#i'm just... VERY delighted by how commedia group dynamics mirror side group dynamics

[sometimes-love-is-enough]

[image description: six colorful masks in the style of Commedia Dell’arte. The first is red with golden swirls, a red ribbon and spikes reminiscent of a crown, and is labelled ‘IL PRINCIPE’. The second is light blue with a rainbow string, upquirked eyes, and a single tear running down the side of the face, labelled ‘PADRE’. The third, blue and blocky with simple geometric designs, labelled ‘INSEGNANTE’. The fourth, black with a spiked birdlike nose, shading beneath the eye holes, and patchwork violet details, labelled ‘INQUIETO’. The fifth is a yellow halfmask with snakelike decals and a crack that runs across the bottom, lavelled ‘IL SERPENTE’. The final mask is green and grotesque, with a large nose, huge eyes, and a moustache, and spiky wires emerging from the top - labelled ‘IL DUCA’. End image description]

A continuation of the thoughts from my post about AU fanfiction as modern Commedia Dell'arte - here's the sides as vaguely Commedia-esque masks. Presenting: the archetypal cast of Commedia dell'lati!

IL PRINCIPE, the prince, a more thoughtful descendant of the swaggering Il Capitano archetype. He's often seen with his distinctive red sash, and occasionally a bladed weapon. Il Principe is prideful, sometimes to a fault, and deeply romantic.

PADRE, the father, representing family values and an apparent moral compass. Often played as somewhat naive or foolish - sometimes portrayed at hiding something more devious beneath that, depending on the show and situation. He's recognizable by his fondness for wordplay, and his cheerful attitude.

INSEGNANTE, the teacher, the unlistened-to voice of reason, the provider of exposition. His misunderstandings of common metaphorical phrases are frequently the source of comic relief. It's a common plot point for him to be pushed to his limit and snap, revealing genuine emotion behind his mask of impenetrable reason.

INQUIETO, the restless one - the devil's advocate, quick to voice the negatives of a situation and recommend doing something, anything else. Often takes the role of 'jerk with a heart of gold' - frequently is the recipient of misfortune. A key part of his character is his sharp wit and sarcasm against every other member of the cast.

IL SERPENTE, the snake, is cunning and deceptive by nature. He will often emerge onto the stage in the guise of another character, having stolen their mask offstage. The inevitable reveal where he produces his true mask and slots it onto his face is always met with delighted applause. Il Serpente was originally often depicted as the villain of many productions and still sometimes is, although many recent shows have taken to treating him in a much more sympathetic light.

Finally, IL DUCO, the duke - the brother and mirrored counterpart of Il Principe. Some shows choose to tone down his original conception as a graphic and grotesque provider of foul language in order to make him easier to portray, or easier to sympathize with. Other shows turn up the crassness all the way, and make him downright villainous in nature. Il Duco is, chronologically, the most recent addition to the archetypes, but has quickly found his way into being a beloved and fascinating part of many performances.

One of the things separating the more modern Commedia dell'lati from its predecessor, Commedia dell'arte, is its willingness to play with character dynamics. The plots and settings are never certain from one show to the next, and neither are the relationships between the characters. Il Serpente and Inquieto could be in a committed relationship on one stage, and at each other's throats fighting to the death on another - although, it should be noted, the two are never mutually exclusive. Sometimes the morality of characters are black-and-white, sometimes it's all in strokes of grey, but it's all in the name of exploring new aspects of these beloved familiar archetypes.

Everything's fluid when it comes to Commedia dell'lati - but always recognizable, however distant.

#my art #long post #sanders sides #commedia dell'arte #i'm just... VERY delighted by how commedia group dynamics mirror side group dynamics #also apologies if i got any italian stuff wrong! i double-checked as best i could but internet translations ain't perfect #i would have done the other common fanon characters (like Remy and Picani and the rest) but i couldn't think of good enough mask designs #....and of course Character!Thomas isn't common enough in AUs to get a mask of his own #if he ever shows up on stage he's recognizable by the lack of mask or a flower tucked behind the ear