Drama Glossary
Key theatre terms and definitions including related shows.
In the Italian Renaissance, a form of popular theatre emerged where a professional troupe of actors that used colorful stock characters, improvised dialigue, and lazzi to create entertaining stories.
The most popular servant; an acrobatic, witty stock character designed to entertain the audience.
The Captain; one of the stock characters. A pompous fool who believes himself to be a hit with the ladies and a war hero - he is neither.
The act of inventing or executing action or dialogue in the moment without preparation, often with input and suggestions from audience members.
The young lovers; one of the categories of stock characters and usually the only characters not to wear masks.
Short comic bits or specific comedic routines or jokes typical to each character that can be used at any given moment within the play.
A series of scene descriptions which take the place of a script in commedia performances.
Slapstick is a style of physical comedy, often involving chases, silly and exaggerated movements and activities, and simple practical jokes. It can also represent violence in an over-the-top, comical guise.
The same stereotypical characters that usually appeared in every play.
French for "living picture," a posed scene in which actors communicate meaning through facial expressions and posture.
The old men or masters; one of the categories of stock characters. They control (to various extents) the lives of the other characters, e.g., Magnifico, Pantalone, Il Dottore.
Servants; one of the categories of stock characters and the characters of lowest status.