THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AND THE COMMEDIA DELL' ARTE: The Living Tradition of ...

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THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
AND THE COMMEDIA DELL' ARTE:
The Living Tradition of the Commedia dell' Arte in Theatre for Young
Audiences, with Specific Reference to Selected Original Texts and
Performances.
PIETER J.H. SCHOLTZ
A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES,
UNIVERSITY OF NATAL, DURBAN, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
DURBAN, NOVEMBER 1992.
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ABSTRACT:
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AND THE COMMEDIA
DELL'ARTE:
The Living Tradition of the Commedia dell' Arte in Theatre for Young
Audiences, with Specific Reference to Selected Original Texts and
Performances.
The thesis affIrms the relevan~e of "Theatre for Young Audiences" as a valid
and distinctive genre; a performance genre that should entertain, educate and
provide meaning in terms of its creative interaction with personal, social, artistic and
cultural issues. The practice of playwrighting is removed from the assumption that
it relies exclusively on inspiration, intuition and spontaneity; it is placed within a
creative, experiential and discursive mode in which dramatic, theatrical,
performance and structural issues can be researched, analysed and evaluated
culminating in the crafting, making and presentation of innovative and challenging
theatre.
The research component of the thesis attempts to identify the social and moral
responsibility of the playwright writing for young audiences. It is asserted that
knowledge about the maturation of young people is crucial in the creative processes
of writing plays and making theatre. The second chapter in Part One of the thesis,
asserts that knowledge about the physical, emotional and intellectual maturation of
th.e intended audience should clearly impact on the delineation of plot, action,
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character, language, audience participation, ethics and morality. The thesis clearly
identifies the importance of this knowledge for the Arts Educator.
However, "Theatre for Young Audiences" does not function solely in the realm
of education. The thesis distinguishes this genre from those of "Theatre-in-
Education" and " Drama-in-Education " . The thesis firmly supports this distinction
and affirms the status of "Theatre for Young Audiences" as a performing art. This
argument is given further credence by the creative interaction of original scripts with
the "living tradition" of the Commedia dell' Arte. The Commedia dell' Arte is
examined from an historical perspective; pertinent features are addressed, selected,
utilised and transformed into a dynamic theatrical experience for young audiences in
contemporary South Africa.
The Commedia dell' Arte serves as a theatrical model and becomes a creative
device for further and renewed innovation. The inclusion of three original plays in
Appendices 1, 2 and 3, plus numerous references to selected, original texts and
performances provide an illustration of the concept that playwrighting for young
people can effectively and imaginatively transpose theoretical inquiry into
imaginative and challenging theatre experience.
The thesis attempts to utilise a clear conceptual basis for the development of
argument - the educational and psychological perspectives provide a foundation for
ideas and critical writing. The theatre heritage becomes a catalyst for innovative and
pertinent theatre that affirms the status, purpose and nature of "Theatre for Young
Audiences" in contemporary South Africa.
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" DECLARATION
I declare that this is my own, unaided work. It is being
submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the
University of Natal, Durban.
It has not been submitted previously for any degree or for
any examination in any other University.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART ONE
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
INTRODUCTION 1.
CHAPTER 1 THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES AS A
DISTINCTIVE GENRE. 7.
1. THE ACTOR AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP 9.
2. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION 12.
2.1. Spontaneous Participation. 16.
2.2. Musical Participation. 17.
2.3. Directed Participation. 23.
3. FANTASY 28.
3.1. Animal Fantasy. 30.
3.2. Toys and Dolls Personified. 33.
3.3. Extraordinary Worlds. 34.
3.4. Magical Powers. 37.
3.5. Myths and Legends. 42.
4. QUESTS AND ADVENTURES. 46.
5. THE DESIGN CONCEPT. 49.
6. LANGUAGE AND EXPRESSION. 56.
7. CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERISATION. 59.
8. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. 61.
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CHAPTER TWO: YOUNG AUDIENCES: STAGES IN THE 64.
INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNG
PEOPLE.
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES. 68
AUDIENCE PERCEPTIONS. 73
AGE-GROUP PROFILES IN YOUNG AUDIENCES. 75
1. FOUR- AND FIVE-YEAR-OLDS (PRE-PRIMARY)
1.1. Cognitive Development. 77
1.2. Development of Spatial Concepts. 79
1.3. Emotional Development. 80
1.4. !?evelopment of Moral and 81
Ethical Systems.
2. THE AUDIENCE OF SIX-, SEVEN-, AND
EIGHT-YEAR-OLDS.
2.1. Cognitive Development. 83
2.2. Development of Spatial Concepts. 86
2.3. Emotional Development. 88
2.4. Development of Moral and 91
Ethical Systems.
3. THE AUDIENCE OF NINE-, TEN-, ELEVEN- 92
AND TWELV E-YEAR-OLDS
3.1. Cognitive Development. 93
3.2. Development of Spatial Concepts. 95
3.3. Emotional development. 95
3.4. Development of Moral and 98
Ethical Systems.
4. THE AUDIENCE OF YOUNG TEENAGERS 101
4.1. Cognitive Development. 101
4.2. Development of Spatial Concepts. 102
4.3. Emotional Development 103
4.4. Development of Moral and 104
~thical Systems.
HUMOUR
105
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PART TWO
THE COMMEDIA DELL' ARTE
INTRODUCTION 114
",'
CHAPTER 1. THE CHARACTERS OF THE
COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE 119
Arlecchino (Harlequin) 122
Pantlione(Pantlioon) 125
The Women of the Commedia dell' Arte 127
Colombina (Columbine) 128
La Ruffiana (La Guaiassa) 130
CHAPTER 2. THE LAZZI (THE COMIC ROUTINES OF THE 134
COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE).
2.1. Acrobatic and Mimic Lazzi. 139
2.2. Comic Violence/Sadistic Behaviour Lazzi. 142
2.3. Food Lazzi. 148
2.4. Illogical Lazzi. 150
2.5. Stage Properties as Lazzi. 152
2.6. Sexual/Scatological Lazzi. 155
2.7. Social-Class Rebellion Lazzi. 156
2.8. Stage/Life Duality Lazzi. 157
2.9. Transformation Lazzi. 160
2.1D.The Lazzi of Stupidity or 162
Inappropriate Behaviour.
2.11. Trickery Lazzi. 164
2.12. Word-~lay Lazzi. 166
LAZZI AND THE USE OF MIME AND MOVEMENT 167
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION. 169
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APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1 THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF TAMBOOTIE THE
PUPPET
A Play for Young Audiences by Pieter Scholtz
(Recommended age 6 years and over)
APPENDIX 2 SAMANTHA SEAL
A Play for Young Audiences by Pieter Scholtz
(Recommended age 6 years and over)
APPENDIX 3 THE TRIALS OF KEENO
A Play for Young Audiences by Pieter Scholtz
(Recommended age 13 years and over)
APPENDIX 4 PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHS
(All plays written and directed by Pieter Scholtz)
i) THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF TAMBOOTIE
THE PUPPET
ii) SAMANTHA SEAL
iii) THE TRIALS OF KEENO
iv) THE LA-DI-DA HADEDA
v) THE ASTOUNDING ANTICS OF ANTHONY ANT
vi) PRUNEllA PENGUIN
vii) DINAH THE DINOSAUR
viii) THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF TAMBOOTIE
'" THE PUPPET
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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PART ONE
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
INTRODUCTION
A study of tP documented history of Theatre for Young Audiences in South
Africa, reveals a lack of clarity and defmition both in respect of terminology
and concept. Frequently the term "Children's Theatre" is used to describe a
variety of theatrical activities for young people including Puppet Theatre,
productions of Shakespeare's plays for school audiences, ballet and educational
theatre and drama. Peter Slade, who has been responsible for pioneering work
in the field of "Child Drama" in England, asserts that many different concepts
are frequently grouped under the one heading of "Children's Theatre":
1. Children acting to children, in the proscenium form.
2. Children acting to adults, in the proscenium form.
3. Adults performing plays for children:
a) Big plays, big productions, in large theatres to large numbers
- acting at them.
b) Small plays, small productions, in small rooms - amongst
and with children, not at them.
4. Children acting in "productions" in the arena form, watched by
large or small audiences. 1
IPeter Slade, CHILD DRAMA, University of London Press Ltd. Fifth
impression 1965, p. 265 '
2
The term "Children's Theatre" is also used in a variety of academic, literary and
bibliographic contexts, as a non-specific term embracing the general field of
theatre as applied to children. However, in any study of this genre, where
exactness of meaning is necessary, more specific terms with clearly defined
parameters are essential.
In 1956 a special committee of what was then called the Children's Theatre
Conference of the American Educational Theatre Association, published
"Drama With and For Children: An Interpretation of Terms"2 Further
committees were appointed by the Children's Theatre Association of America in
1976 and 1977 to produce a comprehensive statement on terminology. The
essence of the two committee reports is reflected in the following clearly
defmed terms :hich will be applied in this thesis:
THEATRE FOR CHILDREN
"Theatre for Children" indicates theatrical events specifically designed to
be performed for young persons typically of elementary [primary and
junior] school age, 5 to 12.
THEATRE FOR YOUTH
"Theatre for youth", indicates theatrical events specifically designed to
be performed for young persons typically of junior high school age, 13
to 15.
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
"Theatre for young Audiences" is a term encompassing "Theatre for
Children" and "Theatre for youth", the distinction being the age range of
the intended audience. Even though adults frequently attend Theatre for
Young Audiences, either as teachers accompanying classes, as parents
with their children, or merely as interested patrons, the focus of the
performance remains on the young people in the audience. 3
According to the study, Theatre for Young Audiences, consists of the
performance of a largely predetermined theatrical art work by living actors in
2Ann Viola, DRAMA WITH AND FOR CHILDREN: AN
INTERPRETATION OF TERMS, Educational Theatre Journal vii 2 (May
1956), 139-142. " ,
3Children's Theatre Review, xxvii, 1(1978), pp.1O-11.