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Harlequin:
The evolution of clowning reached professional status by
the 16th century. Actors devoted their couriers to
clowning and the "Cornmedia dell'Arte" formed as the
first professional touring company in Italy. The public
responded with enthusiasm and the troupe played to full
houses. Certain character roles developed and the
audiences came to expect appearances by them in each
performance.
Their costumes and dialects also became
stylized to the point where audiences instantly knew who
each character was by his costume. The chief character
was "Arlecchino", a masked figure who engaged in many
slapstick routines. Arlecchino was later changed to
Harlequin when the Commedia dell' Arte finally arrived
in England. The first of the Harlequins were
characterized as simpletons, but they evolved into a
more cunning character...ones who would use their
presumed absence of intelligence to trick the unwary.
The Harlequin character was noted for his knockabout,
slapstick scenes, often tripping over his own feet,
knocking over scenery, and sometimes even taking his
shenanigans into the audience. Though some of the other
characters were more clown-like than the Harlequin, it
is he who often receives the credit as the forerunner of
today's classical clown. |
