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The key to creating a Commedia character is to remember that they are stock characters. In every scenario or story they’re in, the characters remain the same. They have the same attitude, the same look, the same drive, the same physical action.

That means you would be able to recognize a Commedia stock character in an instant by how they move, what they wear, and how they act.

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Commedia characters are fixed types who fall into one of three categories:

• The Servants (eg: Arlecchino or Columbina)

• The Masters (eg: Pantalone)

• The Lovers (eg: Isabella and Flavio )

The masters are usually foolish greedy old men, and the servants are hungry and mischievous. The young lovers are always in love. Most of the characters wear masks, but even those without masks (e.g. the Lovers) treat their personas as masks. In Commedia, the characteristics of a character (such as a walk, a pose, or a gesture) are just like wearing a mask.

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Key features of Comedia Dell'Arte

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• improvised performances based on scenarios – actors worked off a base outline and made up their lines.

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• stock characters – the characters were always the same, only the situations changed.

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• limited themes – love, money, or food were the base of almost every scenario.

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• use of mask – the mask defined the characters.

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• use of lazzi – short comedic physical bits within the story.

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• use of mime, acrobatics, and music.