Commedia Quiz Review

What is the commedia dell'arte?

• Commedia dell'arte is a theatrical form characterized by clever scripts written by famous play writers  and all male characters that emerged in Scotland in the seventeenth century and rapidly gained popularity throughout England.
• Commedia dell'arte is a theatrical form characterized by improvised dialogue and a cast of colorful stock characters that emerged in northern Italy in the fifteenth century and rapidly gained popularity throughout Europe.
• Commedia dell'arte is a theatrical form characterized by dramatic entertainment, originating in Rome, in which performers express meaning through gestures accompanied by music.  It gained popularity in the fourteenth century. 

What is a "stock character"?

• A character invented by a playwrite from their imagination. 
• A character that is based on a common social steryotype.
• A character based on a real life person, usually a politician or royalty. 

Why do the actors of commedia dell'arte wear masks?

• To disguise who they really were in real life; to hide their true identity. 
• Because they didn't want people to know they were women. 
• To quickly and easily be recongizable to the audience as a certain character. 

Well rehearsed bits of commedy within a scene like swordfights, chases, or daring escapes were called...

• Canavaccio
• Commedio
• Petruchia
• Lazzi

True or False: 
Commedia plays were completely spontaneous with no planning or rehearsals. 

• True 
• False

A character that follows a stereotype so that they are easily recognisable to the audience is called a...

• Troupe
• Lazzi
• Stock Character
• Canavaccia

Commedia Dell'Arte began in which country?

• Italy
• Spain
• France
• England

This stock character is a satire for the Military who only pretends to be brave. 

• Il Dottore 
• Il Capitano
• Pantalone
• Zanni

This stock character is a greedy, hook-nosed master. 

• Il Dottore
• Il Capitano
• Pantalone
• Zanni

What are the three main types of characters in Commedia?

• The Servants, The Lovers and The Haters
• The Slaves, The Lovers and The Audience
• The Servants, The Masters and The Lovers
• The Servants, The Masters and The Police