The Italian Commedia and Please be Gentle

Download or read book The Italian Commedia and Please be Gentle written by David Griffiths and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003-09-02 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing on Commedia Dell'Arte, this work provides a historical and critical commentary of the Commedia. It highlights common factors between this genre and that of the Japanese Noh theatre. The author proposes six similarities: characters familiar to their audience and masked, minimal properties and scenery with the focus on the actor, the "families" of performers, a sharp mind as well as an agile body, a professional living on these skills and patronage, and a knowledgeable audience. Complementing this book is the play "Please Be Gentle" which explores the various tricks and devices of Commedia Dell'Arte acting.