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The Traditions of economy is vital to understanding the performance of the Comdia Del Art. Although the story seemed to involve complex scenes and equipement thier is in fact little more than the motley curtain on a rope used by the traditional wandering troops.The play can be performed with just a curtain or blanket(s) suspended from a pole or board stretched between two step ladders (this creates the "garden wall" as well as serving as a curtain) A small table and a chair ( which create the window ledge for the 3rd scene, the pedestal in the garden and the rock and the bank in the river) A long rope and a short one ad a throw pillow.
This economy of is also extended to the performers and casting. A prologue or announcer may be utilized to introduce each seen, this may be a player in character or one out of character who speaks in front of the curtain and then helps to open it. If this story teller prologuer is used it can be an extra role for one of the players playing dame Pantalone or her croonie, the same economy may be used in casting the other of the two as Venus>
On the other hand Venus, in persona may prologue each scenario greatly expanding her role. This would follow certain traditions of the play in which La Ballerina or La Cantarina, served as the brake between acts thier dance or song providing the effect of a curtain by distracting the audience from whatever chanes where occuring to the set behind her.
Alternately a different character may prologue each scenario such as having Trivelino Opening the play, Venus introducing the second scene in which she is featured, Columbine the third scene, Isabelle the fourth and Madam Pantalone or her gossip the final.
The first secene begins wit no props or scenary unless you include Arlinquins harliquinade in the background scenery for Isabelle and Columbines dialogue. Here Arliquin performs based on the stye, skill or art of the player, a gambol, leaps tumbles or a balancing act with a peacock feather will all serve the proper mode.
The second scene is set with the whole curtain being turned sideways to create the Garden wall. The table is introduced as Venus' pedestal with a chair serving as a step up to it, another chair is place hidden beneath the curtain. As in the first scene thier seemed to be two shows going on at once (with Coumbine and Isabelles dialogue being spoken as Arliquin dances) In the second we have three plays at once, Pantalones serious if pompous speach tohis daughter, the interaction between Pantalones speach and Arliquins pantomime which on the other side of the wall from pantalone, and the interaction of Pantalones speach with the gestues and expressions of Venus that parady it. The rope trick is performed by aiming the lasso to where Arliquin leans against the curtain and the planting of a second rope hidden and tied to the curtain pole as well as a chair hidden within the curtain folds allows the rope to actualy be climbed by Venus in order to "peak" over the wall.
The table serves as the window ledge in the third scenario, and Trrvelino and then Dottere mime the actions of climbing rope or trellus as they walk to the table(windowledge) This false acsent is made diagonally from the back of the stage to the table which is to one side of the front of the stage. This allows Columbine to be in profile as she speaks to Trivelino and then to face the audience during the kiss. If the Kiss is performe at a different angle the pillow with a tack i the middle may be used to suggest her buttocks.
In scene 4 the chair is the rock Columbine sits on and hides behind while the table is the bank. The Lazzi of the finger stuck in theglass slippers is a mime adided in part by Post office shipping rumberbands (the big kinds you can use for belts) These in addition to Coumbines long dress help maintain the visual impression that the fingers are stuck to her.
The Final scenario is the dance which is best done to "hearts ease" which provides a kind of synchanized snubbing of partners and corners, or trenchmore that allows alot of poaching of partners.
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