Mime and the Commedia dell 'Arte Tradition

Mime was a Greco-Roman drama art, in which scenes from daily life were portrayed in an elaborate and over the top manner with coarse dialogue and ludicrous actions. Often Mime was more focused on the characters being portrayed rather than the actual plot of the story being told.

 In modern times, Mime and pantomime are understood to mean the art of portraying a character or acting out a story non verbally, using body movements, facial expressions, and symbolic gesture.  

(Marcel Marceau. Here you can see the emphasis of facial expression and his hands)

             Interpretive dance performance using modern mime.






  In the Sixteenth Century, Commedia dell'Arte had formed. It resembled ancient Mime with it's use of masks and it's ad libitum form. Commedia dell'Arte is a form of comedy that makes use of stock characters with stereotyped plots. 

Some of the characters:

ARLECCHINO 

(Harlequin, Arlechino, Arlequin)

Arlecchino is a clown. Generally acrobatic and mischievous, he is one of the zanni. He is a servant, and is recognizable by the colorful diamond shaped patches that traditionally were part of his costume.

Il CAPITANO (The Captain)

Il Capitano is a young man, swash-buckling and bold. Il Capitano generally wears the military dress of the period he is acting.

PULCINELLA (Polichinelle)

Pulcinella is portrayed as pitiable, helpless, and often physically disfigured. He usually has a hump, or distinct limp. In some portrayals he cannot speak, and expresses himself in squeaks or other strange sounds. His personality can be foolish or sly and shrewd.

PANTALONE (Pantaloon)

Usually wealthy and very greedy. He cares about nothing so much as money, and will do anything in order to get it.

IL DOTTORE (The Doctor) 

DOTTOR BALANZONE (Dottor Baloardo)

The doctor is one of the vecchi (old men). He is seen as a learned man but generally that impression is false. He is often played as pedantic, miserly, and hopelessly unsuccessful with women. He usually talks constantly about a topic in an attempt to impress anyone who is around.

References and Works Cited

http://www.answers.com/topic/commedia-dell-arte

http://members.tripod.com/~kiko_mime/history.html

Google Images

Felner, Mira. Orenstein, Claudia. The World of Theatre.

Hunter College of The City of New York, 2006. Print.