Playbuilding

In class, we turned our brainstorming into thinking over how our story should play out. We found it would be good to use the witch as a way to create conflict in the story. We discussed how a curse or potion would fit in and we eventually landed on the idea of a love potion. If the love potion was used by Dottore to create a relationship between Isabella and someone other than Pantalone, there would be conflict.

Together we made a google doc so that we could divide roles between the group members such as the Costume Designer, Script writer, Music Gatherer, Prologue and Epilogue writers.

Research

Here is a website with a list of potential Lazzis between characters which could be used for inspiration:

In the piece I play as Brighella and the Witch, here are some profiles of each and research of each:

Brighella

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• First order zanni- In charge of other zanni, but very attendant to the masters, Pantalone and Il Dottore
• Associated with a Gorilla or a Rat (Strong and intimidating towards zanni, sneaky and shrewd with masters)
• Voice is very deep and angry at zanni, but nasally and hopeful with masters
• Greedy, tries to get more credit and money from masters
• Always worried and panicked
• Often portrayed as a bartender, shop manager, etc. (someone who serves masters while still holding authority)
• The Wedding Planner in our piece – must get wedding together with incompetent zanni while under heavy time constraints

Stature and Movement

Brighella will usually keep his weight on a bent leg. Brighella has his back curved at the lumbar region and his chest high. He is always on his toes and rat-like. He walks also like a rat and keeps on his toes, ready to attend to masters and please them. Towards other zanni, he may show himself in a bigger stance to intimidate the other servants.

Examples

Here is a video explaining some key elements of Brighella:

Basil Fawlty is an excellent example of a Brighella type character. He is always trying to please the patrons of his hotel who represent the masters while showing authority over his worker, Manuel, who is similar to Arlecchino, a zanni, in his energetic character and Lazzi.

The Witch

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• Newer addition to Commedia dell’Arte
• Doesn’t have a fixed status, an outsider to the rest of the Commedia troupe
• Lives deep out in the woods
• Very creepy and eccentric, large nasal voice and laugh with lots of unnatural and big movements
• Provides potions, curses, sees the future- allows for magical plot pieces
• Provides the love potion for Dottore in our piece
• Has bird zanni as an assistant

Example

Here is a short video giving some info into La Strega or The Witch and her movements