‘Wednesday of Week 9 saw the Year 10 Drama students perform their Commedia dell’Arte scenarios in the Drama Studio. The student audience, as well as Mr Dawson and Mr Macks, supported the boys in this endeavour very positively. Commedia dell’Arte is an improvisational theatre form developed in Italy and at its height during the 15th to 17th centuries. It was based on stock characters, many with half mask, using slapstick and physical humour to take a satirical look at society. The advent of the printing press and indoor theatres saw its demise, however it was ‘rediscovered’ in the 20th century as a great way of including the basics of comedy which all audiences love…think Monty Python, Fawlty Towers, Laurel and Hardy and the like and you can see how the master and servant/mixed up messages/physical theatre of 15th century Italy has made it to our daily lives in modern entertainment. The boys performed excellently with some stand out physical work and improvisation.’
Mr P. O’Shea
Drama Department