A Brief Overview of Commedia del arte, and Some Character Types

Commedia del arte is an Italian word meaning 'comedy of professional artists'. It is a form of improvisational theatre.
The commedia dell arte is an Italian comedy and is influenced by the traditions of Roman comedy. It had begun during the Renaissance 16th century and lasted into the 18th century, but it is still somewhat performed today.
They were performed in travelling troupes, usually a company of 10 or more actors. Each actor developed a specific type of character. They all wore masks and roles were eventually called masks. These travelling teams of players would set up an outdoor s…