SPECIAL NOTE: For those of you searching for information about purchasing a DVD of commedia dell'arte techniques, an instructional booklet, hiring us for training in the commedia dell'arte style or hiring us to conduct a workshop for you, please email john.brandt@brandtcompany.us.

Commedia workshop agenda

 For our "Stylized Sillyness" workshop we will provide some basic overview of the Three Keys to commedia dell'arte: Awareness, Movement and Lazzi.

Group awareness exercises:

On stage awareness is the key to improvisation that doesn't look improvised. Participants will be introduced to some exercises designed to get the more in tune with their fellow performers to encourage fluid give and take.

Alphabetical animals - A high speed mental and vocal exercise to increasing dialogue improv speed.

Clown around - To releae physical inhibitions preventing ultimate sillyness.

Cue game - An awareness exercise that helps increase listening skills.

 Character Movement/Walks

Class names and relations

Vital to an effective commedia troupe, an understanding of the commedia "class structure" is the skeleton on which all performances are built. We will discuss this classic structure and why audiences still react to it today.

Distinguishing “class” and “character”

Stylized movement for commedia has two essential elements. A language of movement allows the performer to control the audience's perception of the character. Participants will get a crash course in the different classes and their specific character movements.

Vecchi (the Old Men)

Dottore

Pantalone

Il Capitano

            Innamorati

                        Leandro

                        Isabella

            Zanni

                        Brighella

                        Arlecchino

                        Columbina

Character Poses

The classic poses for each character are taught to participants for a photo memory opportunity.

 “What’s a Lazzi?”

A skill as old as the commedia itself, "lazzi" are the ribbons that hold a commedia show together. These set comedia pieces are the building blocks of any great performance. Participants will learn a variety of modernized "lazzi" they can practice with friends and fellow performers.

Exercises:

Greeting Lazzi:

Lover – Lover

Vecchi – Vecchi

Zanni – Zanni

Vecchi – Lover

Vecchi – Zanni

Lover – Zanni

Exit Lazzi:

Sent off

Elects to go off

Called off