My very first professional production (we got paid!)
was with a Commedia dell'Arte troupe.

There were six of us -- three men and three women.
The characters where The 2 Young Lovers (Leandro
& Beatrice), The 2 Clever Servants (Arlechino &
Columbine), and the 2 Old Masters (Pantalone &
Dottore).

We updated it a bit and made Dottore a woman -- the
FIRST woman doctor in all of Naples!

We travelled all over the state and performed in the
parks with minimal sets (banners and a trunk),
colorful period costumes, and were free to the
public. (Our salaries came from an arts grant and
we always passed the hat -- it was traditional!)

Our director culled together a scenario from old
Commedia sources and the rehearsal process (and
the performances) involved a lot of improvisation.

I had a blast! I learned swordfighting, slapstick,
tumbling and how to change costumes in the back of
a van or behind a tree. I stayed with the group for two
seasons.

Of course I was lot younger then, but it still holds
fond memories. Thanks for letting me relive them.

If you're interested in taking this further, we have two one-act scripts written in the CdA style. They are most definitely only for adult audiences though!

Synopsis : 'Slap And Tickle At The Pig And Whistle'
A story concerning the misappropriation of private love letters belonging to Isabella and Lelio and the debauched selfish interest of Pulcinella, the publican of 'The Pig and Whistle'. The crazy antics of Arlecchino, Colombina's quick thinking paramour and the thwarted, elicit love affair between Isabella and Lelio, all add up to a rollicking, uproarious comedy that crashes like a comic avalanche to it's ultimate conclusion.

Synopsis : Flumes And Fumes
Madcap mayhem, debauchery, lust and mistaken identity, all this and more! The play is set in 'Floaters Leisure Centre' just prior to an inspection by the local senior councillor, Mr Pantalone. Isabella, the Centre's Manageress, is in a flap; however her dysfunctional staff are not perturbed in the slightest, add a good measure of lunacy to this theatrical pot of nonsense and you have all the ingredients for a crazy rollercoaster ride that builds and builds into an insane, ludicrous, climax that would not be amiss within the walls of Bedlam!

Written by an English author, they may need a small amount of 'tweaking' for a different country's audiences. You can see more details on our website at www.playsandmusicals.co.uk under 'Plays', One Act', 'Commedia del'Arte'. Each title has a downloadable pdf preview script, and we support online ordering in US Dollars.

David