The Italians in England ***

Commedia dell’Arte originated in Italy, probably in the sixteenth century. Its defining characteristics included masks, musical duets, physical comedy and improvisation. Unusually for its time, it also featured female actors. It was one of the earliest forms of professional touring theatre and became popular across Europe.

Including England.

The premise of The Italians in England imagines Queen Elizabeth I growing bored with court entertainments and hearing glowing reports of the Italian performers in Mantova, northern Italy. She dispatches a representative to engage the troupe to travel to England and perform for her. Despite the long and perilous journey, the Italians are tempted by the prospect of riches.

Three months later, the troupe performs at the Queen’s birthday in The Italians in England – an adaptation of an original canovaccio, or improvised plot, by Flaminio Scala, Il Vecchio Geloso (The Jealous Old Man).

The Italian company Action Theatre swarms across the stage in a riot of colour and activity. The production constantly shifts gear, throwing jokes, innuendo, song, music and a great deal of slapstick at the audience.

The plot and characters form a gloriously tangled web, but a loose summary might be: various people want to engage in sexual asctivity with various other people. Meanwhile, the Doctor has a vineyard estate under threat from wild boar. He hires a captain – who turns out to be a poltroon – to deal with the danger. Elsewhere, a lunch party has been arranged with the covert purpose of facilitating sexual shenanigans. From there, the action comes thick and fast: misunderstandings, subplots, secrets, manipulation, cuckolding and much more.

The use of masks is delightful, while the physical comedy is expertly executed. The guitar is particularly effective, used to establish and punctuate shifts in mood.

It is a joyful hour.

There is also an intriguing historical footnote to the production. Italian Commedia dell’Arte performers were touring and performing in England at around the time a young William Shakespeare would have been going to the theatre. It is entirely plausible that he encountered such performances. Certainly, Twelfth Night, The Comedy of Errors and The Taming of the Shrew all show the influence of the Italian theatrical tradition.

For an hour, Action Theatre captures something of the exuberance, bawdiness and sheer theatrical energy of Commedia dell’Arte. It is chaotic, colourful and great fun.