A unique collection of performance pieces and improvisation exercises in the Commedia style, a companion volume to the author's best-selling Playing Commedia.

Commedia Plays offers eight original short plays from across the different periods and styles of Commedia dell'Arte - suitable for performance on stage as well as classroom and workshop study.

Also included is a collection of Lazzi, the pieces of 'business' that form the basis of Commedia's comic action, ranging from the 'Double Takes' to 'The Unwanted Proposal'. These can be inserted into the written text or explored and improvised in the drama studio.

About the Author

Barry Grantham is a performer, director and teacher, and a leading British exponent of Commedia Dell'Arte. He has performed and given masterclasses in Norway, Sweden, Holland, Germany and Italy itself at the Teatro Municipiali, Regio Emilia. He has appeared at the Royal Opera House and Glyndbourne, and worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He is the author of two books on Commedia, Playing Commedia and Commedia Plays. For more information, visit his website at www.worldofcommedia.co.uk.

Reviews

'Exceptionally funny... a useful working manual for the practitioner or teacher, and great fun for the more general reader'

* British Theatre Guide *

'A good solid addition to the commedia canon... particularly useful for initiating teenagers into the essence of commedia play. In an era in which political theatre and satire are re-emerging, the commedia templates offer a unique opportunity for the exploration of current events in the social and political landscapes'

* Total Theatre Magazine *



Book Information
ISBN 9781854598714
Author Barry Grantham
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Nick Hern Books
Publisher Nick Hern Books
Weight(grams) 458g