15 October 2021
Isabella Andreini and the art of performing in a Commedia dell’Arte
The first documented performance of a Commedia dell’Arte was in 1545 in Padua. In this form of theatre the story was told mainly through gestures and acting, whereas texts had a smaller role. The scripts would only give a broad sense of the plot and describe a few scenes. The texts, slapstick jokes and reactions from the characters would vary. This means that a different troupe could perform the same play but it would be a different experience for the audience. These plays were performed in the vernacular language and differted from the traditional latin that was often used. This meant that more people could understand the actors, and not just the elite. The performances were often held outside in informal settings (Clubb). It truly was a form of art by the people, for the people. A side effect of steering away from the traditional forms of theatre was the introduction of women on stage. Alongside that, there is the role of individuality of artists during the renaissance that steered away from religion. In this essay we will take a look at la Commedia dell’Arte through Isabella Adreini’s career and how she incorporated elements of the Commedia dell’Arte performances in her work.
One of the important events where Commedia dell’Arte performances were held was at the wedding of Ferdinando de Medici and Grand Duchess Christine of Lorraine in 1589. The improvisational and adaptability the performance was key in impressing the French Grand Duchess at her wedding. Adreini’s performance in a mad scene where she sings and expresses herself in multiple languages, specifically in French, is a beautiful example of the affect such a performance can have. (Clubb, 121) Even though she performed at this prestigious event with her troupe, the financial gains of a comic at that time were not great.
A woman in theatre being reviewed and written about in a positive manner. If we look at Adreini’s career it was not left untouched by the realities of being one of the first women in theatre during the renaissance. She had eight children. This means it must have been unavoidable for her to perform while carrying her children. This unintended aspect of her performance, performing while pregnant, made her more vulnerable towards audiences and also was a sign of fidelity towards her husband. Maintaining such an impeccable image was key to keep frequenting people from high society. Setting herself up with vulnerabilities might also have contributed to her popularity. They provided a contrast to her charismatic side that was always seen on stage. Even though she was regarded as one of the best in her field, she still struggled to provide for her daughters. This provides a good example of the hardships that comici those days still faced, even when they were regarded with high praise (Kerr). The acting must not have been done for financial gain, but come from a place of passion.
Where the comici lacked in financial freedom they could make up for it by having a lot of artistic liberty in performing stock characters. This led to actors being associated with certain roles. As well as characters that fit a certain role developing in something more distinguishable like Arlecchino or Pulcinella. Who were recognized by certain clothing. These characterisation and caricatures in the costumes are often still recognizable for audiences today. The napolitan Pulcinella for example, a ‘zanno’, is still sold as a souvenir and seen in children’s media like Toto Sapore e la magica storia della pizza. In a play there were often two zanni’s or servants. They were used as a tool for comedic relief and usually were the but of the joke. The other stock characters that would exist around them consisted of two lovers, two elderly men who opposed the lovers, the doctor, the merchant and sometimes some female servants as well. All of the stock characters were recognizable by their clothing, not just the zanni. Working with these stock characters meant that being the best at acting out one was important to stand out in a troupe. This is something that Adreini achieved in her career.
Even though the art of performing la Commedia dell’Arte has been lost to time, it is still a fascinating way of performing. The importance of the freedoms in this performance art prove that actors really tell stories, and not just the texts provided to them. Nowadays people keep trying to earn a living doing what they love and what they are good at.
Bibliography
Louise George Clubb. “Italian Renaissance Theatre”. The Oxford Illustrated History of Theatre, edited by John Russell Brown, Oxford UP, 2001, pp. 118-133.
Kerr, Rosalind. “ Isabella Andreini: The Making of a Diva”. The Rise of the Diva on the Sixteenth-Century Commedia dell’Arte Stage, University of Toronto Press, 2015. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/10.3138/j.ctt13x1qx4.10.pdf?ab_segments=0%2Fbasic_phrase_search%2Fcontrol&refreqid=fastly-default%3A1443648ec87ef8421414c828f9d45cf3.
Tijdens mijn meeloopdag bij Circolo stelde ik Lysanne de vraag: Waarom heb je voor circus gekozen?. Hierna
