Classic Commedia Lazzi
ACROBATIC LAZZI
Lazzo of Unspilled Wine
Startled, Arlecchino, holding a full glass of wine, executes a complete backward somersault without spilling the wine.
Slapping Lazzo
A Zanni, with either his hands bound or holding plates of food, slaps another character in the face with his foot.
VIOLENT LAZZI
Innocent Bystander Lazzo
Arlecchino and Pedrolino meet each other face-to-face and are armed to the teeth. They heap abuse on each other, relying on others to hold them back physically. Finally, when the Captain seeks to separate them, they strike out at each other with the Captain receiving most of the blows.
Shield Lazzo
Arlecchino, about to be hit, grabs the nearest other character to use as a shield.
Revival Lazzo
Woman pretends to faint or die. Zanni enters and suggests that the way to revive her is pull her hair or twist her limbs.
Chair Lazzo
Arlecchino (or Pierrot) pulls the chair away from the Captain just before he is to sit down. Or the Captain's cape is pulled, so he is forced from the chair.
LANGUAGE LAZZI
Lazzo of Latin
The Doctor attempts to conjugate English words as if they are Latin (e.g. complaining he’s been attacked by “hoodla” instead of “hoodlums” or speaking of going “inside and exside.”)
Lazzo of the Foreign Language
Covielle (or any other Zanni) pretending to have met a foreign nobleman, quotes him by using made-up words or words associated with whatever culture the made-up nobleman is supposed to have come from. (“Dirka-dirka mohammed jihad!”) He then gives ridiculous and improbable translations for these phrases.
Lazzo of La Fontaine’s Fable
Using a mixture of Italian and French, Arlecchino manages to tell in a ridiculous and obscene manner the story of La Fontaine’s “The Miller, The Son and The Ass.
Learning French Lazzo
The inamorata is learning French (or any other language) from an instructor, and every word which she is taught sounds like a swear word, appalling her. Shakespeare did this lazzo as a French woman learning English, offended at being taught words like 'foot' [foutre - fuck] and 'gown' [con - cunt.]
Lazzo of the List
German innkeeper (or any character with an accent) reads from a shopping list. Everything is mispronounced, so “four chickens” becomes “four broken pillars” and so forth.
FOOD LAZZI
Barber's Water Lazzo
Disguised as a barber, Arlecchino pours the dirty and soapy water into the Doctor's drinking glass as he shaves him.
Tasting Lazzo
A zanni is cooking a pot of something for dinner. He continually seasons the dish, then tastes it, then adds more seasoning, tastes again, and this goes on until there is no food left in the pot.
Cherries Lazzo
While Scapino is speaking, Arlecchino shows his indifference by taking imaginary cherries out of his hat, eating them, and throwing the pits at Scapino.
Fire Lazzo
At the beginning of the meal, Harlequin arrives in a panic, saying that the kitchen is on fire. Don Juan and all the valets run there. In the meantime, Harlequin sits down and eats all he can. Optionally, when the others return complaining that there was no fire, Harlequin replies: “I said THE kitchen was on fire. I didn’t mean YOUR kitchen was on fire.”
Doggie Treat Lazzo
Brighella (or Columbina) offers Arlecchino food, which he eats with great enthusiasm. Brighella then pulls out more food, making whistling/calling noises as for a dog, then tosses the food across the stage. Arlecchino runs after the food and eats it off the floor.
PROP LAZZI
Hat Lazzo
Male character is glared at or otherwise given a seductive glance by female character. The look is so powerful that it causes his hat to fly off.
Glassware Lazzo
While spying or dancing, Arlecchino tips over a basket of glassware or dishes, breaking them.
Straw Lazzo
Arlecchino uses a long straw to steal drinks of another character's beverage.
Stolen Silverware Lazzo
A zanni stands still while an entire banquet's worth of stolen silverware falls from his clothing, where he's hidden them. The last item that falls out is a coffeepot or centerpiece. This is best done at a time in the play when the zanni is swearing to his honesty or innocence.
Doctor's Pee Lazzo
Another character visits the Doctor with some ailment. The Doctor prescribes the patient to drink urine. Patient is appalled: "You want me to drink my own urine?" The Doctor shakes his head and tells him not at all -- it can't be the patient's own urine, it has to be the Doctor's urine, and he charges $40 a bottle for the stuff.
CLASS REBELLION LAZZI
Lazzo of Silence
Pedrolino (or Pulcinella) becomes dumbfounded when his master shouts at him for doing what he thought was a duty that his master requested. Other characters enter the stage, each with a ridiculous reason for scolding Pedrolino. All this time, Pedrolino is silent. When the Captain pinches Pedrolino to see if he is awake, he gives out a frightened cry that scares away the other characters, and calmly exits.
Wine Lazzo
Mezzetino serves wine at a dinner, but keeps drinking it all himself before/between filling the cups of the guests. He feigns shock at the empty bottle, apologizes and runs off to get more wine; and the lazzo repeats.
STAGE/LIFE LAZZI
Lazzo of the Inside
To create the illusion of ferociousness, Pulcinella, hidden from the Captain by a door, speaks in several fake voices, such as servants begging Pulcinella not to beat them anymore.
Psychic Lazzo
A character makes an obvious error about the historical era they're in, such as mentioning an event that takes place several hundred years in the future. Another character acts amazed that first character has suddenly become psychic, and demands fortune telling services. This is a good cover-up lazzo for improvised shows where an actor makes a mistake that is unfunny and would risk confusing the audience.
STUPIDITY LAZZI
Cowardice Lazzo
Pantalone and Zanni search for the man who has beaten them. They practice dueling. But when the Captain appears, they suddenly forget how to hold their swords in their fright. Pantalone and Zanni try to persuade each other to fight, pushing the other toward the Captain.
Forgotten Name Lazzo
First character begins to speak to second but cannot remember the second character's name. ("Lee..." "Leandro." "Leo..." "Leandro." "La..." "Leandro." "Leandro, right.")
Stupid Discovery Lazzo
The Doctor, seizing upon some trivial and well-known fact, pretends that he has made the discovery, which is of the utmost importance.
TRANSFORMATION LAZZI
Yes and No Lazzo
Zanni attempts to play a ruse on another character. When the other character asks a question, Zanni answers yes. But when the ruse is about to be exposed, Zanni suddenly changes his mind about the answer and replies no. This yes and no routine continues through a whole battery of questions.
Lying Lazzo
Zanni makes up lies and lies, each more stupid than the last. Optionally, the stupidest lie he thinks of is what convinces the others of his honesty.
Movie Quotes Lazzo
The inamorata or inamorato quotes famous lines from movies in a romantic, classical Shakespearean style. (e.g. "You talkin' to me? Well, who the hell else you talkin' to? &c. &c." recited in the approximate tone of "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?") The more vulgar or violent the line recited, the better.
Laughter and Tears Lazzo
Arlecchino begins to laugh hysterically. Slowly, his laughing turns to weeping and tears.
TRICKERY LAZZI
Stopped Music Lazzo
Lindor (the Inamorato) is disguised as a music teacher in order to see Rosine (the Inamorata.) The Doctor boredly supervises the singing lesson, but begins to fall asleep. Once the Doctor is quite unconscious, Lindor begins to kiss Rosine, which makes the singing stop. This causes the Doctor to wake up, and the Inamoratti must quickly reset to their original positions. This continues several times.
Monosyllable Lazzo
Weeping, Arlecchino enters the stage. The Doctor and Trivellino question him as to his behavior, but Arlecchino only answers in monosyllables. Or, Arlecchino’s master questions him while Arlecchino eats. Concerned about a widow, the master asks increasingly complicated questions about her, while Arlecchino always manages to answer in monosyllables as he gobbles down the food.
Harlequin Doctor Lazzo
Harlequin disguises himself as a doctor, and prescribes ridiculous and obviously lethal remedies to his patients.
Lazzo of Pantalone’s Story
Pantalone begins to tell ridiculous and impossible stories about adventures he has supposedly had with well-known figures from medieval/ancient history.
PLOT DEVELOPMENT LAZZI
Gun Lazzo
Cola (or Pedrolino) hired to murder the Captain (or Zanni) fires his gun, but after the smoke clears, his intended victim walks away. Realizing that he forgot to put a bullet in the gun, he jumps on it and walks away.
Recognition Lazzo
Often a concluding lazzo, this involves the exaggerated and frantic scene of sudden recognitions between several pairs of characters.
Lazzo of Unspilled Wine
Startled, Arlecchino, holding a full glass of wine, executes a complete backward somersault without spilling the wine.
Slapping Lazzo
A Zanni, with either his hands bound or holding plates of food, slaps another character in the face with his foot.
VIOLENT LAZZI
Innocent Bystander Lazzo
Arlecchino and Pedrolino meet each other face-to-face and are armed to the teeth. They heap abuse on each other, relying on others to hold them back physically. Finally, when the Captain seeks to separate them, they strike out at each other with the Captain receiving most of the blows.
Shield Lazzo
Arlecchino, about to be hit, grabs the nearest other character to use as a shield.
Revival Lazzo
Woman pretends to faint or die. Zanni enters and suggests that the way to revive her is pull her hair or twist her limbs.
Chair Lazzo
Arlecchino (or Pierrot) pulls the chair away from the Captain just before he is to sit down. Or the Captain's cape is pulled, so he is forced from the chair.
LANGUAGE LAZZI
Lazzo of Latin
The Doctor attempts to conjugate English words as if they are Latin (e.g. complaining he’s been attacked by “hoodla” instead of “hoodlums” or speaking of going “inside and exside.”)
Lazzo of the Foreign Language
Covielle (or any other Zanni) pretending to have met a foreign nobleman, quotes him by using made-up words or words associated with whatever culture the made-up nobleman is supposed to have come from. (“Dirka-dirka mohammed jihad!”) He then gives ridiculous and improbable translations for these phrases.
Lazzo of La Fontaine’s Fable
Using a mixture of Italian and French, Arlecchino manages to tell in a ridiculous and obscene manner the story of La Fontaine’s “The Miller, The Son and The Ass.
Learning French Lazzo
The inamorata is learning French (or any other language) from an instructor, and every word which she is taught sounds like a swear word, appalling her. Shakespeare did this lazzo as a French woman learning English, offended at being taught words like 'foot' [foutre - fuck] and 'gown' [con - cunt.]
Lazzo of the List
German innkeeper (or any character with an accent) reads from a shopping list. Everything is mispronounced, so “four chickens” becomes “four broken pillars” and so forth.
FOOD LAZZI
Barber's Water Lazzo
Disguised as a barber, Arlecchino pours the dirty and soapy water into the Doctor's drinking glass as he shaves him.
Tasting Lazzo
A zanni is cooking a pot of something for dinner. He continually seasons the dish, then tastes it, then adds more seasoning, tastes again, and this goes on until there is no food left in the pot.
Cherries Lazzo
While Scapino is speaking, Arlecchino shows his indifference by taking imaginary cherries out of his hat, eating them, and throwing the pits at Scapino.
Fire Lazzo
At the beginning of the meal, Harlequin arrives in a panic, saying that the kitchen is on fire. Don Juan and all the valets run there. In the meantime, Harlequin sits down and eats all he can. Optionally, when the others return complaining that there was no fire, Harlequin replies: “I said THE kitchen was on fire. I didn’t mean YOUR kitchen was on fire.”
Doggie Treat Lazzo
Brighella (or Columbina) offers Arlecchino food, which he eats with great enthusiasm. Brighella then pulls out more food, making whistling/calling noises as for a dog, then tosses the food across the stage. Arlecchino runs after the food and eats it off the floor.
PROP LAZZI
Hat Lazzo
Male character is glared at or otherwise given a seductive glance by female character. The look is so powerful that it causes his hat to fly off.
Glassware Lazzo
While spying or dancing, Arlecchino tips over a basket of glassware or dishes, breaking them.
Straw Lazzo
Arlecchino uses a long straw to steal drinks of another character's beverage.
Stolen Silverware Lazzo
A zanni stands still while an entire banquet's worth of stolen silverware falls from his clothing, where he's hidden them. The last item that falls out is a coffeepot or centerpiece. This is best done at a time in the play when the zanni is swearing to his honesty or innocence.
Doctor's Pee Lazzo
Another character visits the Doctor with some ailment. The Doctor prescribes the patient to drink urine. Patient is appalled: "You want me to drink my own urine?" The Doctor shakes his head and tells him not at all -- it can't be the patient's own urine, it has to be the Doctor's urine, and he charges $40 a bottle for the stuff.
CLASS REBELLION LAZZI
Lazzo of Silence
Pedrolino (or Pulcinella) becomes dumbfounded when his master shouts at him for doing what he thought was a duty that his master requested. Other characters enter the stage, each with a ridiculous reason for scolding Pedrolino. All this time, Pedrolino is silent. When the Captain pinches Pedrolino to see if he is awake, he gives out a frightened cry that scares away the other characters, and calmly exits.
Wine Lazzo
Mezzetino serves wine at a dinner, but keeps drinking it all himself before/between filling the cups of the guests. He feigns shock at the empty bottle, apologizes and runs off to get more wine; and the lazzo repeats.
STAGE/LIFE LAZZI
Lazzo of the Inside
To create the illusion of ferociousness, Pulcinella, hidden from the Captain by a door, speaks in several fake voices, such as servants begging Pulcinella not to beat them anymore.
Psychic Lazzo
A character makes an obvious error about the historical era they're in, such as mentioning an event that takes place several hundred years in the future. Another character acts amazed that first character has suddenly become psychic, and demands fortune telling services. This is a good cover-up lazzo for improvised shows where an actor makes a mistake that is unfunny and would risk confusing the audience.
STUPIDITY LAZZI
Cowardice Lazzo
Pantalone and Zanni search for the man who has beaten them. They practice dueling. But when the Captain appears, they suddenly forget how to hold their swords in their fright. Pantalone and Zanni try to persuade each other to fight, pushing the other toward the Captain.
Forgotten Name Lazzo
First character begins to speak to second but cannot remember the second character's name. ("Lee..." "Leandro." "Leo..." "Leandro." "La..." "Leandro." "Leandro, right.")
Stupid Discovery Lazzo
The Doctor, seizing upon some trivial and well-known fact, pretends that he has made the discovery, which is of the utmost importance.
TRANSFORMATION LAZZI
Yes and No Lazzo
Zanni attempts to play a ruse on another character. When the other character asks a question, Zanni answers yes. But when the ruse is about to be exposed, Zanni suddenly changes his mind about the answer and replies no. This yes and no routine continues through a whole battery of questions.
Lying Lazzo
Zanni makes up lies and lies, each more stupid than the last. Optionally, the stupidest lie he thinks of is what convinces the others of his honesty.
Movie Quotes Lazzo
The inamorata or inamorato quotes famous lines from movies in a romantic, classical Shakespearean style. (e.g. "You talkin' to me? Well, who the hell else you talkin' to? &c. &c." recited in the approximate tone of "O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?") The more vulgar or violent the line recited, the better.
Laughter and Tears Lazzo
Arlecchino begins to laugh hysterically. Slowly, his laughing turns to weeping and tears.
TRICKERY LAZZI
Stopped Music Lazzo
Lindor (the Inamorato) is disguised as a music teacher in order to see Rosine (the Inamorata.) The Doctor boredly supervises the singing lesson, but begins to fall asleep. Once the Doctor is quite unconscious, Lindor begins to kiss Rosine, which makes the singing stop. This causes the Doctor to wake up, and the Inamoratti must quickly reset to their original positions. This continues several times.
Monosyllable Lazzo
Weeping, Arlecchino enters the stage. The Doctor and Trivellino question him as to his behavior, but Arlecchino only answers in monosyllables. Or, Arlecchino’s master questions him while Arlecchino eats. Concerned about a widow, the master asks increasingly complicated questions about her, while Arlecchino always manages to answer in monosyllables as he gobbles down the food.
Harlequin Doctor Lazzo
Harlequin disguises himself as a doctor, and prescribes ridiculous and obviously lethal remedies to his patients.
Lazzo of Pantalone’s Story
Pantalone begins to tell ridiculous and impossible stories about adventures he has supposedly had with well-known figures from medieval/ancient history.
PLOT DEVELOPMENT LAZZI
Gun Lazzo
Cola (or Pedrolino) hired to murder the Captain (or Zanni) fires his gun, but after the smoke clears, his intended victim walks away. Realizing that he forgot to put a bullet in the gun, he jumps on it and walks away.
Recognition Lazzo
Often a concluding lazzo, this involves the exaggerated and frantic scene of sudden recognitions between several pairs of characters.