni) - monkey and cat - usually clever persuaders and schemers, excellent at ad libbing and acrobatics, clever pranksters, agile in mind and body, illiterate, source of conflict, opposite of pantalone (too hungry, too tired, not too smart) - Curiosity, mischievous shapeshifter, disguises, never thinks about consequences, just acts.
Zanni - group of birds/penguins/fish - Proto clowns, pre verbal, like animals, always sleepy or hungry, do things/play off each other in a group, servants, not very intellectual, scheme for their masters, emotional reactions, emotionally driven
Innamorati/Innamoratae - Oratio and Isabella - less creature like/more human like - Beautifully dressed young lovers, speak a refined language, no mask/leads with chest, parody of ballet, use breath and points of lightness, elegant, high status but the status is brought low by their obsession with each other, vain (mirrors), well read, spoilt, drama queen, selfish
Scapino (Zanni) - rascally, always running away, gets confused about everything, fall in love just for the fun of it, never gets deeply involved, schemes against old men, driven by the moment
Capitano - Peacock, bloodhound, mastiff - Boastful, cowardly spaniard who brags of battles never fought and romances never experiences, braggart, bullheaded, not smart, kinda afraid of women, brags a lot
Pulcinella (zanni) - hump backed, doltish male character, dorky, awkward, violant, powerful figure in the sense that he'll use violence to get his way, imporsonates animals in inanimate objects, clever pretending to be stupid, likes to quaral, sees everything in his own image
Pedrolino (zanni) - simple, awkward male character, effeminate, tense, ocd, excitable/devil wears prada Stanley Tucci, cuckolded, dreamed, worries about his dress, tragic, simple minded, butt of jokes, doesn't seem to have any feelings but invents his feelings when he's alone, loner, faithful to his master, always tired
Scaramuccia - a moustached servant, sometimes clever, sometimes cruel, very expressive with face and body
Senora - no mask - bossy, bawdy, offers hersul in exchange for money/high status, vain, proud, goes after men, forever 29 years old, "cougar"
Brighella (zanni) - cunning, corrupt, leads by fear, uses weaknesses against you, boss of zanni
Fontesca/Columbina/Clarice - fox - serving maid, clever, high spirited flirt, often moving, clever, high spirited, flirtatious, the maid, often to the innamoratae, often corresponded with arlecchino, ballet like movement
- Zanni - comedic/clown like characters - They do "Lazzi" which are comedic interludes (popular mid 1500s). Different kindas of lazzi (food, sex, sleep, social class rebellion, stupidity, trickery etc.), zany ones
- Lazzi - conversations, little comic interludes, moments of humor grabbed between scenes/during scenes, stage tricks, Comic stage business, Comic routines, planned of unplanned, that could be performed in any play
Working with the mask
- cheat up with mask/face/ head. Keep head up
- Use the physical characteristics of your mask
- Make the mask come alive
- Don't touch the mask
- Don't be subtle
x
Pantalone - chicken - about suspicion, middle aged, rich, greedy, miserly, protective of money, paranoid about losing his possessions, vain, old man wanting to hide his old age, a father who competes romantically with his son, husband deceived by a young wife, an overly protective father guarding his young daughter from suitors. Large nose (leads by his nose)
Dottore - pig - elderly gentleman, friend/rival of pantalone, originally a law professor, later a medical man lacking common sense, ancestor of absent minded professor, master of double talk and jargon, stutterer like priest in princess bride. Studies alot but understands nothing
Arlecchino/Harlequin(zanni) - monkey and cat - usually clever persuaders and schemers, excellent at ad libbing and acrobatics, clever pranksters, agile in mind and body, illiterate, source of conflict, opposite of pantalone (too hungry, too tired, not too smart) - Curiosity, mischievous shapeshifter, disguises, never thinks about consequences, just acts.
Zanni - group of birds/penguins/fish - Proto clowns, pre verbal, like animals, always sleepy or hungry, do things/play off each other in a group, servants, not very intellectual, scheme for their masters, emotional reactions, emotionally driven
Innamorati/Innamoratae - Oratio and Isabella - less creature like/more human like - Beautifully dressed young lovers, speak a refined language, no mask/leads with chest, parody of ballet, use breath and points of lightness, elegant, high status but the status is brought low by their obsession with each other, vain (mirrors), well read, spoilt, drama queen, selfish
Scapino (Zanni) - rascally, always running away, gets confused about everything, fall in love just for the fun of it, never gets deeply involved, schemes against old men, driven by the moment
Capitano - Peacock, bloodhound, mastiff - Boastful, cowardly spaniard who brags of battles never fought and romances never experiences, braggart, bullheaded, not smart, kinda afraid of women, brags a lot
Pulcinella (zanni) - hump backed, doltish male character, dorky, awkward, violant, powerful figure in the sense that he'll use violence to get his way, imporsonates animals in inanimate objects, clever pretending to be stupid, likes to quaral, sees everything in his own image
Pedrolino (zanni) - simple, awkward male character, effeminate, tense, ocd, excitable/devil wears prada Stanley Tucci, cuckolded, dreamed, worries about his dress, tragic, simple minded, butt of jokes, doesn't seem to have any feelings but invents his feelings when he's alone, loner, faithful to his master, always tired
Scaramuccia - a moustached servant, sometimes clever, sometimes cruel, very expressive with face and body
Senora - no mask - bossy, bawdy, offers hersul in exchange for money/high status, vain, proud, goes after men, forever 29 years old, "cougar"
Brighella (zanni) - cunning, corrupt, leads by fear, uses weaknesses against you, boss of zanni
Fontesca/Columbina/Clarice - fox - serving maid, clever, high spirited flirt, often moving, clever, high spirited, flirtatious, the maid, often to the innamoratae, often corresponded with arlecchino, ballet like movement
- Zanni - comedic/clown like characters - They do "Lazzi" which are comedic interludes (popular mid 1500s). Different kindas of lazzi (food, sex, sleep, social class rebellion, stupidity, trickery etc.), zany ones
- Lazzi - conversations, little comic interludes, moments of humor grabbed between scenes/during scenes, stage tricks, Comic stage business, Comic routines, planned of unplanned, that could be performed in any play
Working with the mask
- cheat up with mask/face/ head. Keep head up
- Use the physical characteristics of your mask
- Make the mask come alive
- Don't touch the mask
- Don't be subtle
x
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