DOC The Italian Comedy (Dover Books on Cinema and the Stage) by Pierre Louis Duchartre in Arts-Photography

Description

The roots of the Italian commedia dellrsquo;arte stretch back to the Atellanae Fabulae; popular farces of ancient Rome. Modern descendants can be found in the antics of a comic like Charles Chaplin. But as an institution it was unique mdash; a perfected theater of improvisation where gifted actors created some of the most memorable characters the theatre has ever seen. It was from this enchanting world that Harlequin and Punch; the Doctor and the Captain; Pantaloon and Brighella emerged to reign over Europe for three centuries. Writers; composers; and painters have drawn inspiration from the commedia; its influence is obvious in the work of Lope de Vega; the English Elizabethan dramatists; Molieacute;re; Callot; Watteau; Ceacute;zanne; and Picasso.One of the most important books written on this aspect of theatrical history is this famous study. Tracing the beginnings; growth; and influence of the commedia dellrsquo;arte; Duchartre describes the improvisations; staging; masks; scenarios; acting troupes; and characters that made up this special form of theater. Unfortunately; the English translation that appeared in 1929 has been out of print for decades; leaving scholars and theater lovers without a valuable source. This republication brings Duchartrersquo;s account back into print; illustrated with the more than 200 drawings and photographs it originally contained; plus a new pictorial supplement containing 35 plates from the Recueil Fossard; a rare collection of sixteenth-century engravings; and eight plates from Compositions de rheacute;torique de M. don Arlequin; which gives a view of Harlequin during the Renaissance.Here are some of the reviews this book originally received: ldquo;A scrupulously studious work; and a sympathetic one hellip; valuable sourcebook.rdquo; mdash; Bookmarks. ldquo;Exhaustive and scholarly but hilariously entertaining treatment.rdquo; mdash; Christian Century. ldquo;The author has gleaned from every source well-ordered information which makes this volume a complete seismographic record of one of the greatest eruptions of the comic spirit in all times.rdquo; mdash; Saturday Review of Literature.This republication is sure to be no less well received. It has already merited an enthusiastic response from Eric Bentley: ldquo;A very important standard work. Its unavailability of recent years mdash; of recent decades mdash; has been a calamity for all who work in the field. Its reappearance will make a big difference. Dover has earned the gratitude of a whole profession.rdquo;