An Author in Search of Characters: Pirandello and Commedia dell'arte

Abstract

Commedia dell'arte was the rarest of theatrical forms — a non-literary theatre that emphasized the skill of the improvising actor. Commedia actors transformed human frailty into incisive satire as they literally created a play before the audience's eyes from a simple scenario. The popularity of commedia grew over the centuries as the forms and characters it inspired evolved, supplying diverse and delightful entertainments throughout Europe's theatres. In many cultures, these commedic forms offered a style of ritualized carnival — a popular street theatre that served not only as communal fun, but also as a political instrument through its ever present satire and mockery of the powerful. This seemingly casual and lowly form of theatre became a distinctly powerful lingua franca of the imagination, connecting cultures and artists throughout Europe. Like the best and rarest forms of theatre, commedia was both spiritual and intellectual. It proved to be universally malleable and national, adapting in each country where it appeared to the needs of that cultures artists and audiences.