How do you act as Brighella?

Acting Style

Brighella's weight is placed on a bent leg. The other is extended, lightly touching the ground. His elbows are up with his hands spread out. Whether or not he is moving, his feet are constantly moving, dancing back and forth.

What does a Brighella act like?

Brighella, stock character of the Italian commedia dell'arte; a roguish, quick-witted, opportunistic, and sometimes lascivious and cruel figure.

How does Arlecchino behave?

Arlecchino's usual role is that of a faithful valet or servant, but in this context he is also the clown, the acrobat providing lots of comic relief! As soon as this character appears on stage there is always lots of laughter at his absurd actions and words, alternating between flashes of brilliance and plain idiocy.

How does Brighella move in Commedia dell arte?

When Brighella walks, his head stays in place, but his legs come up to the side and his torso sways from side to side. It is a very soft walk, similar to tip-toeing, the difference being that his legs are spread. PLOT FUNCTION: Brighella is a very cynical and sarcastic character.

How does Zanni speak?

Speech. The Zanni is loud and his voice is coarse due to making a living outdoors trying to be heard in a market or busy street. Zanni is also known to be vocal with sounds including farting, burping, and snoring.

Teaching Commedia - Brighella.wmv

What is Zanni personality?

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. They were, however, often quarrelsome, cowardly, envious, spiteful, vindictive, and treacherous.

Why does Harlequin wear a mask?

Today's activity was inspired by the many masks and disguises that Harlequin and his other stock character companions use throughout commedia dell'arte plays. Harlequin is often associated with wearing a black mask because that color was associated with trickery and mischievousness.

Does brighella wear a mask?

He wore a greenish half-mask (traditionally olive-green) displaying a look of preternatural lust and greed. It is distinguished by a hook nose and thick lips, along with a thick twirled mustache to give him an offensive characteristic.

What does Arlecchino mask look like?

Physically, Arlecchino is described as wearing a costume covered in irregular patches, a hat outfitted with either a rabbit or fox's tail, and a red and black mask. The mask itself is identified by carbuncles on the forehead, small eyes, a snub nose, hollow cheeks, and sometimes bushy brows with facial hair.

What is Pantalone personality?

Pantalone is characterized as loving his money and having emotional extremes. With his sinister and often inhumane treatment towards his fellows, Pantalone is perceived to be a pivotal part of commedia. His importance is represented in almost every commedia production; often placing him at the beginning of the comedy.

What is a Harlequin's role?

The Harlequin is characterized by his chequered costume. His role is that of a light-hearted, nimble, and astute servant, often acting to thwart the plans of his master, and pursuing his own love interest, Columbina, with wit and resourcefulness, often competing with the sterner and melancholic Pierrot.

How does Arlecchino speak?

When speaking with others, Arlecchino must speak with hands otherwise it throws on the physical dynamic and tradition of the character. Arlecchino is a very witty character, as are most servant characters in most theatrical productions. Because of his nature, he will speak fast but the physicality must keep up.

Are Arlecchino and Harlequin the same?

Harlequin, Italian Arlecchino, French Arlequin, one of the principal stock characters of the Italian commedia dell'arte; often a facile and witty gentleman's valet and a capricious swain of the serving maid.

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.

How does Dottore speak?

His long-winded disquisitions, scholarly puns, and malapropisms were spoken in a jargon of Latin jumbled with local dialect.

Who is Arlecchino's master?

Commedia characters are fixed types who fall into one of three categories: The Servants (eg: Arlecchino or Columbina) The Masters (eg: Pantalone) The Lovers (eg: Isabella and Flavio )

What animal is Zanni?

The Zanni character was a buffoon or clown and known in those days as a simpleton or 'stupid incompetent fool'!

How does il Dottore walk?

Il Dottore walks with his chest up, knees bent, and with a bouncy movement, taking small steps; he gesticulates with his hands and fingers, making room around him by keeping others at bay. He stands in one position and plants himself to make a point.

What did Pantalone wear?

Pantaloon dressed in a tight-fitting red vest, red breeches and stockings, a pleated black cassock, slippers, and a soft brimless hat. Later versions of the character sometimes wore long trousers (pantaloons).

Which commedia dell'arte characters did not wear masks?

Innamorati usually wore no mask, soubrettes/servettas usually wore no mask, and some zanni like Mezzetin, Scaramouch and Pedrolino have a longer documented tradition for going unmasked than they do for covering their faces.

How many commedia dell'arte characters are there?

Commedia dell'arte has four stock character groups: 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.

Who are the lovers in commedia dell arte?

Isabella, Colombina (the latter being more versatile, playing the Soubrette too) Silvia, Corallina, the more known Female Lovers, and Lelio, Flavio, Orazio, Silvio, Leandro and others are the men, all with a simple name, easy to remember (in contrast with the Captains, sometimes with very elaborate and noble-like names ...

Is Harlequin a name?

The name Harlequin is primarily a gender-neutral name of French origin that means Mute Pantomime Clown.

What is a Volto mask?

The "volto" or "larva" mask was originally always a white mask, always worn with a three cornered hat and in fact, attached to the hat. The term "larva" refers to "ghosts" and these white masks under the hat must have truly seemed ghostly on a moon lit night in Venice at a time when there was only dim street lighting.