Commedia dell'arte (12)

This lesson was mainly discussion based but we had moments of practical work. However, due to illness, I didn't join in with the practical work and instead observed and made notes. Below are my notes from the first section of the lesson:

• POSSIBLE SCENES TO INCLUDE: Opening scene - something breaks. Bring everyone on /// Finding and killing a rat /// Brighella inspecting the kitchen /// Zanni's entertainment /// Pantalone and Doctor being critical
• FUNDAMENTAL CONVENTIONS TO INCLUDE: Puns /// Strong relationship between audience and characters /// clear relationships between the stock characters /// strong characterisation /// strong mask work
• STAGING: cabaret style seating for audience /// plants in the audience /// the floor around the audience to be the restaurant /// the stage to be the kitchen /// the doors on the apron leading to the stage to be the entrance to the kitchen /// sink stage right /// counter centre stage
• CHARACTERS: Pantalone and Doctor could be guests as originally planned or both be managers instead, giving everyone contrasting orders /// Il Capitano could be a chef as originally planned or could be on security being overly confident and then a wimp when it comes to any trouble // Columbina could be on the door flirting with all the guests

Costume Ideas:
-- Pantalone = Smart, old-fashioned suit - shows his age and status
-- Doctor = Smart suit, fat tie - shows status and greed
-- Brighella = Very smart. Uniform. Elegant. - shows pride and is very proud of their uniform
-- Harlequin = Fairly smart. Apron. Towel. - Got on what he has been told to wear but has made no special effort. Apron and towel show his job. Towel should be anywhere apart from where it is supposed to be (on the arm)
-- Columbina = Smart but tight fitting outfit. Apron. Towel. - Smart as she has made an effort but slightly revealing to show her character's flirtatious nature.
-- Il Capitano = Chef overalls and hat. - shows job
-- Zanni = Tries to look smart but is scruffy - makes an effort but not good enough

The scene that we have worked on the previous two lessons about Zanni and the glue is obviously not very relevant to the setting and ideas we have come up with. However, we have decided that this scene is possible to adapt for this piece. Rather than Zanni sorting his hair to impress Columbina, Columbina could tell Zanni that "tonight is a very important night" so he needs to get himself looking smart. She could then help him get ready and could then get stuck. The Doctor could then be inspecting the kitchen and gets involved in the scene. Instead of Il Capitano entering and fighting the Doctor, he could walk in to get some coriander and then back out slowly unsure of what to do. We shall work on the adaptations for this scene next lesson if we get time.

However, a scene we did create in this lesson involved Pantalone, the Doctor and Il Capitano. In this scene, Pantalone and Doctor are arguing over what dish should make the specials, with Doctor arguing for soup and Pantalone arguing for prawn cocktail. Il Capitano is in the middle of this argument pouring soup into a saucepan and throwing prawns about, until he raises his ladle suddenly into the air and comes up with the idea of "prawn soup". He explains how this dish is so spectacular and has been in his family for generations (fitting with his characters big0headed attitude). After some consideration Pantalone and Doctor decided this is a great idea and take credit for this idea. Doctor and Pantalone leave whilst Doctor rambles on about pointless facts about prawns, leaving Il Capitano on stage unsure on what has just happened.

Next lessons we shall form groups and create scenes between characters that work well together. Therefore, Charlie and I will go together to present the relationship between Harlequin (H) and Brighella (B). Charlie and I came up with a few scene ideas this lesson to choose from:

1. B bossing H around to clean up. H is purposely awkward and stresses B out.
2. B catching H eating and drinking customers food and drinks without them knowing. 
3. H never doing what B asks. H always dancing and messing around and the most inconvenient times.

We decided that we liked the second idea the best, so we decided to expand on this a little bit more. We thought that Harlequin could have an expandable fork which he uses to reach over the guests heads to steal food off of the plate in front of them. Brighella gets an expandable fork too to have a fork fight with Harlequin above the guests heads as quietly and as smoothly as possible as to not disturb the guests and without them noticing. However, Brighella is so concentrated on stopping Harlequin from picking food up of the specific plate that he doesn't realise that Harlequin has pinched food from a customer's plate behind him with the other hand and is currently eating at the same time.