It’s been about two months since the demo of Enotria: The Last Song was released (here is our review of Enotria The Last Song), the much talked about summer souls from Jyamma Games, an Italian studio based in Milan. Despite some uncertainties, the title has certainly managed to stand out for its sophisticated setting and a concept that is anything but banal: the Commedia dell’Arte.
Exploring Enotria we will get to know some key figures of Italian popular fiction, such as Totò, here renamed Curtis, the Prince of Laughter. For the new appointment with Eye Culture we want to delve into the historical-cultural context that allowed Jyamma Games to give life to the world at the center of his work (the images accompanying the article are taken from depositphotos.com).
The Origins of the Commedia dell’Arte
Tracing the origins of the Commedia dell’Arte means swimming in the murky waters of speculation: although it was officially born in 1545 – with the foundation of the Gelosi theatre company – it is reasonable to suppose that the birth of real companies was preceded by the formation of groups that we could define as amateur; rustic performances based on oral tradition and the use of masks such as Maccus, Pappus, Dossenus and other characters attributable to the Atellan comedy, whose origins date back to the 4th century BC.
Credit: Balaikin
Between the 16th and 17th centuries, numerous theatre companies were born, including the Gelosi, but above all the Desiosi, frequented by Tristano Martinelli, who is credited with the creation of Arlecchino. Then we have the Uniti, the Accesi, the Fedeli and many others. The Gelosi Company performed throughout Europe, spreading the Commedia dell’Arte in countries such as Spain, Germany, England and France, until in 1697 King Louis XIV decided to expel the Italian companies from the country.
The masks
At the same time as the Commedia dell’Arte, the so-called masks were also born, true archetypes portraying personalities already known in the world of entertainment: the fool, the soldier, the servant, the cultured man and so on. Among the most famous masks we find Harlequin and Brighella, attributable to the category of servants; Pantalone, a Venetian bourgeois distinguished by a certain sexual appetite; Graziano, a cultured and educated doctor with savoir-faire.
The spread of the Commedia dell’Arte allowed the birth of real regional masks, so as to involve the local inhabitants more: we thus witness the birth of Pulcinella in Naples, created by the famous playwright Silvio Fiorillo, but also of characters such as Gianduia and Stenterello.
Goldoni’s Method, Decline and Reform
The Commedia dell’Arte is characterized by three fundamental elements: the first is the Canovaccio, a sort of synopsis that allows the actors to have a general overview of the story and the intertwining of characters; the second is the fixed role, that is, the role that the actor has decided to undertake; finally the Generics, a series of recurring lines that the actors can use during the show.
Given the “fluid” nature of each show – made of jokes and improvisations – each actor had to undergo long study sessions, a real improvement process which guaranteed a certain authorship to the actors on stage. The ability of the latter, in fact, consisted in knowing how to “place” the Generics at the right time, a path of constant renewal which aimed to surprise the audience at each show.
While regional humor contributed to the success of the Commedia dell’Arte, it also partly characterized its decline: dialects were difficult to export outside their area of origin and the standardization of the Commedia dell’Arte had a huge impact on its effectiveness. While throughout Europe comedy adapted to the tastes and needs of the public, the Italian one went through a period of stagnation and deep decline. It was Carlo Goldoni who brought new life to the Commedia dell’Arte: the typical exasperation of the mask and improvisation belong to the past.
The new Commedia dell’Arte will allow the audience to delve into the psychology of the characters, protagonists of credible and truthful stories. Excesses give way to naturalness and reasoning, in line with the principles of the Enlightenment. Improvisation is replaced by the drafting of the text, a script made up of scenes and lines that each actor must learn by heart.
Added to this is the attempt to put together educational, pedagogical shows, whose aim is not only frivolous entertainment, but to transmit messages of a broader scope: historical, romantic and adventure comedies become an opportunity to leave a mark on the mind and heart of every spectator.
Inheritance
Commedia dell’Arte deserves to be recognized for having had a huge impact on the art world: think of puppet shows, Charlie Chaplin, and 21st-century theater. Performance art is a common thread throughout human history: from pantheons to movie theaters, history teaches us that we are made to tell stories, almost as if it were in our genetic code.
Wax statue of Charlie Chaplin (Credit: Askoldsb)
Enotria The Last Song
We started by depicting the everyday on a wall; we told stories of gods on a stage; we adapted those stories to the big screen, taking up their archetypes; they became novels, films, TV series and, of course, video games. Of all the art forms, video games owe a lot to theater and the Commedia dell’Arte. What are video games, if not the stage on which we perform? What are the builds of a souls-like, if not Masks that we decide to make our own? Reflecting on the links that exist between different art forms allows us to reflect on their nature.
