What are the features of slapstick comedy?
Slapstick, a type of physical comedy characterized by broad humour, absurd situations, and vigorous, usually violent action. The slapstick comic, more than a mere funnyman or buffoon, must often be an acrobat, a stunt performer, and something of a magician—a master of uninhibited action and perfect timing.
What is slapstick comedy examples?
Slapstick is a kind of comedy based on practical jokes, collisions, clumsiness and embarrassing events. An example of slapstick is comedy performed by the television characters called the Three Stooges where people get poked in the eye or pies in the face.
What is the meaning of slapstick?
Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such as saws and ladders.
In what way is Pantalone a stereotype?
In what way is Pantalone a stereotype? He is portrayed as wealthy, old, and miserly. Expand discussion to explore why it is easier to laugh at a stereotype than at a fully developed character. A fully developed character would have more than just positive or negative personality traits.
What does Pantaloon mean?
1a or pantalone \ ˌpan-tə-ˈlō-nē \ capitalized : a character in the commedia dell’arte that is usually a skinny old dotard who wears spectacles, slippers, and a tight-fitting combination of trousers and stockings. b : a buffoon in pantomimes. 2 pantaloons plural.
What type of character is Pantalone?
Pantaloon, Italian Pantalone, stock character of the 16th-century Italian commedia dell’arte—a cunning and rapacious yet often deceived Venetian merchant. Pantaloon dressed in a tight-fitting red vest, red breeches and stockings, a pleated black cassock, slippers, and a soft brimless hat.
What are the different commedia characters?
Commedia dell’Arte Characters
- Zanni. Zanni is probably not the first character that springs to mind when you think of Commedia dell’Arte characters.
- Pantalone. Pantalone is a well known Commedia dell’Arte character.
- Il Dottore (The Doctor)
- Arlecchino (Harlequin)
- Pulcinella.
- Colombina.
- Il Capitano (The Captain)
- Brighella.
What is Pulcinella personality?
Pulcinella is a dualistic character: he either plays dumb, though he is very much aware of the situation, or he acts as though he is the most intelligent and competent, despite being woefully ignorant. He is incessantly trying to rise above his station, though he does not intend to work for it.
What is the style of commedia dell arte?
The commedia dell’arte was a form of popular theatre that emphasized ensemble acting; its improvisations were set in a firm framework of masks and stock situations, and its plots were frequently borrowed from the classical literary tradition of the commedia erudita, or literary drama.
What does brighella mean?
His name comes from an Italian word which can mean “bother” or “contention” in Italian; Florio’s 1611 Italian-English Dictionary defines briga as meaning “a brable, a braule, a contention”. Brighella in English would be therefore something like “Fighty” or “Brawly”.
What is a harlequin costume?
Harlequin’s costume was originally a peasant’s shirt and long trousers, both covered with many coloured patches. It later developed into a tight-fitting costume decorated with triangles and diamond shapes, and it included a batte, or slapstick.
Is brighella a servant?
Originally one of the comic servants, or zanni, of the commedia, Brighella was a jack-of-all-trades whose loyalty as a soldier, hangman’s varlet, assassin, or gentleman’s valet could be easily bought.
What is Il Dottore personality?
Overview. Il Dottore was born from the city of Bologna, Italy. He is comically inept. He is usually extremely rich, though the needs of the scenario might have things otherwise, and extremely pompous, loving the sound of his own voice and spouting ersatz Latin and Greek.
How does Il Capitano walk?
His feet and legs are far apart in order to make himself appear more mighty and strong. His chest sticks out, puffed up with his shoulders broad. He walks in large strides, lifting his leg up as far as possible and then placing it down mere inches from where it started.
How does Dottore speak?
Dottore’s contribution to the action of the play consisted of a kind of ineffectual wandering about while talking continuously. His long-winded disquisitions, scholarly puns, and malapropisms were spoken in a jargon of Latin jumbled with local dialect.
What does Zanni mean?
Zanni, plural zanni or zannis, stock servant character in the Italian improvisational theatre known as the commedia dell’arte. Zanni were valet buffoons, clowns, and knavish jacks-of-all-trades. All possessed common sense, intelligence, pride, and a love of practical jokes and intrigue.
What are the three character types used within Commedia?
Characters
- Zanni: servants, clowns; characters such as Arlecchino (also known as Harlequin), Brighella, Scapino, Pulcinella and Pedrolino.
- Vecchi: wealthy old men, masters; characters such as Pantalone and il Dottore.
- Innamorati: young upper class lovers; who would have names such as Flavio and Isabella.
Who is Arlecchino’s boss?
Brighella
Is Arlecchino a servant?
Early characteristics of Arlecchino paint the character as a second zanni servant from northern Italy with the paradoxical attributes of a dimwitted fool and an intelligent trickster. Arlecchino is sometimes referred to as putting on a show of stupidity in a metatheatrical attempt to create chaos within the play.
What animal does Pantalone represent?
While the theories of the St Pantaleone and the lion of St Mark are common, they are both now considered unlikely origins, and the true origin is unknown. The name Pantaloon generally means “old fool” or “dotard”. The role of Pantalone is usually spoken entirely in the Venetian dialect.
How does Arlecchino speak?
Vocal Quality. When Arlecchino speaks he is like a water tap – either words are flowing continuously or not at all. The traditional Arlecchino has a voice like the other zanni; very harsh and guttural, not polished and smooth like the speech of the Lovers or educated, like the Masters.
Who did Arlecchino love?
Capitano Massdestruction
How does Arlecchino move?
Arlecchino is always in motion. His knees are bent giving him a low centre of gravity. The elbows are bent and hands are placed on his belt. He never walks in a straight line and instead walks in a zig zag pattern; stepping left, then centre, then right, then back to centre.
Where is Il Capitano from?
Italy