Commedia Dell'Arte: A Handbook for Troupes

by Oliver Crick, John Rudlin

Overview

A companion to John Rudlin's best-selling Commedia dell'Arte: A Handbook for Actors, this book covers both the history and professional practice of commedia dell'arte companies from 1568 to the present day. Indispensable for both the beginner and the professional, it contains historical and contemporary company case histories, details on company organisation, and tips on practical stagecraft.
Essential for students and practitioners, this book enables the reader to understand how successful commedia dell'arte companies function, and how we can learn from past and current practice to create a lively and dynamic form of theatre.
Includes tips on:
* writing a scenario
* mask-making
* building a stage
* designing a backdrop
* costume
* music.
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Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781134629824
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	01/04/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	5 MB

About the Author

John Rudlin is a freelance theatre director, playwright and author. Olly Crick is a drama lecturer at Hereford College of Art and Design.

Table of Contents

List of illustrations, Preface, Acknowledgements, Part I Commedia dell’arte all’improvviso, Part II Commedia now, Part III Forming, training and performing, Appendices, Notes, Index

Editorial Reviews

This title and its companion, Rudlin's 1994 Commedia dell'Arte: An Actor's Handbook, give the reader a thorough overview of this wonderful theatrical art form. Both Rudlin and Crick have directed and/or performed commedia dell'arte, and they bring historical, theoretical, and practical perspectives to the text. Their research brings together information on the internationally renowned troupes from 1568 to 1622, the so-called golden age of improvisation before the art form became more solidly text-based. As interesting as the historical material is the information on contemporary 20th-century commedia dell'arte troupes who perform in English, including one in this reviewer's own state of Texas. Anyone interested in starting a troupe will learn much from these case studies and histories as the historical material is enriched with practical advice on performance, creating sets and costumes, and forming and training a company. Rudlin and Crick devote an entire chapter to the creation of the ever-important mask, and another extremely helpful chapter teaches the various aspects of script and scene creation. Songs, dances, and costume patterns are also included. Highly recommended for academic and public libraries. Susan L. Peters, Univ. of Texas, Galveston Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Rudlin (a theater director, playwright, and actor) and Crick (drama, Herford College of Art and Design) describe the history of commedia dell'arte companies, from their sixteenth-century origins to the present. They detail past and current practice and offer case histories, outlining the organization and functioning of successful companies. Practical advice is provided on tasks like writing a scenario, making masks, building a stage, designing a backdrop, costuming, and the use of music. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"Like the earlier book this should appeal to both scholars and practitioners. It will provide a nice bridge between the historical reconstruction and commedia in the past, and its historical reinvention in the present."
-Phillip B. Zarrilli, University of Surrey
""Commedia dell'Arte: An Actor's Handbook [is] the most important thing available to student groups [and] to theatrical practitioners. I can see no reasons why this book should be any less valuable.."
-Peter Thomson, University of Exeter

From the Publisher