Sogetto Structure for Commedia

Canovaccio 1: The location. Characters that open the scene. Basic action summary of the scene with character names in bold upon entering the scene and with any lazzi in italics.

Canovaccio 2: The location. Characters that open the scene. Basic action summary of the scene with character names in bold upon entering the scene and with any lazzi in italics.

Etc. Remember that each canovaccio should be able to stand alone, but then they are put together to create the full soggetto.

Example:

The street. Il Capitano and Pantalone discuss Il Capitano’s marriage to Isabella. Il Capitano brags about his wealth and titles and Pantalone eats it up. Pantalone calls Arlecchino who comes running and lazzi. Pantalone dictates a letter to Arlecchino for Isabella telling her about the betrothal. Lazzi: Arlecchino uses his slapstick to write the letter, so nothing is actually put on paper. Pantalone sends Arlecchino off to give the urgent letter to Isabella and then exits opposite with Il Capitano.

A room in Pantalone’s house. Isabella reveals to Colombina that she met her love at the market. Lazzi describing him in great lengths and exaggerating his qualities. Arlecchino enters and states that he has a letter to deliver to Isabella, only to discover that the page is blank. He panics and begins recreating the letter off the top of his head. Colombina realizes Arlecchino is not actually reading anything and attempts to help him remember the actual contents of the letter. Arlecchino panics that he cannot remember. Lazzi.

The street. Colombina helps Arlecchino walk, as though he has some physical ailment instead of memory loss. Il Dottore enters and Colombina explains that Arlecchino has lost his memory and asks for his help. Il Dottore goes into a lengthy speech about how memory works and that it cannot really be lost. Colombina lazzi to get Il Dottore’s attention. Il Dottore pronounces Arlecchino to be dead. Arlecchino starts planning his own funeral.

*Notice that Isabella is talked about in the first canovaccio, but not physically in the scene, so she is not in bold. This helps to ensure that only the people that are supposed to be onstage are onstage. Also, notice that lazzi can be described or left open. The first lazzi is implied that it is some sort of physical lazzi performed by Arlecchino that can by anything because it is just meant for humor, whereas the second lazzi is specifically laid out because it is important to the plot.